Yes, though on most travel eSIMs the calls and texts run over the internet rather than the traditional phone network. These plans are data-only, so voice and messaging go through apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, FaceTime and Signal instead of a dialer tied to a phone number. That setup covers the way most people stay in touch abroad. If you need a traditional phone number for standard calls and SMS, that takes a different kind of plan.
The practical split is between internet-based communication, which any data-only eSIM handles, and traditional cellular calls and texts, which need a number registered on the network.
Calling and texting over data
A data-only eSIM gives you internet, and internet is all the messaging and calling apps need. WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal, Telegram, FaceTime and Messenger handle voice and video calls as well as messaging over your eSIM's data. For most travelers that answers the question in full, because the people they contact use the same apps.
It is also light on data. A WhatsApp voice call uses roughly 0.5 MB a minute, so an hour of talking sits around 30 MB. A video call is heavier at about 5 MB a minute, closer to 300 MB an hour, so it pays to watch that one on a smaller plan.
These apps stay tied to your existing phone number too. WhatsApp keeps working under your normal number even though the data flows through the travel eSIM, so contacts reach you as usual. No local number is needed for any of it.
Traditional calls and SMS
What a data-only eSIM will not do is place a regular cellular call or send a standard text from a number on the local network. If you need to call a hotel landline, pick up an SMS code sent to a number, or reach someone who avoids messaging apps, that needs either your home line or a plan that includes a number.
Some eSIM plans do bundle a local or virtual phone number with call and text allowances. They are less common and usually cost more, which is why most travel plans are sold as data-only in the first place. If a number matters for your trip, compare plans by what they list, and choose one that spells out calls and texts, not only data.
Keeping your home number reachable
You can keep traditional calls and texts on your own number by leaving your home SIM active alongside the travel eSIM. Most phones released from 2018 onward support this dual setup, including iPhone XS and later and most recent Android flagships. Apple documents how both numbers work together on its Dual SIM with an eSIM page. Your home line handles calls and SMS while the eSIM carries the data.
One caveat: using the home line abroad can trigger your carrier's roaming charges, and in some countries that includes calls you receive. Many travelers leave the home line on only for important SMS and route everything else through apps and the eSIM.
Receiving verification codes
A common snag is SMS verification codes from banks or services, since those go to your phone number rather than an app. If you rely on them, keep your home SIM active to receive them, or set up an app-based authenticator before you travel so you are not dependent on SMS. Sorting this out before you leave keeps you from being locked out of an account while you are away.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use WhatsApp on a data-only eSIM?
Yes. WhatsApp calls and messages run over data, so a data-only eSIM is all you need. It stays tied to your normal number, so contacts reach you as usual.
Can I make a normal phone call with a travel eSIM?
Not on a data-only plan, which has no phone number for the local network. Use a calling app over data, keep your home SIM on for traditional calls, or choose a plan that includes a number.
Will I still get SMS codes from my bank while abroad?
Only on a line with your phone number. Keep your home SIM active to receive SMS codes, or switch to an authenticator app before you travel, since a data-only eSIM cannot receive them.
Do any eSIMs come with a phone number?
Some do, with call and text allowances, though they are less common and cost more than data-only plans. If you need a number, look for plans that list calls and texts.