Keep Your US Phone Number Abroad: A Guide to 2FA, Banking, and iMessage Access

Setting up local mobile service is one of the biggest challenges of living abroad. So is keeping your existing US phone number active. Here in France, we use the local carrier Free Mobile with an eSIM on our unlocked iPhones. It offers great service, solid coverage, and a large data allotment — better than any US carrier we’ve used. That covers us in Europe. But we also wanted a US number, so staying connected back home would feel seamless.

We tried a couple of options in the past, including Google Voice and NumberBarn. Both came with challenges. We wanted something simpler: a setup that used the actual Phone and Messages apps on our iPhones, with no hoops to jump through for calls or texts. After researching several carriers, we landed on Tello. It worked well for our needs, at a reasonable price. And unlike some carriers, you can set it up entirely from abroad.

How to Keep Your US Phone Number Abroad Using Tello

What Is Tello?

Tello is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that runs on the T-Mobile network. Mint Mobile and Consumer Cellular work the same way. With Tello, you can port your number from any US carrier. Then you pay only for the minutes, texts, and data you actually need. Tello also connects to local mobile networks in more than 200 countries as you travel.

We run Tello alongside our Free Mobile line, so two eSIMs stay active on our iPhones at once. This setup lets us make and receive calls and texts on both lines at the same time. We also assign a preferred line to each contact. Family in the US reach us on the Tello line. Friends in Europe use our Free Mobile line.

Tello Plans and What They Cost

Tello offers a range of plans, plus pay-as-you-go data. We use the lowest tier of minutes and texts. On top of that, we set a recurring pay-as-you-go data amount. It tops up automatically once we burn through our allotment. This setup fits how we actually use the line: mostly 2FA texts from financial institutions, plus the occasional call with family members who haven’t figured out WhatsApp yet.

Our existing plan is grandfathered in. Tello’s current comparable option runs $8 a month for 2GB of data, 300 minutes, and unlimited texts. We add pay-as-you-go data on top, set at $20 with auto-reload. We use that extra data for two reasons:

• iMessage media: Sending photos or videos through iMessage draws on this data.
• Backup connectivity: If our Free Mobile line loses signal, Tello’s network often still connects. Our phone switches over automatically.

You can set your own pay-as-you-go budget based on your data use. We set ours at $20. As heavy data users, that covers us for about two and a half months.

All told, we maintain a US phone line for less than $200 a year, with no drop in service. Porting your number to Tello is free too. Some carriers, like Google Voice, charge a porting fee instead.

Try Tello with Our Referral Code

Want to give Tello a try? Sign up here using our referral code (code: P3Z29Z6K). It’s the exact setup we used to get started. Referrals like this help support the blog, at no extra cost to you.

Disclosure: This is a referral link. If you sign up through it, we may receive a small credit or bonus from Tello. We only recommend services we actually use ourselves.

How to Set Up Tello on Your iPhone

First, choose a plan and set your pay-as-you-go data allotment. Next, Tello walks you through porting your existing number. Once porting finishes, you’ll install an eSIM by scanning a QR code. Make sure you’re on a solid WiFi network for this step. Tello will also ask you to turn on WiFi Calling, which requires an E911 address. We use our US billing address here.

Once you’ve installed the eSIM, configure the settings below — both on the Tello website and on your phone.

Tello Website Settings

Go to My Tello > My Settings and set:

• Text Messages:  ON
• Pay As You Go Data: ON¹Turn on pay-as-you-go data, or your speeds will throttle once you use up your monthly plan data. This setting taps your pay-as-you-go data automatically to keep service running.
• Data Auto Refill: OFF
• International Roaming: ON²Turn on International Roaming here — this is a Tello setting, not an iPhone setting. Without it, the line won’t work outside the US.
• Voicemail:  ON

iPhone Cellular Settings

Go to Settings > Cellular and set:

• Default Voice Line: Your local SIM³Choose your local phone line as the default — in our case, Free Mobile. This keeps your primary voice and data coming from your local European line.
• Cellular Data > Allow Cellular Data Switching: ON⁴This setting lets both eSIMs handle data. It will eat into your pay-as-you-go data, but it keeps you connected if your local eSIM loses signal.

SIM Settings

Under your Tello line, set:

• Cellular Plan Label: Tello⁵Relabel this line “Tello” for clarity.
• Turn On This Line: ON
• Network Selection: Automatic⁶For redundancy, manually choose a different local mobile network than the one your primary line uses. For example, our Free Mobile line runs in France, so we set Tello to piggyback on Orange instead.
• My Number: Your US number
• WiFi Calling: ON
• Voice & Data: 5G On
• Data Mode: Standard
• Limit IP Address Tracking: ON
• Data Roaming: ON⁷Turn on Data Roaming here too, matching the Tello website setting. Both need to be on for this setup to work.

Messages App Settings

Go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive and set:

• Enable your US number (Tello) and your iCloud email address
• Set “Start New Conversations From” to your US number (Tello)

Other Tips

Update your most-used US contacts with these two steps:

1. Add the +1 country code to their saved phone numbers. For example, change (555) 555-5555 to +1 (555) 555-5555.
2. Set a default line per contact. Open the contact, tap “Always Use” above their name, and choose Tello. Your phone will then always use the Tello line for that person.

Other Benefits

• Tello works in more than 200 countries, including the US.
• Tello’s customer service has helped us more than once. They walked us through settings when we migrated to a new phone.
• Assigning preferred phone lines per contact means your outgoing calls show a number people recognize — so you’re calling US contacts from a US number they trust.
• Choosing your local network manually gives you a reliable backup data source if your primary line has poor coverage.