If you are heading to the United States on a healthcare placement, sorting your phone data is one of those practical tasks that sits quietly on the to-do list until you land and suddenly need a map, a messaging app and a way to call the unit. This guide covers what you need to know before you travel, without the jargon.
Why your UK SIM is not the right long-term answer
UK networks do offer roaming in the USA, and for a short trip that is usually fine. For a placement lasting three, six or twelve months, it gets expensive quickly. The US is one of the priciest destinations for roaming add-ons, most give you a smaller data allowance than your UK plan, they charge a monthly fee on top of your existing contract, and some carriers still apply daily roaming charges if you forget to activate a bolt-on before you travel.
The practical alternative is a local US eSIM. You get a proper US data plan at local rates, your phone works exactly as it does at home, and you are not paying a premium for the privilege of being abroad.
US mobile networks: what you need to know
There are three main mobile networks in the United States: Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. T-Mobile has the fastest and most extensive 5G, which is ideal if your placement is in a major city. AT&T is reliable across highways, suburbs and many rural routes. Verizon has the strongest coverage in remote and rural areas, which matters if your placement is in a regional hospital or somewhere away from a big metro area.
Most eSIM providers operate on one or more of these underlying networks. If you know your placement is somewhere rural, it is worth checking network coverage maps before you commit to a plan.
Will your UK phone work properly on US networks?
This is the one US-specific quirk worth knowing. Most modern UK handsets work well on AT&T and T-Mobile with no trouble. Verizon, however, uses some network bands that are not always present on phones bought outside the US. A UK phone might show Verizon as available but lack the right bands, in which case it falls back to another network regardless. For city placements this rarely matters, because T-Mobile and AT&T cover urban areas well. If your placement is somewhere remote where Verizon is the strongest network, check your specific handset model supports its bands before you rely on it.
Is your phone eSIM-compatible?
Most smartphones sold in the UK since 2020 support eSIM. That includes iPhone XS and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and most recent handsets from OnePlus and Motorola.
To check on iPhone, go to Settings > Mobile Data > Add eSIM. On Android, go to Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs. If your phone is eSIM-compatible, you will see the option to add a new plan. If your handset only takes a physical SIM, you can pick up a prepaid SIM from a carrier store on arrival at most major US airports.
One thing worth checking before you travel: if you bought your phone on a UK network contract, it may be network-locked. Contact your provider to request an unlock before you leave. Unlocking is free and takes a few days.
How much data do you actually need?
This depends on how you use your phone, but here are some rough benchmarks to help you decide.
Browsing, messaging and maps without much video uses around 3 to 5GB per month. Add 30 minutes of streaming video per day and you are looking at closer to 8 to 10GB. If you video-call family back in the UK a few times a week, or use TikTok, YouTube or other data-heavy apps regularly, 20GB is a more sensible baseline. The 50GB plan suits heavier users, anyone who tethers a laptop for remote work, or those whose accommodation does not have reliable home Wi-Fi and who use their phone as the main internet connection.
Most healthcare professionals on placement find the 10GB or 20GB plan covers their day-to-day needs. You can adjust your plan each month, so there is no pressure to get it exactly right on day one.
SimScrubs plans for the USA
SimScrubs offers three 30-day rolling plans for the USA, designed around placement lengths rather than short-term travel.
All plans are data-only eSIMs on a 30-day rolling basis with no fixed contract. You activate by scanning a QR code, which takes around two minutes. Use code WELCOME25 for 25% off your first month.
Keeping your UK number while you are away
If you have a dual-SIM compatible phone (most modern smartphones are), you can keep your UK SIM active in the same device as your US eSIM. This means you still receive texts and calls on your UK number without needing a separate handset. Incoming calls on your UK number while roaming may still incur charges from your UK provider, so it is worth checking your plan terms. Calling and messaging apps such as WhatsApp and FaceTime work normally in the US, so most healthcare professionals find it simpler to route UK calls through those rather than the phone network itself.
A note on US licensing and visas
Working in US healthcare involves more paperwork than an Australian or European placement, and it varies by profession and by state. For nurses, the path is to pass the NCLEX-RN exam, obtain a licence from the nursing board of the state you will work in, and complete a CGFNS or TruMerit VisaScreen, which immigration authorities require before they will process a work visa. Each state runs its own board with its own rules and processing times, so the right starting point depends on where you are headed.
Doctors follow a different route through the USMLE examinations and ECFMG certification. Allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and radiographers each have their own credentialing bodies. Whichever profession you are in, the common thread is that the process takes several months, so the sooner you start the better. Your recruitment agency should be able to guide you through the paperwork specific to your role and destination state.
Getting your phone situation sorted before you travel is one less thing to deal with once you arrive. A 30-day rolling plan means you are not tied in, and you can adjust your data allowance as your placement settles into a routine.