Tello is an affordable U.S. mobile carrier with eSIM and Wi‑Fi calling. Keep your American number active after you move, so bank codes, 2FA texts and calls from home still reach you — on a no-contract plan you can cancel anytime.
Get Started with Tello →What is Tello Mobile?
Tello Mobile is an independent U.S. mobile carrier that runs on a major U.S. nationwide 5G network. It offers no-contract phone plans delivered by eSIM, so you can activate in minutes without visiting a store. Because Tello supports Wi‑Fi calling, you can make and receive U.S. calls and texts over any internet connection — which is exactly what makes it so useful once you have left the United States.
Why keep a U.S. number after you move abroad?
After you move overseas, a surprising amount of your life stays tied to your U.S. phone number. Bank and brokerage logins (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard), the IRS and other government services, and payment apps like Zelle, Venmo and PayPal all send verification codes to that number — and U.S. family and friends still call and text it. Let the line lapse and you can find yourself locked out of your own accounts at the worst possible moment. Tello keeps that number active affordably, so your U.S. digital life keeps working from anywhere.
eSIM in minutes
Activate online with no store visit and no SIM to ship. Tello runs alongside a local plan on a dual-SIM phone, so you carry your U.S. number and local data at once.
Wi‑Fi calling
Send and receive U.S. calls and SMS verification codes over any Wi‑Fi or data connection — the feature that makes a U.S. line genuinely usable overseas.
No contract
Simple month-to-month service with no contract and no cancellation fees. Port in the U.S. number you already have and keep it for as long as you need it.
Who Tello is for
Tello is for anyone who needs a U.S. number reachable from outside the country: Americans relocating internationally, long-term travelers, dual residents, students studying abroad, and anyone whose bank, broker or government login still texts a U.S. number. Tello is a U.S. carrier that keeps your U.S. line working — it is not a local mobile plan for your new country, so pair it with a local SIM or eSIM for everyday data and calls where you live. It is one of the connectivity tools we recommend as part of our services for moving abroad.
Main benefits
- Keep your existing U.S. number — port it in so logins, banks and contacts keep working
- eSIM activation in minutes — nothing to ship, and it runs alongside a local plan
- Wi‑Fi calling for U.S. calls and SMS codes over any internet connection
- No contracts and no cancellation fees — month-to-month flexibility
- Flexible plans, from a basic line up to unlimited talk & text
- Runs on a major U.S. nationwide 5G network
How to get started
- Choose your Tello plan and create your account.
- Port in your existing U.S. number, or pick a new one.
- Activate the eSIM, turn on Wi‑Fi calling, and add a U.S. address to your account (a family member’s address is fine).
- Optionally add a local eSIM for everyday data in your new country.
What to keep in mind
- Tello is a U.S. carrier with U.S. numbers — overseas, its job is to keep that U.S. line reachable (best over Wi‑Fi calling), not to replace a local plan.
- SMS verification codes come through over Wi‑Fi; picture messages (MMS) may not.
- Tello asks you to keep a U.S. address on your account — a relative’s address works.
- International roaming terms are set by Tello and can change, so the reliable setup is Tello for your U.S. number plus a local eSIM for data where you live.
- You’ll need an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone.
Affiliate disclosure: Settleguru may earn a commission if you sign up through our links, at no additional cost to you. Tello is an independent U.S. company; its plans, features, pricing and roaming terms are set by Tello and may change over time. See more vetted options on our Trusted Partners page.