Looking for some cell service advice for year-long stay in Germany.

Requirements:

• Have a German cell number for use while in Germany (required to ensure others in Germany can easily contact me without incurring any fee)

Status:

• Currently use Verizon with recent iPhone (eSIM only).
• Verizon's international plan doesn't provide a German number
• Verizon allows a number "pause" for up to 90 days, but only once/year

Plan:

• Purchase an eSIM card from German provider Vodafone with 1-year plan (~$50/month for 12GB data/month)
• Install German eSIM card onto iPhone and activate (at this point my phone would have 2 eSIMs but I only intend for one to be active at a time)
• Swap (activate/deactivate) the "opposite" eSIM whenever in each country, e.g. deactivate US eSIM when in Germany. Note: Verizon will charge me if I receive calls/texts on my US number while in Germany, so I want to deactivate that number.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

I moved to Australia last year and that's what I do with my iPhone. eSim makes it so easy.

eSim 1: Google Fi, data turned off unless I'm in the USA $20ish/month (this is risky, Google will cut your service if you use too much international data without being present in the USA, but I've held on for a year so far)
eSim 2: Optus mobile plan in Australia, unlimited data, A$70/month

Both lines can be active at the same time, but you can configure where data is enabled, so if someone calls you on your US line you'll still see it. You can also deactivate one line or the other, like you stated you wanted to do.

I would begin prepping friends and family and move them to WhatsApp as much as you can. My WhatsApp number is my US number and nearly everyone just calls me on that now.

I live in Switzerland and have many German colleagues. They said "If moving or traveling often to rural areas -> Telekom. Otherwise Vodafone or any other 3rd party."

Most plans can be made for most of the EU. When traveling back to USA, just turn off DE eSIM and turn on eSIM for US.

If you don't want to keep USA plan, cancel it and use Holafly for eSIM when traveling back to USA.

Looks like you've already got some good answers.

Overseas they have a lot more prepaid options. When I first went to Australia, I had a Jason Bourne (or now Jim Schlossnagle) style burner phone where I went month to month with Vodafone for several years. Eventually, I converted that number to a contract but I can't remember why.

All the Indian dudes I know get a local prepaid SIM when they go to India.

Don't know how much time you've spent overseas but the main thing to watch out for is data overages. That's one of the reasons I recommend prepaid if you're only going to be there for a year.

Don't know how they do it in Germany but in Australia, you had to provide a lot of documentation to get a contract - Passport, Visa, etc. But, they would sell a prepaid service to anybody with ID and $30 AUD.

Good point on the Visa, passport etc. we had to provide proof of residency and employment I believe. Mainly to ensure 1) you qualified for the plan…similar to a credit check and 2) to make you sure you didn't bail and run and not pay.