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What Is Data Roaming?
Data Roaming: What is it? how does it work? when to activate it? These questions and everything you need to know about this service.
Data roaming means using your mobile data services outside of your home network. Your mobile network’s coverage area usually includes the country where you bought your plan. Therefore, you can expect data roaming charges when traveling abroad.
There are some exceptions to this. For example, many mobile carriers in EU countries don’t consider data usage within the EU to be international roaming.
You might have seen many warnings about being careful about data roaming charges and even given advice to turn off data roaming when traveling abroad. So, let’s ask the important questions and explain it all in detail:
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How Does Data Roaming Work?
Let’s say you are traveling internationally and want to connect to the Internet using your local SIM card, even though you are outside your carrier’s network. If you turn on the roaming option and try to connect to your cellular data services, your mobile phone connects to one of the local mobile networks and starts using data.
You can use your mobile device to stay connected online, use your favorite apps, and make and receive calls and text messages through other cellular networks.
Mobile carriers have cellular data agreements that allow their users to access data services even when they are outside of their network’s coverage area of their native service provider.
You should not be able to tell the difference in how your mobile device functions, and you will most likely get all the mobile data you want. The main difference, though, will be reflected in your mobile phone bill.
But be careful ⚠️
Roaming charges depend on the agreement between the operators of each country. Therefore, before traveling, check the roaming cellular data options for the country you are going to so you can avoid data roaming charges.
In many cases, international roaming charges are pretty steep, so many people unaware of them can be hit with a bill shock once their phone bill arrives.
Pros and Cons of Data Roaming
If roaming data is so expensive, why are people still using it to stay connected abroad? Here are some pros and cons of using data roaming when traveling.
| Pros of roaming data usage | Cons of roaming data usage |
| Convenient Using a familiar mobile carrier No need to change the SIM card | Can be expensive Slower network speeds Greater risk of phishing attacks Higher security risks |
Types of Roaming Coverage
There are three types of roaming coverage when traveling internationally.
- Roaming land coverage allows you to use your cell phone on land.
- Maritime coverage for ferry, boat, or cruise ship crossings
- Air roaming coverage so you can connect during a flight.
In this post, we will focus on land coverage since it is a service that turns on by default on your cell phone and, in some cases, is included in your prepaid or contract tariff.
How Much Does Roaming Cost?
Different international operators charge different prices for data roaming. Here is a comparison table showing the rates that operators in the USA, UK, and Australia offer to their users.
However, to make the best possible decision, you must calculate how much data you need for your trip. That will help you decide whether these are the rates you are ready to pay or whether you should look for data roaming alternatives.
| Operator/country of origin | Data Roaming Rate per Contract |
| AT&T USA | $12 a day for unlimited data with International Day Pass |
| T-Mobile USA | 1-Day Pass: 512MB of high-speed data and unlimited calling for $5. 10-Day Pass: 5GB of high-speed data and unlimited calling for $35. 30-Day Pass: 15GB of high-speed data and unlimited calling for $50 |
| Verizon USA | 10$/Day |
| Three UK | Europe: £2 per day Around the World: £5 per day |
| O2 UK | EU: Free up to 25 GB per month O2 Travel: £6 per day. Data Roaming Bundles: 100MB: £18 500MB: £261 GB: £45 (O2). |
| Rogers Canada | $12 per day in the U.S. and $15 per day in other international destinations. $7.99 per MB if not using Roam Like Home or another roaming plan |
| Telstra Australia | Pre-Paid International Roaming Packs: $10 Pack: 400MB data, valid for 3 days $15 Pack: 2GB data, valid for 7 days. $25 Pack: 4GB data valid for 14 days Pay-As-You-Go $3 per MB. |
| Optus Australia | Prepaid International Roaming Packs: $5 Pack: 1GB data, valid for 1 day. $35 Pack: 7GB data,, valid for 7 days. $20 Data Only Pack: 10GB data, valid for 14 days in select destinations Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) Rates: Zone 1 and 2: $1 per MB of data. Zone 3: $2 per MB of data |
Key Facts About Data Roaming: Summary
From the table above, we can analyze several aspects of data roaming:
- Rates vary depending on the destination country and type of plan you have back home.
- Roaming plans are activated by default on your cellphone.
- You can activate or deactivate the data consumption from the cellphone settings
- You will be charged a higher rate if you exceed the daily limit.
- Crossing a border will immediately connect your cellphone to a cellular network.
- If you do not deactivate data roaming, you will incur unexpected charges on your bill.
- An excellent way to avoid roaming is to have data plans with coverage in several destinations such as Holafly’s Asia eSIM alternative.
For example, EU countries agree to waive additional roaming charges for countries within the European Union. That means a person from Italy can freely use their mobile data in Greece and not get charged for roaming. It is treated as domestic roaming. In some cases, there is a fair use policy that regulates reasonable data use.
If the user exceeds the allowed consumption, the operator will send a message informing them about incoming additional charges.
How Are Roaming Zones Grouped?
Operators are challenged to establish roaming costs according to the country of origin and the country visited. Roaming is cheaper within the countries of the same region, while it gets exponentially more expensive with increasing distance and across regions.
Therefore, you can expect an EU mobile carrier to have more affordable roaming charges for countries such as the UK or Norway but somewhat higher charges for Turkey. Here are some of the most prominent mobile operators and their respective zoning systems.
US Mobile Zones
Big US mobile operators like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint, don’t use zoning or regional system. However, US Mobile does.
| USA & Canada Region: | China Region: | Global Region |
| Australia Canada Hong Kong New Zealand United Kingdom United States | China Hong Kong Macau | Afghanistan Albania Armenia Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Cambodia Canada China Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Ghana Greece Guam Hong Kong Hungary Iceland Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Malaysia Malta Mexico Montenegro Netherlands New Zealand Norway Pakistan Philippines Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Singapore Slovakia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Türkiye US Virgin Islands United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uzbekistan Vietnam |
Vodafone UK Zones
In the UK, Vodafone recognizes 4 different zones. They are Zones A, B, C, D.
| Zone A | Zone B (47 countries) | Zone C (32 countries) | Zone D (73 countries) |
| Republic of Ireland Isle of Man Iceland Norway | Austria Belgium Bulgaria Canary Islands Croatia Cyprus except Northern Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France (including Corsica) French Guiana Germany Gibraltar Greece And more | Albania Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Aruba Australia Barbados Bermuda Bosnia and Herzegovina British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Dominica Ghana Grenada Jamaica Kenya Lesotho Mexico Montserrat Mozambique New Zealand United States of America And more. | Afghanistan Andorra Argentina Armenia Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Cambodia Chile China Colombia Congo, Democratic Republic of Costa Rica Curacao Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Fiji Georgia Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong India And more. |
Deutche Telekom (T-Mobile Germany)
| Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 |
| EU countries Norway Iceland Liechtenstein | USA Canada Turkey And more | India Indonesia Iraq Iran Israel Jamaica Japan Yemen Jordan Cambodia And many more |
Depending on the country you visit and the plan you have, you will be able to get a series of benefits with flexible rates or more data. Also, some operators, such as O2 in the UK or Rogers in Canada, allow you to check the roaming services available country by country.
How to Activate Data Roaming Service?
You need to do several things before you activate data roaming service for your SIM card.
- Check your data roaming plan with your mobile provider. You want to avoid unexpected costs in case
- Shop for data roaming plans if they are not included in your plan.
Once you are sure that you won’t have any additional fees or unexpected charges, you can freely activate your cell phone’s roaming service.
Turn On Roaming on iPhones
It is very easy to turn on roaming on your iPhone.
- Open Settings
- Go to Mobile
- Choose Mobile or Mobile Data.
- If your iPhone has a single SIM, tap on Turn On Mobile Data
- If you have Dual SIM, or eSIM turn on Mobile Data, tap the number you want to use, then choose Mobile Data Options, and finally turn on Data Roaming
Turn on Roaming on an Android Device
Many cell phones use the Android operating system. One of the most popular is the Samsung phone. Here’s how to turn on data roaming on a Samsung Android phone.
- Go to Settings app on your Samsung device.
- Choose Connections and then Mobile networks
- Turn on Data roaming
How to Avoid Data Roaming?
If you don’t have a strict plan’s limit, you’d want to limit your mobile data usage on international trips. That way, you can avoid roaming charges until you return to your home network.
Here are some tips on what to do to avoid roaming:
Turn Off Mobile Data
The best way to avoid roaming charges is to turn off that option entirely from your mobile phone. Sometimes, a mobile device automatically connects to a different network than your home network if the Data Roaming Setting is toggled ON. Make sure that it’s OFF before you leave the home network. However, your phone may offer to turn roaming on, and send you notifications. Read them carefully so you don’t make the mistake of activating this service.
Turn On Airplane Mode
This will isolate you from all networks. While you will be 100% safe from accidentally roaming during your international travel, it also means you won’t have access to calls, texts, or data.
Use Wi Fi
Many airports, hotels, cafes, and other public places have a free Wi Fi network. You can connect to those networks where available and enjoy browsing the internet using some of those Wi Fi hotspots. However, you cannot rely on having these available whenever you need them.
Get an International eSIM
Nowadays, you can easily buy an eSIM with unlimited data and stay connected at all times for a flat daily fee. You just need to make sure that you have an eSIM-compatible device. Providers like Holafly offer digital SIM cards that you can install by scanning a QR code. It only takes minutes to do so.
This is your best way to stay connected to other networks without relying on public Wi Fi. Here’s more on how to get one.
Data Roaming vs. Data eSIM: Which Is Better?
| Features | Cellular Data with eSIM | Cellular data with roaming |
| Fair price? | Yes | No |
| Quality of connection? | Yes | Yes/No |
| Unlimited internet? | Yes | Yes/No |
| Extra costs? | No | Yes |
| Does it share data with other devices? | Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Easy to use and install? | Yes | Yes |
Using data roaming with an eSIM doesn’t cost you extra, nor is there a surprise bill. When you buy a data eSIM, you use data roaming to improve coverage and enjoy your data in the destinations you plan to visit.
In some cases, the data is unlimited, depending on the plan you choose, and in some cases, you can share your data with other devices. Still, both data roaming and eSIM are easy to use, but what differentiates them is the price you will pay, the ease of use, and the advantages that we will explain shortly.
Holafly eSIM with Unlimited Data for Traveling
Consider Holafly eSIMs the best alternative for your international travels. The online store offers data eSIMs for more than 200 destinations. With their ease of purchase, use, and portability, they allow you to travel without complications and, above all, with the data you need at a fair and reasonable price.
Advantages of Holafly eSIMs for travelers
- No matter where you are, you will always have an eSIM with data at your fingertips.
- You will get internet in more than 200 destinations at standard rates.
- Install the eSIM on your device without the need for a physical chip
- Enjoy stable coverage, thanks to the eSIM’s connection to local networks
- In some destinations, you have unlimited plans.
- Some European destinations include a telephone number to make and receive international calls.
- You can easily extend your plan by purchasing a top up.
- You can buy it before you travel.
- You have a 24/7 English-speaking customer service team
You don’t have to worry about anything!
Frequently Asked Questions About Data Roaming
Yes, using data roaming can incur additional charges. However, it depends on your carrier and your plan with them. The costs can vary based on your carrier’s rates and the country you’re visiting.
Cellular data refers to internet access your mobile carrier provides within its network, typically included in your plan. Data roaming occurs when your device connects to another carrier’s network outside your provider’s coverage, often internationally, and usually incurs higher charges.
Is there domestic roaming and international roaming?
Yes. Roaming means using a different network than your own. If that network is from a different country, that’s international roaming. Domestic roaming means you are using a network of a different provider from your own but in your home country.
Yes, you can. In fact, this is a great advantage because, from the settings of your cellphone or cellular device, you can activate or deactivate roaming.
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Hi! Leoneska here, your guide to traveling connected. I'm a Venezuelan SEO content specialist with over four years of experience sharing tips and tricks for using mobile internet while traveling and making the most of your adventures. At Holafly, I take care of providing reliable and high-quality information to travelers like you. I hope you enjoy my content and find it useful!
