How much does Movistar roaming cost in the USA?

If you are traveling to the United States and you want to stay connected to the internet, you may want to know how much international roaming cost with Movistar and how you activate it. We would like to mention that it costs $6.51 per 500 MB every day, which is expensive, like local and international calls.

In this article, we are going to help you calculate how much the roaming service will cost for you, depending on the days you are traveling for, and we are also going to tell you about other alternatives, like the eSIM or traditional SIM card with unlimited data, free WiFi, or Pocket WiFi.

Let’s begin!

Movistar roaming service in the United States: how much does it cost?

Roaming service in the United States costs around $7.53 daily with 500 MB. It is not much data, especially if you use apps like Google Maps or Instagram. Let’s compare this service with the Holafly eSIM card.

As you can see, Movistar roaming in the USA is very expensive if you compare it with the Holafly eSIM card with unlimited data.

Also, international roaming does not include Puerto Rico or Alaska, so if you are going to travel to those states and territories, be careful because you will pay $12.91/MB.

Movistar roaming service: how much does making a call cost?

Below you’ll find the price for making a call or receiving one:

• Calling your country or within the US: $1.96/min.
• Receiving calls in the United States: $1.96/min.
• Making international calls outside your country: $5.20/min.
• Cost per call connected: $1.30

Movistar roaming service: how much does send an SMS cost?

• Send SMS: $1.30/SMS
• Receive SMS: Free

Alternatives to avoid international roaming in the USA

If you have decided not to pay for international roaming, you have more options that are easier to get and that will let you connect to the internet in the USA: some of them are the SIM card, Free WiFi, and Pocket WiFi. Let’s read more about them:

Holafly eSIM card for the United States

It is a virtual SIM card with unlimited cellular data for the United States that includes unlimited local calls and lets you keep your WhatsApp in your language. The shipping is free and instant.

How it works:

An eSIM card is just like a traditional SIM card but digital. You receive the QR code for the activation in your email, and you only have to scan it with your cellphone to get the cellular data plan for the USA. Usually, the cellphones that can support this technology are the following: iPhone XR/XS and iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, 12, 12 Pro, 13, 13 Pro, 14, 14 Pro, Google Pixel 3 4, 7, and Samsung S20, S21, S22, S23. But if you are keen to know more about this, you can click on this article about supported cellphones.

You get it through the Holafly online store before traveling, you receive the QR code, scan it, and that’s it!

Let’s see the options that Holafly offers to avoid roaming:

Holafly eSIM card for North America

The eSIM card for North America is another option to let you connect to the internet in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

Prepaid SIM card

The prepaid SIM card is very similar to a traditional SIM card, and it is another alternative that you can buy when you land.

Free WiFi

If you only need the internet for a short period of time and you want to save money, you can look for free WiFi networks at your destination, which you can find in restaurants, bus stations, and other public places. We have shared a guide on how to find free WiFi in the USA in The Traveler.

You have to consider the following aspects:

• Do not use free WiFi to do important things, like using your bank account or email because your information can be stolen.
• If you are going to use Google Maps, download the maps you need to make sure you can check them anytime you need.
• Plan with anticipation where you are going so you can look for public networks.

How do I activate Movistar’s roaming service in the United States?

Movistar will automatically activate the international roaming service 3 months into the contract. If you are a recent customer, you can follow the next steps to activate it:

Time: 10 minutes.

• Enter My Movistar. You have to enter your user and password.
• Go to the Get Services section. Here you can activate and deactivate roaming in the USA.
• Configure your cellphone, go to settings, Mobile/Cellular data, and turn on the data roaming.
• Browse the internet and make calls. You can enjoy the roaming service now for the price we mentioned before.

If you are from a different operator and you want to read about the prices, you can check our full article about roaming in the United States.