Orange roaming USA: How much does it cost and how to activate it?
Find out the different pricing for the pay-as-you-go, daily, and weekly data roaming packages from Orange to travel to the USA
The default way to access the internet during your travels to the USA is through data roaming. Like every home carrier, Orange also offers roaming solutions to its customers.
However, prices for orange roaming in the USA are astronomically high, like any other country. Accessing data roaming with a French contract, where Orange is primarily based, can set you back over $14 USD per MB on a pay-as-you-go plan.
Below, we discuss all you need to know about Orange’s roaming solutions for the US, from different country pricing to activation processes, available plans, and alternatives that don’t break the bank. So, if you’re an Orange user preparing your roaming budget to visit the USA, keep reading — we’ll give you all the information needed!
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How much does Orange roaming in the USA cost?
The price you pay for data roaming in the USA while on an Orange mobile contract depends on the type of roaming plan you follow.
Currently, two types of plans are available for the roaming Orange service in the USA: pay-as-you-go and a travel pass.
Your fees will also depend on your home mobile plan’s location, with rates varying between Orange’s 26 home operating nations.
Let’s take a look at these costs in greater detail:
Pay-as-you-go pricing
Pay-as-you-go rates roaming rates from Orange vary from country to country. Below, we outline seven of Orange’s key rates for USA roaming:
France | Spain | Belgium | Poland | Egypt | Botswana | Romania | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Send SMS | €0.28 (~$0.30 USD) | €1.21 (~$1.30 USD) | €0.70 /SMS (~$0.74) | 0.60 PLN (~$0.15 USD) | EGP 6/SMS (~$0.12 USD) | P3.36/SMS (~$0.25) | €0.39 (~$0.41 USD) |
Receive SMS | Free | €1.21 (~$1.30 USD) | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Incoming calls | €0.55 (~$0.59 USD) | €1.69 (~$1.81 USD) | Free | Free | EGP 10/minute (~$0.20 USD) | P10.18 /minute (~$0.80 USD) | €1.19 (~$1.27 USD) |
Outgoing calls | €1.18/min (~$1.26 USD) | €1.69 (~$1.81USD) | €2.10/minutes (~$2.23 USD) | 2.46 PLN (~$0.60 USD) | EGP 20/minute (~$0.41 USD) | P28.50/minute (~$2.12 USD) | €2.19 (~$2.23) |
Mobile data | €13.31/MB (~$14.16 USD) | €12.1/MB (~$12.97 USD) | €12/MB (~$12.77 USD) | N/A | EGP 15/MB (~$0.30 USD) | P114.00/MB (~$8.47 USD) | €6/MB (~$6.38 USD) |
Daily and weekly passes
Depending on where you’re traveling from, Orange offers a variety of daily or weekly passes that include mobile data, SMS, and phone calls. These can make data roaming in the USA slightly more affordable:
Type of pass | France | Spain | Belgium | Poland | Egypt | Botswana | Romania |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Daily | N/A | €10 (~$10.72 USD) with 2 GB of data and 20 minutes for phone calls | €12 to 20/day (~$12.77 to $21.28 USD), including from 500 MB to 1 GB plus 1,000 minutes and phone calls | 15 PLN (~$3.67 USD) with 1 GB of data, pay-as-you-go rates are applied for SMS and phone calls | 60 EGP/50 MB (~$1.22 USD), pay-as-you-go rates are applied for SMS and phone calls | N/A | N/A |
Weekly/monthly plans | N/A | €25 (~$26.81 USD) with 20 GB | N/A | 79 PLN (~$19.31), calls cost 0.50/min and 0.50/SMS (~$0.12 USD) | From 250 EGP/1 GB to 500 EGP/ 3 GB (~$5.08 to $10.16 USD), pay-as-you-go rates are applied for SMS and phone calls | N/A | €6 to €16 (~$6.38 to $17.02 USD), including from 1 GB to 4 GB, 20 to 100 minutes or SMS |
Monthly | €29.99 (~$31.91 USD) for 15 GB plus unlimited SMS and phone calls for 31 days | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
How to activate Orange roaming
Activating Orange roaming for the USA is similar to the straightforward process most destinations work with.
To activate the Orange France roaming for the USA, for example, these are the steps to follow:
- Pay-as-you-go: Users must activate this option through “Communicate from abroad”. This option is available after choosing the roaming destination. You’ll find the option in “What should I do before I leave?” and complete the steps as shown on the screen.
- Roaming packages: Must be purchased separately on the Orange France website after choosing the USA as the roaming destination. These are available after choosing the roaming destination, and you’ll need to choose one of the two packages available to proceed with the purchase.
Still, Orange is available to use in other countries. Here’s the activation process six more key home countries:
Spain | Belgium | Poland | Egypt | Botswana | Romania | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pay-as-you go | Activated immediately on Orange phones with a data plan contracted with a contract or card | Activated immediately upon turning the roaming option on | Activated immediately upon turning the roaming option on | Activated immediately upon turning the roaming option on | Activated immediately upon turning the roaming option on | Activated immediately upon turning the roaming option on |
Daily | Available immediately for all Orange postpaid customers, or prepaid plans not signed with a contract or card | Activate through the Orange App or in the Customer Zone | Activate on the Orange App or send an SMS to 80060 with BR on it | Activate on the Orange App or send an SMS to 1101 to activate the daily service | N/A | N/A |
Weekly | Weekly passes can be activated by sending “BONO SEMANAL” to 22095, calling 1470, or directly through the “My Orange” account | N/A | Activate on the Orange App or send an SMS to 80060 with GO10GB | Activate on the Orange App or send an SMS to 1071 or 1072, depending on the data package | N/A | Activate on the Orange Customer Zone or send a message to 321 with the text TURCIADATA or TURCIAPLUS based on your preferred plan |
Orange pay-as-you-go vs. roaming plans
As an Orange customer, you’ll likely have the choice between pay-as-you-go fees or roaming passes.
There are clear differences between these Orange roaming for travel packages, for example:
- Price: Pay-as-you-go roaming costs up to €13.31/MB (~$14.16 USD) in France to get mobile data in the USA, while the most expensive roaming plan costs €29.99 (~$31.91 USD) for 15 GB and includes more features, such as calls and text messages.
- Activation: Pay-as-you-go is activated immediately on arrival, while roaming plans need to be purchased before traveling using the Orange app, Customer Zone, or with an SMS.
- Features: Pay-as-you-go plans always give access to data, phone calls, and SMS, while roaming plans mostly focus on data, and only some offer SMS and calls as add-ons.
- Duration: Some roaming plans are limited, such as in the case of Spain, for a certain number of days during the month, while pay-as-you-go plans are free to use for as long as needed – at a price.
Top tips for roaming with Orange in USA
Using your cell phone in the USA can be extremely expensive. According to our data consumption research, with pay-as-you-go rates, watching a 3-minute YouTube video can cost up to €217.80 (~$232.68 USD).
But don’t worry. There are some tricks that can help you avoid those high roaming charges, which you should know before activating this service to visit the USA.
- Consider your home contract: Make sure to activate the service you prefer using based on the type of local plan you own to avoid any surprise charges on your trip before traveling.
- Watch out for roaming pass data capping: Orange cell service in the USA might be limited from some home countries, like Spain. They only allow the usage of €60.50 (~$64.87 USD) per month on daily plans and will charge pay-as-you-go rates after this period.
- Check your frequency bands: Double-check if your phone is available with the local USA networks to ensure a good internet connection on your trip.
Overall, using a roaming service is expensive, and that’s where other alternatives become better solutions, such as using an eSIM! These are a much better option for staying connected in the USA, as they offer a more complete service at a fraction of the price.
Avoid Orange roaming charges with an international eSIM
After reviewing the different Orange roaming pricing, it’s fair to consider other alternatives that are better for your pocket.
With data roaming, you can easily spend over $100 in minutes.
In this case, choosing an eSIM for the USA is a better option to avoid roaming charges and get a better connectivity service during your trip. But what are the available options for you to purchase? Let’s take a look.
USA
Our first option to stay connected in the USA is the Holafly eSIM for the USA. With this eSIM, you’ll get unlimited data with plans that start at $5.90 USD and get cheaper for every additional day you purchase, with 90-day plans costing $1.54/day.
While getting unlimited data is a great feature of these eSIMs, that’s not everything Holafly has to offer; here’s a list of some additional features:
- eSIMs connect with the best local networks to ensure the best connectivity using 4G/LTE/5G networks
- 1 GB of mobile hotspot data available to share each day
- Automatic activation at a time of your choosing on iOS and fast activation with a QR code on Android
- Customizable days option to choose your eSIM plan from 1 to 90 days
- 24/7 top-tier customer support in 19 different languages
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android to purchase and manage eSIMs
North America
If you think the Holafly eSIM for the USA sounds like an interesting option and you’re also planning to visit Mexico and Canada, there’s an eSIM with flexible data plans for your trip.
With the Holafly eSIM for North America, you’ll get coverage in Mexico, the USA, and Canada while accessing the same features that the eSIM for the USA offers — but in three different destinations and with no added activation steps.
Pricing remains the same; data plans start at $5.90 and can get as low as $1.54/day for long-term travelers.
Global
If you’re a real globetrotter and the USA is not the only destination you plan to visit, the Holafly Global eSIM covers you in 113 destinations across America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
Overall, the eSIM service remains the same, offering unlimited data sharing, 1 GB of data sharing per day, high-end customer support, and the other available features we mentioned.
The only real change here is pricing, which starts at $9.90 for a day but can get as low as $3.93/day, which makes it significantly cheaper than the Orange roaming cost.