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Data roaming in Egypt: Which One Should I pick?
Are you traveling soon to Egypt, and don't know how to have internet connection? We'll tell you everything about the best Egypt roaming plans.
Are you planning to travel to Egypt and you don’t know what’s the best way to manage your data usage while there? There are different options to consider, as roaming Egypt might be the main option for many.
That’s why we have prepared a guide to know everything about the alternatives to use roaming in Egypt. Here, you will find out information about what’s the best option when it comes to roaming services, and if there are other alternatives to keep your mobile data on when abroad.
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What is Roaming?
Roaming is a service most cellular operators offer, which allows users to stay connected to the internet via provider networks while in another country. Most domestic carriers have roaming agreements with other networks, ensuring international calling and data service, even when you’re technically off-network from your country.
The great advantage of this service is that it allows you to make calls and send text messages as if you were at home. Many of the other connectivity services for travelers only have mobile data available.
However, the downside of roaming is that it can be one of the most expensive cellular phone services. That is why it is recommended that you always check the cost of roaming while traveling to another country, such as Egypt.
Roaming rates in Egypt
International roaming in Egypt is an option you might want to consider. For you to make this decision, we want to tell you all about different international carriers that offer this kind of service.
As for the prices of roaming in Egypt, they can range from $7 to $10 per day. Or, in case you use the pay-per-use option, it can range from $2 to $3 per MB used depending on your carrier. We will talk about the prices of different operators in more detail below to get to know more about the roaming rates.
Vodafone
One of the leading UK phone companies is Vodafone, so for Vodafone customers, if you want to use the roaming service during your trip to Egypt, of course, you can use it. In Egypt, you will have the possibility to make use of your phone services, paying only 7 dollars a day. However, this can exclusively be used by users with the Xtra Airtime Plan.
You can activate your roaming with Vodafone during your trip to Egypt in two ways. Firstly, through their website. On the other hand, you can also activate it by calling 199 and asking your operator to activate the roaming service for you.
T-Mobile
As a second option, we will tell you about one of the most renowned phone companies in the United States, which is T-Mobile.
So if you are a user of this carrier, then you can activate your international roaming to Egypt with the following three plans: Essentials Plan, The Magenta Plan, and The Magenta Plus Plan.
The first two plans allow you to have unlimited data at a speed of 3 GB. The Magenta Plan, however, offers a limited speed of 5 GB. In addition, with both plans, you can have unlimited calls and messages, and it works for data roaming.
On the other hand, the third plan tends to be the best plan, as it offers up to 40 GB of high speed data and unlimited 3G if people consume the 40GBs; it also offers unlimited messages and phone calls and international data roaming.
Telstra
This Australian company allows you to use its data services with a pay-as-you-go plan, the price of which varies depending on the destination, but it is usually around $3 USD per MB with international roaming. Although the company offers some packages of different MB, in the case of Egypt, the most common one is $10 USD per day for 500 MB.
To activate or deactivate Telstra’s roaming option, you can do it through its app. You will also be able to check your roaming consumption so you can keep track of your expenses and the data usage per day.
A&T USA
With AT&T USA, you will find a roaming rate of $2.05 per MB for Egypt; you will also be able to make use of pay-as-you-go calls and messages, being $1 per minute of the call and $0.5 per text message sent.
AT&T is one of the best U.S. carriers, so they always make sure to have good partnerships to offer good connectivity to their users on their travels.
In addition, they also have available the AT&T International Day Pass plan, which allows you to have unlimited high speed data, make calls, and send and receive text messages at $10 per day.
How to avoid roaming charges in Egypt
After having read all about international roaming to Egypt, both its advantages and disadvantages, as well as its prices, if you think it is not the best option for your trip, do not worry; below, we will explain to you many more alternatives so you can avoid the high costs of roaming while giving options to use high speed data while traveling.
Among the options to tell you about, we will be talking about eSIM and SIM cards for Egypt, an excellent option to have mobile data. We will also tell you about Pocket WiFi and free WiFi. Read on to find out more about these alternatives.
Prepaid International Egypt SIM Card
The first alternative to mention here is Egypt’s Prepaid SIM card. It works similarly to the rest of international SIM cards, but with the difference that it is primarily for mobile data use. In the same way, you can keep your phone number on WhatsApp to stay in touch with your contacts while getting internet in Egypt.
Nowadays, many companies offer this service, making it a famous option for travelers who want to save extra money for their trip. As for now, we have an online shop in mind that has proven to be quite an excellent option due to its benefits and rates.
eSIM for Egypt
Now, as a second option, we will talk about the eSIM cards for Egypt. They are pretty similar to the SIM card, yet they are different in so many ways from the prepaid SIM card. These cards are entirely digital, and people can get one quickly and people can use one in places like Cairo or Alexandria.
But something to keep in mind here is the fact these cards primarily work on new-gen cellphones and smartwatches, so inform yourself before purchasing one whether you are certain that your phone is compatible with an eSIM. It also has to be available to connect to international networks.
If you are interested in these eSIMs, then you can also find one for Egypt in Holafly’s online store. When you are in the country, you will be supported by Etisalat Networks, one of the best local operators. Its data eSIM in Egypt offers plans with customizable duration (from 1 to 90 days), some prices as follows:
- Unlimited data for 1 day at 8 USD
- Unlimited data for 5 days at 29 USD
- Unlimited data for 10 days at 40 USD
- Unlimited data for 20 days at 62 USD
- Unlimited data for 40 days at 126 USD
If you need more days of use, you can extend your data package by purchasing top-ups for the same destination. This option is also available for the best eSIM Morocco and the unlimited data eSIM for Africa offered by Holafly to help avoid high roaming fees for customers.
Pocket Wifi
An alternative that you can carry with you and keep your devices connected to the internet is Pocket WiFi for Egypt. It is a portable wireless connection device that allows you to share the internet with cellular devices in a particular area where coverage is provided.
These devices tend to be an excellent advantage for people traveling in a group, as several devices can be connected to them at the same time.
However, pocket WiFi as an internet option in Egypt is not the most practical. The downside of these devices is that renting or buying one can be quite expensive. For Egypt, renting a Pocket WiFi can range from $60 to $120. Besides, you will have to add additional costs for the delivery, insurance, and accessories, among others.
You should also consider that if you rent one of these Pocket WiFi, you will have to be cautious with it because if you lose it, you can be penalized with large amounts of money. So, while Pocket WiFi can have its positive advantages, it also has its disadvantages, so it may or may not work for you depending on your travel needs.
Free WiFi
The last option we would like to talk about is the one that will be very helpful if you have a low budget for your trip. We are talking about free WiFi. It is very likely that during your trip to Egypt, you will find some places where you can connect to the internet for free. Be it in your hotel, a shopping mall, or even a restaurant.
However, you should consider that you will probably not find a free WiFi hotspot in every place, so you might end up being offline sometimes. We recommend that you not use this alternative as a first option but save data in case of an emergency.
So, you can use it as an alternative when you are not using your SIM card, eSIM card, or roaming. But other than that, it might not be such a good idea to fully rely on having a free WiFi connection all the time.
FAQ
Prices for using the international roaming service from Vodafone are $7 per day. But it’s only available for the Xtra Airtime plans.
Each provider will have a different way to activate their roaming services. Some are activated with a call; some others are activated through a website, so remember to check yours when activating roaming while abroad.
Depending on the service you are using, it’s ideal to call customer service. That way, you can manage and figure out why your roaming service stopped working. To avoid this, we recommend using eSIMs!
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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!
