Roaming in New York: all you need to know

If you are planning to travel to New York, it is very important you have the internet all the time. The problem is that roaming service in the USA can be very expensive, depending on the operator you choose.

In this article, we are going to tell you all about roaming services in New York, and we will also going to show you other alternatives that are more accessible. Like the eSIM card with unlimited data for the USA, one of the best ways to connect to the internet.

What is Roaming?

It is a mobile service operator offering coverage abroad, either in calls, SMS, or mobile data. This service is not cheap, so pay attention to the prices we are going to show you below:

International roaming service prices: comparison table

Vodafone UK roaming in New York

Do you want to use the roaming services from Vodafone UK in the United States? Well…This service from Vodafone UK is not the cheapest. Using data will cost you 12 pounds per MB, send and receive text messages 8 pounds per text, make calls 60 pounds per minute, and receive calls 36 pounds per minute.

Telstra roaming in New York

With Telstra, you can access an International Day pass with coverage in the USA for $10 USD/day. If you acquire a day pass you will have 1GB of data, unlimited calls, and SMS in the United States. When you have used the gigabyte of data Telstra will charge you an extra $10 USD.

Movistar roaming in New York

Switzerland, Andorra, and all of the United States have a special price that only costs €6.05/500MB per day. You will have a monthly limit of €60.05, so you can use this alternative for 10 days. If you are a contract customer, you will be able to use this plan.

It is a great benefit because if you don’t use any mobile data during the day you don’t have to pay anything. On the other hand, you can use the Mobile data Consumption Control to manage your MB usage and receive notifications. Puerto Rico and Alaska are not included.

Orange roaming in New York

This operator has three available options for the United States, we are going to list them below:

Everywhere plan

They charge you €7 daily for every 100MB you use, VAT included. This price is exclusive for Contract and Card customers. They will charge you the days you use mobile data, and the MB is renewed every day.

Basic data plan

It cost €6.05 per day, with 500KB of mobile data, VAT included. This price is also exclusive for Contract and Card customers. The MB is renewed every day.

Mobile internet plan

It cost €12.10 per day for every 1MB of mobile data, VAT included. The price is exclusive for mobile internet customers. The MB is renewed every day.

How to avoid roaming in New York?

You probably don’t want to pay $10 or more dollars for every MB you use. It is not much mobile data considering all you may want to do in New York. So, to help you save some money, we are going to show you below other options to connect to the internet in New York.

Prepaid eSIM card

The eSIM card is a virtual SIM card where you can activate the mobile data plan you want, depending on the number of days you are traveling. You have to take into account the following aspects before acquiring one:

• Your cellphone must be eSIM-compatible. Your smartphone has to be able to manage the eSIM card from your provider. Most eSIM card providers are compatible with iPhone XR or more recent versions so far.
• You need an active email account to activate your eSIM.
• It is important to be connected to the internet to download the eSIM profile after you scan the QR code or the installation code.
• Some eSIM providers may ask you to download their mobile app to get the eSIM.

eSIM card providers for New York

If you can acquire an eSIM card, you may want to know which providers offer this product. We are going to list them below, so you can pick the eSIM card that best suits your needs and budget.

• Holafly
• YeSIM
• Au By KDDI

Prices and data plans from the eSIM card providers

Read the list below to know the prices and data plans of each company. They may vary depending on the coverage and the roaming accords the provider has with local operators in NY.

Holafly eSIM card for New York with unlimited data: price and data plans

• 5 days at $19 USD
• 10 days at $34
• 15 days at $47
• 20 days at $54
• 30 days at $64
• 60 days at $84
• 90 days at $99

YeSIM eSIM card for New York: data plans and prices

• 3GB for 28 days at $47 USD

Au By KDDI eSIM card for New York: data plans and prices

• 8GB for 30 days at $81 USD

Prepaid SIM card

The prepaid SIM cards are similar to the ones you use on your cellphone, you will only have to change the one you have on your phone with the new SIM card, and that’s it. It is very easy to use, and some companies will give you unlimited mobile data, like Holafly.

Prepaid SIM cards for New York: alternative

Smart Gold: for $39.90, it offers 12GB per month, with 3G speed mobile data. It has worldwide shipping, and its prices go from $10 to $20. The SIM card is adaptable to the following sizes: nano, micro, and standard. It last 6 months.

T-Mobile: This well-known operator from the United States has activation kits where the SIM card costs $25, it has only a $3 balance, but you can increase it with data packs of 500MB and 1GB.

Free Wifi

You will be able to find public networks everywhere, and it can be great if you are in an emergency and you need to send a quick message or email. But, it is not a recommended option because it is not safe or stable.

Free Wifi in New York: alternatives

Metro Stations: The Transit Wireless Wifi network is available in most of the metro stations of this city. Its connection is not that bad, and it will let you stay connected in New York if you see some of the ads of its sponsors.

AT&T network: You will find it in the main parks (Bryan Park) and yards (Union Square, Herald Square). The network is called ATTWifi.

Stores and more: You can also find public Wifi networks in places like Starbucks, McDonald’s, Apple stores, and more.

Pocket Wifi

It is a small device, similar to a router, that will let you share your mobile data with other devices and that you can take with you anywhere in your pocket. One of the disadvantages of this alternative is that if you lose it, break it, or if it is stolen, you will have to pay a lot for it.

Pocket Wifi for New York: alternatives

Skyroam: It offers unlimited mobile data for a price of $8 per day, the device will cost $99, and you will be able to share your mobile data with 5 devices.

Borderless Connection: It has different plans that go from two days to two weeks, with prices that vary from $35 to $160. These prices include the renting of the device and the mobile internet service in NY.

Telecom Square: This company charges you $5.99 per day with an unlimited connection. Take into account that if you lose the device, you will have to pay a penalty of $250 to $300.

Roaming comparatives

Basic advice for Roaming

• If you are not going to use your mobile data abroad, do not forget to deactivate it from the settings of your cellphone. When you get back to your country activate them again.
• Do not forget to deactivate automatic downloads from mobile apps before you travel, like app updates, or receiving emails or WhatsApp.
• It may be of help to activate the alert for data usage. Some companies like Vodafone lets you put a consumption limit, and Movistar customers have a free service of Mobile Data Consumption Control.
• Once you are at your destination, let your cellphone look for the network automatically, and it will connect to the best network. If you are on the road, pay attention to border areas, there you may want to configure the selection of the mobile network manually because when the coverage of your reference operator is lost, your device would automatically connect to an operator that may not be the cheapest or the one that provides the best service.
• Ask your mobile operator about the price of the roaming service in your destination. Remember that countries are divided into zones. Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3.
• Read about the compatibility of your phone with international roaming. Even though almost all mobile phones are compatible, the oldest or simplest ones may not support the 3G and 4G frequency bands. Currently, only European operators offer 2G technology.
• If you go on a cruise, there are satellite connections at the sea, so the price is very high. Also, not all services are available, it depends on the accords between the operator and the shipping company with which you travel. You will be able to use roaming without surcharges on port calls in European territory. If you need to connect your device during your trip, you can get the bonuses per minute offered by most shipping companies.

Our recommendation

You may feel tempted by a Pocket Wifi because it offers unlimited data and its initial price is not that high, but you have to take into account that it has additional costs, like the penalty in case you lose it. So, we recommend you acquire an Holafly eSIM card with unlimited mobile data and the possibility of sharing it with other devices.

It is easy to use, it offers a great connection, and for an accessible price. You won’t regret acquiring an Holafly eSIM card for New York.