Ekaterina SaarWe all want to stay connected while travelling. However, using your device overseas can lead to steep roaming charges from your network. Fortunately, wherever you plan to travel in the world, there are options for connecting to the internet without incurring steep roaming charges. One of the best ways is to buy an eSIM for United States travel, or for other countries and regions, before you leave home.
What are roaming charges?
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Your mobile devices connect to a home network through your provider. However, if you travel to an area not covered by your home network, your device looks for an alternative. This is called roaming.
In some cases, an agreement might be in place between your network and others so that you are not charged any more for using your device. However, if no such agreement exists, you might incur roaming charges for making calls, sending texts, and using mobile data.
The charges imposed for roaming vary between networks; but if you use your device a lot while you are away, these charges can add up, landing you with a large bill when you get home.
The best way to avoid roaming charges while abroad
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The good news? There are ways to keep connected while overseas without racking up roaming charges. One great option is to buy a travel eSIM (short for embedded SIM) for your destination country or region. These are becoming increasingly popular as more phone manufacturers build eSIM functionality into their devices.
An eSIM works in the same way as a traditional SIM card. The SIM is the small plastic card that you insert into your device so that you can send and receive phone calls and texts, as well as access mobile data. Thus, when you travel, you’ll usually purchase a SIM that works with a local network.
How does an eSIM work?
Fortunately, the eSIM does away with the plastic card! Instead, the eSIM is embedded into the mobile device and cannot be removed. How it works is that when you buy a mobile data plan for travel, you will be emailed a QR code that you scan using your phone’s camera. Once activated, you can access the data plan while travelling overseas.
There are several advantages to buying a travel eSIM. For example, there is no physical card to lose or damage. Plus, most phones that are compatible with eSIMs also have a slot for a physical SIM, so you can use both at the same time. This allows you to receive calls on your usual phone number, while accessing cheap, reliable internet via the eSIM.
More tips on avoiding roaming charges
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Overall, you can enjoy internet access and stay in touch with friends and family while overseas without roaming charges by following these additional tips:
1. Check with your network
Before you travel, ask about your network’s roaming policies and also if it offers an international add-on plan. For an extra fee, this will give you a mobile data and call/text allowance that you can use overseas.
2. Turn off data roaming
Safeguard yourself against unwanted charges by heading to the “Settings” section on your device and turning off roaming. This can prevent you from being charged for apps running and updating in the background.
3. Make use of calling apps
Instead of regular voice calls, using WhatsApp, Skype, and other messaging apps to make calls will prevent using up your calling allowances. Connecting to a free WiFi network will also avoid using up your mobile data allowance.
4. Download media before you leave home
If you want to watch movies or other media via your device, it’s a good idea to download the content at home, as this will quickly use up your overseas data allowance. You can also download maps that you can then access offline.
5. Protect your personal data from cybercriminals
One way to avoid roaming charges while abroad is to make use of free public WiFi networks. However, these can pose security risks, so take steps to keep your personal information away from fraudsters, such as by using a virtual private network.
Also read: 12 Common Mistakes That Travellers Make When Going to Europe
There are various agreements in place on roaming charges that cover different networks and regions (the European Union, for example). By being aware of the rules on roaming that apply to your network and destination, you can plan ahead and avoid the charges. The easiest way to do this? By purchasing a data allowance through a travel eSIM for the country or region you plan to visit.
Happy travels!
