If you've been digging inside your phone's settings for a while, you might have come across a setting called "data roaming". If you have enabled it then you might have seen a scary pop-up message stating that enabling this option may result in heavy network charges. As for explaining what data roaming is, though, phones don't usually tell you what it's for. So what is data roaming and why would you enable it if it could incur these charges?
SummaryWhat is "Roaming"How Data Roaming WorksThe Bottom LineWhat are these "Heavy Charges"?Does it affect Wi-Fi?roam soft roam
When you arrive in Spain with roaming enabled, you will see that your network provider's name will change to something like "España Móvil (America Telecoms)". It simply means that you are currently using the España Móvil network as an America Telecoms customer. If you traveled with a friend and they used a different network, they may see a different Spanish name corresponding to the network their provider has an agreement with.
Although roaming is very useful, it can add a considerable cost to your basic data and call rates. This is what the pop-up warns you about when you enable data roaming. Different network providers will have different charges depending on the country you are visiting, so make sure you are familiar with the charges listed before you travel by checking their website.
To find these charges, you don't need to know which network you'll switch to when you arrive at your destination. Just find the one you're using at home and look up its roaming charges, and it'll apply when you go abroad, even after a network change. Just be sure to select the correct country, as charges may differ depending on where you are traveling to.
If you're lucky, you might find that there are no roaming charges! For example, if you're in Europe, you'll be happy to know that the EU has scrapped roaming charges for travel within its borders, so you can go from France to Italy without worrying about roaming charges. roaming.
No! Roaming charges will not affect the Wi-Fi connections you access during your stay. If your hotel has WiFi or you find a cafe with a hotspot, you can use it at its advertised price (if any) without paying anything extra. Roaming only occurs when using a cellular network (like 4G) abroad.
If it is not obvious at first glance what “roaming” is, the concept is very simple! It is simply a way for you to get data and network signal abroad. If you're going abroad with your cell phone in the future, it's worth checking the roaming charges before you go to see if you can still catch up on your videos while exploring a new country.
Now that you know what data roaming is, do you plan to consider it more often in your future travel plans? Let us know below!
