Tech Self-Sufficiency · Lesson 7 of 8 · 11 min

Your phone abroad: roaming, local SIMs and eSIMs

Landing in a new country with no data, or coming home to a huge roaming bill, are both avoidable. Decide before you fly whether you will roam, buy a local SIM or use a travel eSIM.

Before you travel

Check your plan or ask your provider about roaming charges before you go abroad: Ofcom says providers must publish their roaming charges online.
The UAE's telecoms regulator (then called the TRA) advised travellers to check roaming packages, confirm each country is covered, understand the limits and set data caps where available (Gulf News, 2019).
Use your provider's app to track data and spending while abroad (Gulf News, 2019).
Check your phone is unlocked if you want to use another network: on iPhone go to Settings, General, About and look for 'No SIM Restrictions' next to Carrier Lock (Apple).
Download offline maps and your boarding pass on Wi-Fi before leaving (the Getting Around module explains offline maps).

Option 1: roaming on your home number

Easiest: your phone just works on arrival, and you keep your home number for bank codes and family.
Data can be costly, so check whether your plan includes international roaming or buy a travel pass before you go (Apple).
In the UK, providers must send an automatic message when you enter another country explaining charges or limits, unless you opted out (Ofcom).
Turning off data roaming in your settings helps limit unexpected data use (Ofcom).

Option 2: a local SIM or a travel eSIM

An eSIM is built into the phone, so there is no card to collect, carry or swap, and it cannot be removed if the phone is stolen (Apple).
You can buy a plan from a local network before you travel or at a store after you arrive, or a data-only plan from a worldwide eSIM provider (Apple).
Activation is usually via a QR code or the network's app, and you normally need Wi-Fi to set it up, so do it at home or at airport Wi-Fi (Apple).
Many phones can keep your home line active alongside the travel eSIM, so you still receive calls and texts (including bank codes) on your home number, though keeping it on may still incur roaming fees (Apple).
For a long stay such as a degree, a local plan is usually best; see the Bills, Utilities and Household Paperwork module for comparing contracts and SIM-only deals.

Avoiding bill shock

Set a monthly spending limit with your provider; Ofcom says they must notify you when you are likely to reach it.
Use trusted Wi-Fi for heavy tasks such as maps, email and social media (Ofcom).
Near borders your phone may accidentally roam onto a foreign network; ask your provider how to prevent this (Ofcom).
On ferries and cruise ships, phones can connect to satellite networks that cost more than normal roaming, so check before you sail (Ofcom).
Keep your home SIM safe while abroad if you remove it; you may need it for verification codes when you return.

Practise in real life

Tick each one off when you have done it.

Ask your current provider (or check its website) what roaming costs in the country where you plan to study.
Check whether your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM.
Write a one-paragraph 'phone plan' for your first week abroad: which line for data, which for bank codes, and how you will get online when you land.

Remember

Check roaming charges and coverage before you fly.
Set a spending cap and use Wi-Fi for heavy data.
An unlocked phone gives you local SIM and eSIM options.
Keep your home number reachable for bank codes.

Note: The UAE regulator advice is from a 2019 news report, when the regulator was called the TRA; check your UAE provider's current roaming terms. No official TDRA page could be fetched. Android eSIM steps vary by manufacturer: check your phone maker's help pages.

Check yourself

1. What does Ofcom say UK mobile providers must do when you arrive in another country?

2. On an iPhone, what shows that the phone is not locked to a carrier?

3. Which is a feature of an eSIM, according to Apple?

4. Which simple step helps avoid unexpected data charges abroad?

5. Why might your phone roam unexpectedly near a border?