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How to Set Up an International Roaming Plan Before You Travel

Tap through each step to set up roaming before your trip.

  1. Find the roaming menu in your carrier's app

    Most carrier apps have a dedicated "international roaming" section. Setting it up there before departure means you can skip a store visit entirely.

  2. Choose your destination and travel dates

    Selecting your destination country shows the roaming plans available there. Set the start and end dates to match your departure and return.

  3. Pick a plan type

    Options typically include an unlimited-style daily plan or a fixed data allowance for the whole trip -- choose based on how much data you expect to use each day.

  4. Confirm it activates automatically on arrival

    Most roaming plans connect automatically once you land and turn off airplane mode. If it doesn't connect, turn on data roaming in settings and search for a carrier manually.

  5. Know what happens if you skip it

    Leaving data on abroad without a roaming plan can rack up very high pay-per-use charges, so it's worth double-checking you've set one up before departure.

A few minutes in the app before you leave

International roaming is usually just a matter of picking your destination and dates in the carrier app. Leaving data switched on abroad without an active plan risks a steep per-megabyte charge, so it's worth confirming before takeoff.

Prepare for a lost phone while traveling too

Losing a phone is more common while traveling than at home, so it's worth turning on a device-finding feature ahead of time in case something goes missing during the trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my home plan get affected once I add a roaming plan?

No -- your regular home plan usually stays active and the roaming plan is layered on top for the trip. It typically ends automatically when your set period is over, and you go back to your normal plan.

What if I'm visiting more than one country?

Many roaming plans are set up per country, so you may need to set up a separate plan for each destination, or check whether your carrier offers a multi-country option that covers your whole itinerary.