We've all been there: you go away for a weekend or you take a long trip and come home to a high telephone bill. Why? Roaming charges can sneak up on you and amount to more than 10 times your standard rate. Here's a closer look at why international roaming charges add up and how you can use a prepaid eSIM to avoid them.
1. Your home network versus roaming networks
Your home network is your primary phone number and the local services you receive from your carrier. Usage and billing are determined by a mix of regulations and telecom competition in your country or region.
You start roaming as soon as you leave your home network. When you roam, you operate as a guest of a new network and are charged for calling, texting, and data services at a different (usually higher) rate.
2. The new network regulates the speed
Why do you pay premium? Your home provider has no control over the rates of the new network you connect to. Since you are using these services as a guest, your home provider must accept the quoted rate, no matter how high it may be. These costs are then passed on to you as a consumer.
3. Lack of transparency
International roaming costs are determined arbitrarily by both your home provider and the network you join. There are no rules limiting the amount the network charges your home provider or the amount your home provider charges you. So you often pay a premium without a clear picture of how the providers arrived at that rate.
4. Little flexibility
International roaming plans aren't a la carte, so you have little control over the features you pay for. Let's say you only need a data plan to connect to the Internet while you're away for the weekend. With a daily roaming plan, you pay the full cost of a package that includes calling, texting and more, even if you only need data. Each of these features is highlighted, making your connectivity costs even higher.
Avoid roaming costs with a prepaid eSIM
What should you do instead? You guessed it: switch to a prepaid eSIM. When you download an eSIM from Smissey, you pay for exactly what you need at competitive rates and with complete transparency.Each Smissey eSIM plan outlines:
- How much data you can buy (e.g. 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB)
- The validity period of your data package (for example one week, two weeks, one month)
- The total cost of your package
- The networks and countries you have access to
- The type of subscription, whether it is data only or has a calling card function
- When the subscription is activated
- Whether you can top up your data