Avoid Roaming Fees with Smart Travel Connectivity Tips
Key Takeaways
Learn practical tips to avoid expensive roaming charges while travelling.
Understand eSIM benefits for easy, affordable connectivity on trips.
Manage background data and downloads to save costs abroad.
Roaming fees can deplete your travel budget if you use your home carrier’s international plan. Fortunately, there are simple ways to avoid roaming charges while staying connected. In this guide, you will find practical tips to keep you connected throughout your trip, without accruing unexpected costs.
How Roaming Charges Catch Travellers Out
Roaming charges often catch travellers off guard. Many don't realise how quickly data usage adds up abroad, even if they aren’t using their phones much. Most global mobile carriers offer daily roaming plans, but the cost and data limits vary widely.
Roaming charges typically costs between A$5 and A$12 (AUD) per day. These plans usually include 500MB to 1GB of high-speed data. After reaching the limit, carriers either slow down your speeds (often below 128 kbps) or charge extra for additional data.
Let’s explore a few examples of typical mobile activities and their data consumption:
Google Maps: 2–5MB for 10 minutes of navigation
Instagram: 100MB for 30 minutes of browsing
HD video streaming: 700MB per hour
Photo backups: 2–5MB per photo (more for videos)
App updates or operating system syncs: 100MB or more per session
Even if you avoid streaming or downloading, background activities like email syncing, social media updates, or app processes consume data without you realising it.
Roaming plans often fail to account for real mobile usage patterns. Without turning off background processes or using a local SIM or eSIM, it’s easy to exceed data limits and face high fees, even with light phone use.
The Benefits of Using eSIMs to Stay Connected
Travellers visiting New Zealand can use eSIMs to stay connected easily and affordably. Unlike traditional SIM cards, eSIMs eliminate the need for expensive roaming charges and the hassle of swapping physical SIM cards.
One of the biggest benefits of eSIMs is instant activation. If you have an eSIM-compatible phone, you can set up your travel data plan before your trip. eSIMs also let you keep your phone number active while using New Zealand data. Using a local data network, this dual-SIM feature is excellent for receiving calls or texts from home.
Other advantages of eSIMs include:
No need to remove your SIM card, avoiding the risk of losing or damaging it
Full access to local 4G/5G networks through partnered carriers
The ability to quickly add more data through the eSIM app or portal, if needed
Before travelling, ensure your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM technology. Some older devices, prepaid phones, or carrier-locked models might not be compatible.
Local SIM cards are still a good option for long-term travellers who need large data bundles. However, a New Zealand eSIM offers unmatched convenience, speed, and flexibility for short to medium-term trips.
For travellers who spend one to two weeks visiting New Zealand, eSIMs are the easiest and smartest way to stay connected.
Other Travel Prep Tips to Avoid Mobile Charges
Avoiding roaming charges in New Zealand is simple if you plan ahead. The key is to reduce data usage and set up tools you can use offline, so you won’t have to rely on expensive mobile data.
Follow these tips to stay connected without breaking the bank!
Limit Background Data: Many apps, like email, messaging, photo backups, and cloud storage, consume data in the background without you noticing. Prevent this by adjusting your settings:
On Android: Go to Settings > Network & Internet and enable Data Saver.
On iOS: Head to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options and activate Low Data Mode.
These settings ensure non-essential apps aren’t using data behind the scenes.
Turn off automatic updates: App and system updates can be large (often over 100MB) and quickly use your daily roaming data. Disable automatic updates over mobile networks:
On Android: Adjust settings in the Google Play Store to stop updates.
On iOS: Go to Settings > App Store and toggle off App Updates under Cellular Data.
Download essential content before you travel: Prepare by downloading everything you’ll need offline. By doing this, you not only save data but also ensure you have access in areas with poor coverage. Consider downloading:
Offline maps for cities or routes (Google Maps, Maps.me)
Music and podcasts (Spotify, Apple Music)
Translation tools, travel guides, and reservation details
Turn Off Roaming: Disable roaming in your mobile network settings unless you have an affordable international data plan. For extra security, switch to airplane mode and use Wi-Fi whenever possible.
By taking these steps before your trip, you can minimise mobile charges while still staying connected.
Avoid Bill Shock on Your New Zealand Trip!
Roaming fees in New Zealand can catch travellers off guard, especially if unprepared. To avoid extra charges, it’s crucial to understand how your phone works and what steps you can take.
By setting up your phone and managing your data access before you arrive, you can avoid nasty surprises on your bill. Taking control early helps you save money and stay connected throughout your New Zealand adventure.
