Don’t forget to switch on roaming

Why modern roaming is often cheaper, safer, and easier than travel eSIMs in 2026

We’ve all been there. The plane touches down, the “Welcome to [Country]” text arrives, and the first thing you do is frantically toggle off data roaming or even roaming altogether. You spend the rest of your trip hunting for hotel Wi‑Fi or juggling a third‑party travel eSIM app just to save a bit of money, enticed by the aggressive advertising of travel eSIM providers.

But in 2026, that perception is outdated. From where I sit in the roaming industry, here’s the reality: switching off roaming can make your trip harder – and, in some cases, less safe – than it needs to be. Modern roaming is simple, predictable, high-quality, safe and overall better than the alternatives. The real issue isn’t roaming anymore: it’s awareness.

The “travel eSIM” reality check

Third‑party travel eSIMs are popular for a reason: they’re quick to buy and promise “unlimited” data. But in most cases, a travel eSIM is still a roaming IMSI, just from a different home operator with a wholesaler in-between, there are trade‑offs many people only discover once they’re already abroad:

• Data‑only limitations: Many travel eSIMs are data‑only. That can leave your usual number exposed to unavailability for regular calls and SMS.
• The “call home” cost: If you need to call or text while using a data eSIM, your home operator may charge pay‑as‑you‑go rates for those minutes or messages.
• Emergency access: Data‑only lines can be less reliable for emergency calling, depending on device and local network support.
• User experience: the place where the traffic breaks out to the public internet is non-transparent, which will cause high latency, traffic deprioritisation and affectation of key services like streaming, shopping, banking, Live TV, gaming, ads and location who think you are neither in the home or the visited network or are proxied/VPNed.

Real‑world example: a holiday to Albania

I will be taking my holiday in Albania this Summer, so let me share my benchmark findings with you – an exercise that everyone should do, ideally. Albania is outside the EU, so it’s common for travellers to assume roaming will be expensive. Here’s a practical comparison, using KPN as my home operator.

Let’s assess the four travel eSIM providers with the best TrustPilot score, as some level of quality of experience is expected: they are Saily (4.7), Holafly (4.6), Nomad (4.3) and Airalo (3.9). The duration is 7-8 days and my need is 10GB, as I am hoping to spend time off my phone with the kids. The table below shows the differences.

So not only is roaming the better alternative in quality, it is apparently also cheaper than the trusted travel eSIM providers. Activation is easy: send “ALBANIA 10 ON” to 1266 – that’s all. No QR codes, no apps, no banking details, no eSIM installation.

A quick reminder: the EU is “home” for many of us

If you’re travelling within the EU (for example, Germany, Spain, or Italy), Roam Like At Home (RLAH) applies:

• Cost: €0 extra (within your allowance).
• Action: Do nothing – it comes out of your monthly plan.

A call to action: it’s time to make roaming clearer

Travellers don’t turn to third‑party eSIMs because they’re always better. They do it because they’re unsure what their home operator offers – and they don’t want surprises.

For mobile network operators, there’s an opportunity here: make roaming bundles easy to find and easy to understand. Many “silent roamers” switch data off the moment they land, so clarity and confidence can be the difference between zero usage and a customer who stays connected.

By actively advertising your roaming bundles, you can:

• Convert the silent roamer: Give customers a straightforward way to use data abroad, instead of switching off.
• Build loyalty: Reassure customers you’ll support them abroad as reliably as you do at home.
• Increase usage with transparency: Clear pricing and simple activation lead to more confident customers, and more consistent roaming behaviour.

How do you protect your margins?

This is where Arelion can help. We support operators as roaming traffic grows, with the cost efficiency and resilience needed to keep performance high without eroding margins. Our global IPX backbone is built for scale, so you can carry more roaming data with predictable quality.

With Arelion’s infrastructure behind you, you can offer competitive bundles that customers trust, while keeping your network profitable and your subscribers connected.

The bottom line

Both travel eSIMs and roaming deserve their place in the connectivity ecosystem. The difference is that only the end customer can choose wisely once they are properly informed. My point is simple: don’t let roaming uncertainty shape your trip.

Travellers: check what your home operator offers before you take off.
Operators: make your options clear, visible, and easy to activate. Don’t let eSIM providers control the narrative with your customers.

Life is too short to hunt for eSIM options and Wi‑Fi passwords, and too important to be without a reliable connection at a good price. You can have both. It’s called roaming. Don’t forget to switch it on.

Chris Lennartz,
Director Business Development Mobile