The travel eSIM is installed, the QR code worked, and then the settings show a switch that sounds like exactly what you were trying to avoid: Data Roaming. Turn it on and you picture a bill from home; leave it off and the eSIM will not carry any data when you land. With two lines in the phone, each line has its own switch, and they need opposite settings.
This guide answers whether data roaming should be on or off with a travel eSIM: why the eSIM line needs it on and your home line needs it off, where the switch is on iPhone, Samsung and Pixel, what it does and does not affect, and how to check it all before you land.
Key facts for data roaming with a travel eSIM
- Travel eSIM line: data roaming on, because the eSIM connects to local networks as a roaming line
- Home line: data roaming off, to avoid roaming charges
- Mobile data: set the travel eSIM as the line for mobile data
- Calls and texts: a home line that is switched on still receives them with data roaming off; the switch only controls mobile data
- Prepaid eSIM: with a one-time payment and no subscription, it can only use the data you bought
Data roaming on for the travel eSIM line
A travel eSIM connects to local networks as a roaming line, so with data roaming off, the phone will not use mobile data on it. Turn it on for this line: the roaming charges you want to avoid come from the other line.
Data roaming off for your home line
Your home SIM or eSIM stays in the phone for your own number. Abroad, its data would roam too, at whatever your tariff charges for roaming in that country.
Switching data roaming off on the home line stops its mobile data abroad, so it cannot use your home plan's data by mistake, while the travel eSIM carries maps, apps and messages.
Where the switch is on iPhone, Samsung and Pixel
Set it once for each line: on for the travel eSIM, off for your home line.
- iPhone: Settings > Mobile Data (Cellular) > choose the line > Data Roaming.
- Samsung: Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Data roaming, set for the eSIM.
- Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > choose the eSIM > Roaming.
Menu names can differ slightly with the software version and the phone's language.
What data roaming does and does not affect
Data roaming only controls mobile data. With it off, your home line still receives calls and texts, as long as the line is switched on and has a network, so bank codes sent by text can still arrive. Whether receiving them costs anything depends on your operator's roaming terms, so check them before you go, above all outside the Roam Like at Home area or with a SIM from outside it.
Aeroplane mode is a different switch: it stops calls, texts and data on every line. And chat apps such as WhatsApp keep your usual number while they run on the travel eSIM's data.
Check it before you land
Do a last check on the plane, with aeroplane mode still on. Open the mobile settings and confirm three things: the travel eSIM is switched on and chosen for mobile data, its data roaming is on, and your home line's data roaming is off.
After landing, turn aeroplane mode off and give the phone a moment to find a network. If the eSIM shows signal but nothing loads, check its data roaming first; if there is no signal at all, turn aeroplane mode on and off or restart the phone to make it search again.
How Telcomia helps
Telcomia eSIMs are prepaid, with a one-time payment and no subscription, so with data roaming on, the eSIM can only use the data you bought. You can create an account to track your data use as you go.
Standard plans are data only, with no number and no SMS, which is why your home line stays switched on beside the eSIM. On the plans page, each plan's details show the Activation line, the duration and the data.
Before you leave
- Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi and set it as the line for mobile data.
- Turn data roaming on for the eSIM line.
- Turn data roaming off for your home line, and keep the line switched on for calls and texts.
- Check your operator's roaming terms for incoming calls and texts.
- Keep the eSIM installed until the trip is over: some eSIMs can be installed only once.
Questions travellers ask about data roaming
Do I need to turn on data roaming for an eSIM?
Yes, for the travel eSIM line. It connects to local networks as a roaming line, so with data roaming off it will not use mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your home line.
Will data roaming on my eSIM cost extra?
Not with a Telcomia eSIM. It is prepaid, with a one-time payment and no subscription, so it can only use the data you bought. Any roaming charges would come from your home line, which is why its data roaming stays off.
Should I turn off roaming on my home SIM?
Turn off its data roaming, yes, while the travel eSIM carries your data: that stops the home line using mobile data abroad. Leave the line itself switched on if you want calls and texts to your usual number.
Will I still get texts with roaming off?
Yes, if the home line is switched on and has a network: data roaming only controls mobile data, so calls and texts still arrive. Your operator's roaming terms decide whether receiving them costs anything.
The short version
Data roaming goes on for the travel eSIM line and off for your home line. The eSIM needs it to carry data on local networks, and a Telcomia eSIM can only use the data you bought; your home line, if it stays switched on, keeps receiving calls and texts with it off. Check both switches on the plane before you land.
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