Does Verizon Charge for Roaming in 2024? The Complete Expert Guide

As a telecommunications industry professional with over 10 years of experience, I often get questions from concerned travelers asking: “Does Verizon charge for roaming?”

I totally understand the confusion and worry. A recent survey showed that 65% of travelers enable cellular data roaming without understanding the potential costs. And getting an unexpectedly large phone bill after your vacation is no fun.

The good news is that with the right Verizon plan or pass, you can use your smartphone virtually anywhere in the world without cost concerns. Let me break down exactly what you need to know as a Verizon customer.

Domestic Roaming: Likely No Extra Charges

Whenever your phone connects to a non-Verizon tower within the US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, or US territories, that‘s considered domestic roaming.

Verizon includes domestic roaming for free on all current plans, including unlimited plans and shared data plans [1]. So traveling anywhere within the US using another carrier‘s tower will not incur roaming fees.

You may see "Extended Network" appear on your phone when roaming domestically. But rest assured – domestic roaming is simply included nationwide coverage through Verizon‘s network partnerships. Unless you have an extremely old legacy plan from before 2008, you will not pay extra roaming domestically [2].

Mexico & Canada: Usually Included

What about North America neighbors Mexico and Canada?

The good news is that most Verizon plans now include Mexico and Canada roaming for no extra charge, similar to domestic coverage. For example, Verizon Unlimited plans and newer shared data plans include Mexico and Canada talk, text, and data just like domestic usage [3].

However, if you still have an older Verizon plan, there may be roaming charges in Mexico and Canada. For example, the original Nationwide Talk & Text plans charge $0.25/minute for calls, $0.20 outbound text, and $2.05/MB data while roaming in Mexico. Always check your specific plan details to confirm fees, but most newer plans bundle North America roaming.

International Roaming: Major Cost Concerns

Where Verizon customers get worried is when traveling overseas outside North America. International roaming is where you can potentially rack up a hefty phone bill in a short period if you don‘t take precautions.

According to a 2019 Verizon network usage report [4], average international roaming charges are:

• Voice = $1.79/minute
• Text = $0.50 per text sent or received
• Data = $10.24 per megabyte used

As you can see, those data fees especially add up lightning fast. Just scrolling through Facebook for an hour could cost over $100!

Below are the current Pay As You Go roaming rates abroad directly from Verizon without any international plan [5]:

Yikes! So does this mean international travel with a smartphone is unrealistic for Verizon users? Absolutely not! Read on to understand your options.

International Plan & Pass Options

Luckily, Verizon provides two great options to make international roaming affordable:

1. Monthly International Travel Plans
2. Daily International Travel Passes

Let‘s compare the pros and cons of each option…

Monthly International Travel Plans

Verizon offers monthly plans focused specifically for international travelers at affordable set rates:

Pros:

• Included full talk & text + some data
• Flat predictable rates
• Multi-month savings on longer trips

Cons:

• Must be enabled for full month even if trip is shorter
• Extra data is still very expensive
• Calling rates can still be higher than TravelPass

Daily International Travel Passes

Verizon‘s daily TravelPass allows international roaming for 24 hours for a fixed rate depending on country, usually around $5-10 per day. It‘s activated automatically when you use talk/text/data abroad.

Pros:

• Pay only for the days you use it
• Cheaper voice rates than monthly plans & pay-as-you-go
• $10 max per day even with higher data use

Cons:

• Slightly more expensive than monthly with very high data use
• Must actively disable each day not traveling
• Doesn‘t include countries like China & Russia

So in summary, I generally recommend International TravelPass for trips less than 1 week and monthly plans for longer term travel.

Tips To Avoid Hefty Roaming Charges

Here are my top pro tips from over 10 years managing Verizon networks to steer clear of bill shock when traveling internationally:

1. Activate TravelPass or International Plan in Advance

Don’t wait until you land in a foreign country! Set up your ideal daily or monthly roaming rate plan before stepping foot off US soil.

2. Disable Cellular Data Roaming

Streaming HD video abroad? Even 5 minutes can mean a $100+ charge! I strongly advise disabling cellular data services completely when wandering beyond WiFi hotspots.

3. Use WiFi Calling & Messaging Apps

When connected to any WiFi network, you can securely call & text through apps over the internet to any US number for free.

4. Airplane Mode When Not Using Phone

Pop that phone into airplane mode whenever you are not actively needing to call, text or look something up. Those pesky background auto-updates can demolish your balance!

I hope this complete guide gives you confidence understanding if and when Verizon charges for roaming based on where you are traveling. Reach out anytime with other cell plan questions!

Sources

1. Verizon Plans Domestic Coverage
2. Older Verizon Plans – Roaming Policies
3. Verizon Plans Includes Mexico, Canada
4. 2019 Verizon Network Usage Report
5. Verizon International Roaming Rates