Android Data Roaming Guide: How to Enable & Troubleshooting

Imagine after an enjoyable overseas trip, your Android registers a phone bill of $143,000 or a data roaming charge of £11,000 for sending some pictures or calling a couple of friends! If not checked, roaming data can be insanely expensive.

Regardless of where business takes you, it’s possible to stay connected to the internet for conference calls, GPS assistance, and keeping in touch with families at an affordable cost.

But how?

The article provides simple, tangible solutions to the problem. Scroll on to learn how to enable data roaming on Android devices and avoid exorbitant data bills when roaming.

1How to Enable Data Roaming for An Android Device?

1.1Samsung Device

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• Step 3

1.2Google Pixel Devices

Here are the steps to know how to enable data roaming on Android Google Pixel mobiles:

• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3

1.3Other Android Devices

• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3

1.4Remote control

Large enterprises have representatives who attend meetings worldwide and present their organization. These corporate devices need continuous network access to share files, communicate with the managers, and access data online.

Admins can enable data roaming on corporate devices using the remote control feature of MDM solutions to ensure their employees are provided seamless internet access to make calls and browse the internet to connect with the team.

AirDroid Business MDM solution allows business admins to access devices remotely, which can remotely enable or disable Android data roaming on managed devices.

2Data Roaming Not Working on Android

If data roaming isn’t working on your Android device, follow these steps:

1. Enable Data Roaming:
   Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Mobile network (or SIMs/Cellular) → Turn on "Data roaming".
2. Verify APN Settings:
   Confirm Access Point Names (APNs) match your carrier's requirements. Incorrect APNs block connections.
3. Reset Network Connections:
   Toggle Airplane Mode on/off or restart the device. For persistent issues, reset Wi-Fi settings (clears saved networks).
4. Confirm Roaming Plan:
   Contact your carrier to verify active plan coverage and data limits.
5. Manually Select Network:
   In Mobile network settings, disable "Automatically select network" → Choose local carrier.
6. Check Signal & SIM Card:
   Ensure strong mobile signal (relocate if needed). Clean and reseat SIM card; test in another device.
7. Final Check:
   Contact carrier for outages/restrictions if unresolved.

3How to Avoid Excessive Data Consumption?

For Personal

● Identify the apps that consume excess data and let them access the internet only when necessary.
● Set apps and device automatic updates to use Wi-Fi only and not cellular data.
● Download videos or large files using a Wi-Fi connection and not mobile data.
● Refrain from streaming online videos and needless scrolling on social media pages.
● Instead of using online Google Maps, stick to offline apps. When on a Wi-Fi connection, download the map of the area you’ll need to use later.
● Consider using a data-saver feature or disabling data when you don’t have a pressing need for it.
● Allow only necessary apps to consume data running in the background.

For Enterprise (Advanced and Comprehensive Solution)

Hundreds of unchecked managed devices can easily consume excess data, especially when roaming. It doesn’t have to be so. Setting data limit alerts, viewing data consumed by each managed device, and ensuring they have the correct APN configuration prevent unwarranted data consumption. Follow these three methods:

Method 1. After enrolling the devices into a system, admins can set alerts for a specific data usage limit. MDM will notify admins when managed devices' data exceeds that limit. They can remotely disable data roaming to save costs for excessive data consumption.

Method 2. Another way is to remotely monitor data usage of managed devices for MDM's interactive Dashboard. It will provide detailed insights into data usage, including the apps that consume more data.

Method 3. When roaming, setting up the correct APN configuration is vital to connecting to the right network in the locality you are visiting and, hence, avoiding roaming charges. Instead of the tedious manual setup, AirDroid business makes remote APN settings across multiple devices quick and efficient. The picture below best explains how to go about it:

4International Roaming Cost Comparison: Local SIM vs. Travel eSIM

Specific Package Examples

T-Mobile eSIM Package (United States):
For $50 per month, you get unlimited 5G data and talk. An ideal package for short-stay travelers requiring fast and stable internet.

ChillaxSIM Multi-Country Package (Europe):
1GB daily data costs $2.7 per day and covers over 30 European countries. It's best for tourists visiting different countries and does not need to change SIM cards often.

Airalo Regional eSIMs(Asia)
For $13 a month, you get 3GB of data to use in over 18 Asian countries.

5Device Security Tips for International Roaming

For enterprises, devices roaming in unfamiliar areas pose risks of loss or data breaches due to connections to unknown networks. Furthermore, if the enterprise uses eSIM cards, these cards rely on remote management platforms, making them susceptible to hacking or virus infections. Therefore, MDM software is critical for safeguarding device security.

6Conclusive Note

Data roaming is a network conversion feature that allows you to convert your current network into any other network available in another geographical region you have visited. This feature is built-in on almost all Android devices but disabled by default. Anyone who wants to travel has to enable it from the phone 'Settings' app and choose the option to connect to a network for seamless usage automatically. Enterprises can control data usage costs on multiple devices by enrolling them into an MDM admin console. It allows them to remotely monitor, track, and control data usage on bulk devices and send alerts when a device reaches a certain data limit.

FAQs about Data Roaming Settings

Q1. Can I Set Up Data Roaming Only for Receiving Calls, Not for Internet Use?

Maverick

No, you cannot set up data roaming only for calls and not for the internet. However, enterprise can use an MDM to remotely configure the settings of multiple devices to block internet access. 

Q2. Where Is Data Roaming on Android?

Maverick

You can find the data roaming option on Android devices in the 'Mobile Network' tab. Open the 'Settings' app on Android and select the mobile network option. Here, you will find the data roaming tab to enable it.

Q3. Why Can't I Turn Data Roaming On?

Maverick

Due to some technical issues, you might be unable to turn on data roaming. A significant problem can be the compatibility of the device with the network. So, choose another network manually and try again.

Q4. Are There Any Extra Fees for Domestic Roaming?

Maverick

Most network provider companies add domestic roaming as their standard offering, so they do not charge any extra fee. However, international roaming is mostly a paid service by almost all network providers.