Roaming with AT&T: Everything You Need to Know

Are you planning to travel abroad anytime soon? If so, you are probably wondering about the roaming charges you are likely to incur.

And if you are with AT&T, you are probably thinking about whether or not paying for those extra roaming charges is worth it.

What do you need to know about roaming with AT&T? With AT&T’s unlimited plans, domestic wireless roaming is free. If you are traveling international, you can pay additional fees on a monthly or daily basis. Or, you can spend on a per-minute basis. 

No idea how roaming works? I made this comprehensive guide about what roaming is and how it works. It is worth the read – promised!

Since there is not much information available on the Internet today that details what it is like to roam internationally with AT&T, I created this article to help you out.

Below I will help answer all of your questions about traveling and roaming with your AT&mT plan, and what costs you might incur. 

Table of Contents

Roaming with AT&T

When you are roaming with AT&T, what can you expect to pay?

The answer to that question lies with where you plan to travel, and how you plan to use your phone.

If you know your destination and you also can honestly anticipate how you will be using your phone, you should be able to plan your trip wisely and cut back the costs of your cell phone usage.

Domestic roaming with AT&T

If you are an AT&T unlimited customer, and you are traveling domestically, or in Mexico or Canada, you will not need to pay any additional roaming charges.

Your phone will still work, and you will not rack up costs on your trip.

So for domestic traveling, you will be charged as usual when using your phone as long as you stay in North America.

However, if you are planning to travel elsewhere and take an international trip, then you will have to plan out how you will be using your phone a bit differently. 

International roaming with AT&T

If you plan on traveling abroad, then you will need to expect with your AT&T phone to make sure you keep the price of roaming affordable.

Luckily, AT&T offers three different options in plans when you are traveling abroad, which includes AT&T’s International Day Pass, AT&T’s Passport, and Pay Per Use options. 

I will cover each one of these options below in a little more detail so that you have a basic understanding of each one.

That way, you can plan for any roaming charges or issues and know how you will want to use your phone while you are outside of the country.

AT&T International Day Pass

If you are planning a trip that will span a few days to a week, then you might want to consider using AT&T’s International Day Pass to cut back on costs.

With this option, you pay $10 per day for 24 hours of coverage when you are outside of the country.

• By paying that extra $10 per day, your phone will work just as it would if you were using it at home. You will be able to use it fully without incurring any other charges beyond the $10 per day.
• If you sign up for International Day Pass, you pay $10 and get coverage for 24 hours.
• That coverage includes access to your data so you will not need to search around for WIFI hotspots while you are traveling abroad. You will also get unlimited texts to the world, unlimited calls to the US, and unlimited calls to 113 destinations.
• With International Day Pass, you will only be paying for your phone on the days you use it. If you do not use your phone for 24 hours, you will not be charged.
• Also, it is straightforward to add International Day Pass to your phone. You go to your AT&T Mobile Share or AT&T unlimited plan account and add it to your device before you leave.

Tips for using AT&T International Day Pass

If you decide to use AT&T’s International Day Pass as you travel, then I have got a few tips that will help you get the most out of the plan.

First, you will know your International Day Pass is active because you will get a text once you arrive in your International Day Pass destination, which confirms that the plan is now active.

However, your 24-hour access to International Day Pass does not begin until you use your phone.

That includes making or receiving a call, sending a text, or using data.

Remember, using data also includes utilizing background data.

It is recommended to turn off automatic updates and background app refreshes so that you can get the most out of your plan and not unnecessarily use data or your phone while you are traveling abroad.

If you do not do this, the automatic updates and background app refreshes might start using your data automatically, and that will immediately trigger the daily fee, even if you were not planning on using your phone. 

Remember to turn off WIFI Calling on your phone so that you do not get charged for calls dialed to International.

Finally, AT&T provides its subscribers with a guide covering how to avoid extra charges on international trips, which you can view by going here.

AT&T Passport – monthly international service plan

While AT&T’s International Day Pass is a great way to save a bit of money when traveling abroad, the plan works best for people that are traveling abroad for only a short period.

Some people take international trips more often and need a more robust method to help them cut back on costs.

If you are one of those people, do not worry.

AT&T has another option for you that works every month instead of a daily basis, making it much more affordable for those that travel abroad often and wind up roaming internationally with their phones. 

AT&T’s Passport is a monthly international service plan that will give you coverage for as long as you need it.

With this plan, you can send unlimited texts worldwide.

You can also choose between 1GB or 3GB of data while traveling.

Calls cost $0.35 per minute, and the plan works in 214 destinations.

You have two options in plans with AT&T Passport.

You can opt for the AT&T 1GB plan, which costs $60 per month per device.

You can do this as a one-time charge, or keep it recurring. Data overuse costs $50/GB.

Your other option is AT&T Passport 3GB, which costs $120 per month per device either for one month or on a continual monthly basis. 

Tips for using AT&T Passport

When using AT&T Passport, you will want to do a few things to cut back on costs.

Start by turning off your messaging apps and make sure you disable automatic updates and background refreshes.

By doing so, you will be in control of your data usage, and you can get far more out of the data plan usage that way. 

It is also a good idea to keep track of your data usage when roaming.

AT&T passport also works well with WIFI calling.

If you have AT&T Passport, you can call home in the United States and not pay anything extra.

If you need to make a call to a different country, you can check out how much it will cost by viewing AT&T’s international long distance rates.

If you want to be billed at the Passport calling rate, then turn off WIFI calling in your device settings. 

AT&T Pay Per Use Roaming

If you are not planning to use your phone often while you travel abroad and you know you will not be gone long, then AT&T also offers a pay-per-use rate option.

Rates can vary depending on where you are traveling, so you will want to factor that in before you decide to use this service.

• Talk services for AT&T’s pay-per-use rates vary depending on location.
• To call Canada and Mexico on this plan, it costs $1.00 per minute. Europe costs $2.00 per minute. The rest of the world, including airplanes and cruise ships, costs $3.00 per minute.
• Texts cost $0.50 per text to send if your message is just words. Sending picture and video texts cost $1.30 per MMS.
• Data costs also vary widely. If you are using data on land, it costs $2.05 per MB. On cruise ships; the rate is $6.14 per MB.
• On airplanes, you will pay $10.24 per MB of data used.

AT&T Prepaid Customers

If you are an AT&T prepaid customer, your rates will vary a bit. If you are traveling around AT&T Prepaid International Calling 

International calling also works differently with AT&T prepaid. You can make calls from the US to more than 225 destinations at modest per-minute rate charges with AT&T prepaid.

Additionally, many of the AT&T prepaid monthly plans feature international calling to Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guan, and the Mariana Islands. 

With AT&T prepaid, you can use an international calling add-on to help reduce the cost of per-minute calling rates.

AT&T prepaid customers on $35, $45, $50, $65, and $80 monthly plans can get an International Calling Add-on for an additional charge, depending on the area they are calling. Take a look at the rates below.

• $15 per month for Latin America and the Caribbean. You will get a reduction in per-minute rates from the US when calling landlines and cell phones in 45 destinations within Latin America and the Caribbean. You will still be charged applicable per-minute calling rates, but it will cost you far less. However, if you are already on an unlimited calling to Mexico plan, you will not be charged per-minute rates when you call Mexico.
• $15 per month for East Asia and India. This package gives you the option to make unlimited calls from the US to landlines and cell phones in Hong Kong, India, China, South Korea, Singapore, and 30 other destinations. You will still be charged per-minute calling rates but at a reduced price. 
• $10 per month for International Plus. This package is significant to people that want a flat rate package. You will get 1,000 minutes of calling per month from the US to Mexico. You can also call landlines in 81 destinations. There is a limit of two add-ons within one month with this plan. 
• $5 per month for the Dominican Republic. You will get unlimited calls to landlines and a charge of just $0.10 per minute to mobile numbers when you dial from the US and call somebody in the Dominican Republic. You need to renew this add-on every 30 days or standard rates will apply again.

AT&T prepaid international calling destinations

Below you can find to what destinations you can call with each prepaid international calling pack.

$15 Latin America & Caribbean

You can call to 35 destinations with the $15 Latin America & Caribbean pack:

Destination	Landline $/min	Mobile $/min
Anguilla	$0.10	$0.25
Antigua & Barbuda	$0.15	$0.25
Argentina	$0.01	$0.10
Aruba	$0.10	$0.25
Bahamas	$0.05	$0.15
Barbados	$0.25	$0.25
Belize	$0.25	$0.25
Bermuda	$0.05	$0.05
Bolivia	$0.15	$0.15
Brazil	$0.01	$0.05
British Virgin Islands	$0.25	$0.25
Cayman Islands	$0.10	$0.15
Chile	$0.05	$0.05
Colombia	$0.01	$0.10
Costa Rica	$0.01	$0.05
Cuba	$0.75	$0.75
Dominica	$0.25	$0.25
Dominican Republic	$0.01	$0.10
Ecuador	$0.15	$0.25
El Salvador	$0.15	$0.15
French Guiana	$0.01	$0.01
Grenada	$0.25	$0.25
Guadeloupe	$0.01	$0.05
Guatemala	$0.15	$0.15
Guyana	$0.05	$0.25
Haiti	$0.25	$0.25
Honduras	$0.15	$0.15
Jamaica	$0.15	$0.25
Martinique	$0.15	$0.05
Mexico	$0.01	$0.01
Montserrat	$0.25	$0.25
Netherlands Antilles	$0.10	$0.10
Nicaragua	$0.15	$0.25
Panama	$0.01	$0.10
Paraguay	$0.05	$0.10
Peru	$0.01	$0.05
St Kitts & Nevis	$0.15	$0.25
St Maarten	$0.10	$0.10
St. Lucia	$0.15	$0.25
St. Vincent & Grenadines	$0.15	$0.25
Suriname	$0.10	$0.25
Trinidad & Tobago	$0.05	$0.15
Turks & Caicos Islands	$0.25	$0.25
Uruguay	$0.05	$0.15
Venezuela	$0.01	$0.10

$15 East Asia & India

You can call to 35 destinations with the $15 East Asia & India pack:

Destination	Landline $/min	Mobile $/min
China	Unlimited	Unlimited
Hong Kong	Unlimited	Unlimited
India	Unlimited	Unlimited
Singapore	Unlimited	Unlimited
South Korea	Unlimited	Unlimited
Australia	$0.01	$0.05
Bangladesh	$0.05	$0.05
Brunei	$0.01	$0.01
Cambodia	$0.10	$0.10
East Timor (Timor-Leste)	$0.50	$0.50
Fiji Islands	$0.15	$0.15
Indonesia	$0.01	$0.05
Japan	$0.01	$0.10
Kiribati	$0.25	$0.25
Laos	$0.10	$0.10
Macau	$0.01	$0.01
Malaysia	$0.01	$0.01
Marshall Islands	$0.15	$0.15
Mongolia	$0.01	$0.05
Myanmar	$0.15	$0.25
New Caledonia	$0.25	$0.25
New Zealand	$0.01	$0.05
North Korea	$1.00	$1.00
Pakistan	$0.05	$0.05
Palau Republic	$0.25	$0.10
Papua New Guinea	$0.50	$0.50
Philippines	$0.15	$0.15
Solomon Islands	$1.00	$1.00
Sri Lanka	$0.25	$0.10
Taiwan	$0.01	$0.10
Thailand	$0.01	$0.01
Tonga	$0.50	$0.50
Vanuatu	$0.50	$0.50
Vietnam	$0.10	$0.10
Western Samoa	$0.50	$0.50

$10 International Plus

You can call to 81 destinations with the $10 International Plus pack:

* Calls to mobile phones allowed

International Calling for All AT&T Customers

AT&T also offers another international calling option for all of its customers.

You can select a $5 Global Add-on plan and get 250 minutes of calling per month to landlines in 63 destinations.

• These add-on monthly plans last 30 days. You can also use add-ons weekly and have them for seven days as long as your account balance did not expire.
• If you purchase or renew the international calling add-on, your rate plan must be active when you buy or renew the add-on.
• Also, add-on balances will continue to roll over if you renew them before the add-on deadline on your plan.
• That means if you did not use your full 250 minutes that month, the unused minutes would still be available next month as long as you keep the account active and you activate the add-on before it expires.
• Add-on rollovers are limited to specific destinations only. Add-ons on the East Asia/India, Latin America/Caribbean, and the Dominican Republic are not eligible to rollover. 

AT&T $5 Global Add-on destinations

You can call to the following 63 destinations with the AT&T $5 Global Add-on:

* Calls to mobile phones allowed

Making international calls

If you want to make an international call or send a global text message, follow the below steps.

First, dial + and then enter the country code. For example, calling the UK means entering +44, then the local number in the UK.

When you are traveling in Mexico, Canada, or other countries, the country code you need to enter to call back to the United States is +1.

If you cannot find the + on your phone, press and hold down the 0 key, and you should see it.

Checking your AT&T voicemail when abroad

You can check your voicemail when you are roaming in a couple of ways. First, you can hold down the 1 key to access your voicemail.

Or, you can dial +1 and then enter your area code and phone number.

You will hear your voicemail greeting. Press * during your voicemail greeting and enter your password. 

The calls you make to your voicemail while you are roaming are charged at international roaming rates. 

Where can I roam with AT&T?

Roaming destination availability varies per roaming option, which is shown below.

AT&T Passport destinations

* This destination is also available for International Day Pass

AT&T International Day Pass destinations

AT&T Pay Per Use Roaming destinations

The Pay Per Use Roaming rates are split into three groups, or zones: Canada & Mexico (zone 1 – $1/min), Europe (zone 2 – $2.00/min), and Rest of the World (zone 3 – $3.00/min)

Zone 2 – Europe

Set up FREE flight alerts and get notified when ticket prices drop via Airfarewatchdog!

Zone 3 – Rest of the World

AT&T assistance when roaming

If you need any help when roaming, you can contact customer care. If you are traveling in Mexico or Canada, dial 611 from your phone.

Or, you can call +1 408.962.1025 from a landline.

If you are roaming anywhere else that is outside of the United States, you can call calling +1.314.925.6925.

If you dial calling +1.314.925.6925 from your AT&T cell phone, you will not be charged at all anytime you need to contact customer care. 

Using ATT international roaming services

Now that we have covered the ins and outs of AT&T’s international roaming service fees, I will include a little bit more about how you can get started with international roaming services.

Once you know where you are going and how often you will be using your cell phone, you should be able to select the roaming plan that is right for you.

However, once you select your roaming plan, how do you get started with it?

I will cover some of the most frequently asked questions about AT&T’s international roaming services below. 

How can you add international roaming services?

If you are planning on traveling outside of the United States, you need a wireless service plan with AT&T to get started with their international roaming add-on plans.

You have got a few choices when you want to add a global roaming plan.

• First, you can call customer care at 866.MOBILITY to speak with somebody over the phone about your options. If you would prefer to add your plan online, you can go to My AT&T, login, and follow the prompts in your account. That way, you will be able to see the different wireless plans and international roaming options.
• By either calling AT&T or logging into your account, you can add the international roaming services you will want to have with your account. 
• Remember, if you are on an AT&T unlimited plan and you are traveling in Mexico or Canada, you will not need to add an international roaming service plan.
• If you have the AT&T unlimited plan, you can talk, text, and use data while in Canada or Mexico for no additional charge. If you would like more information about that, go to att.com/roamna. 

How do you make and receive calls once abroad?

Before you leave on your trip, make sure you buy an international roaming package or have the international roaming service you want to be added and turned onto your phone.

If you have done that, once you arrive, your phone will automatically search for a wireless network. 

As soon as the name or network number comes up on the phone, you should be able to use your phone.

If you are planning to call or send a message to the United States, you will need to dial +, then 1, then the area code and number.

To call or send a text to a different country, dial + followed by the country code, and then enter the number.

How do you roam internationally at LTE (4G) speeds?

If you want to roam internationally with AT&T and use their LTE speeds, there are a couple of necessities you will need to pay attention to when planning.

First, an LTE network needs to be available in the destination you are visiting. Next, your device needs to be LTE-capable and also compatible with the frequency of the LTE on the international network. 

If you do not have LTE on your device or your device cannot work with the LTE frequency bands around you, you will automatically connect to a network that has the best data speed.

Usually, that would be a 3G network.

Can I roam on planes?

Roaming on select airlines and planes is possible with AT&T at Pay Per Use rates. You will be charged $3.00/min, $0.50/SMS, $1.30/MMS, and $10.24/MB.

How Do You Use your Wireless Phone on a Cruise?

You can use your AT&T while on a cruise. With AT&T’s network, you can talk, text, and use data on 250 cruise ships.

However, while you are on the cruise ship, pay-per-use rates will apply when using your phone on the boat. 

There are some discount packages available for customers that are using select ships for their cruise.

If you would like more information about those discount packages and a list of cruise ships, check out att.com/cruiseships.

For now, I will list the cruise lines you can roam on with AT&T:

How do you send texts, picture, or video messages to the US?

While traveling abroad, it is quite easy to send texts, pictures, or video messages back to the United States.

You can enter +, then 1, then the area code and phone number you want to contact. 

If you cannot find the + sign, remember you can access that on most phones by holding down the 0 key.

If you are sending a text message or calling another country, dial +, then enter the country code and local number to connect. 

Can you use WIFI calling when traveling internationally? 

You can use WIFI calling when you are traveling internationally.

If you want to do this, make sure you have enabled your device for WIFI compatibility and connect to a WIFI hotspot.

However, while you can make WIFI calls with AT&T in many destinations, you cannot do so in all destinations.

To check out what countries you can make WIFI calls in, go to att.com/wificalling to see a list and make your plans. 

Is roaming with AT&T worth it?

Now that we have covered all of the details on AT&T’s international roaming and travel fees, you are probably wondering if it is worth it or not to pay for an additional international roaming package.

If you can utilize some time to plan out how you will use your phone, where you will use your phone, and how often, then opting for an AT&T international roaming package is worth it.

AT&T provides three different options that will help save you on your cell phone rates when you are roaming internationally.

Anyone of those plans, when used wisely, can help save you money.

However, you will need to ensure you plan out how you will be using your phone and where you will be using it before you embark on your trip.

Here are a few tips to make AT&T coverage worth it on your international trip:

• You will want to apply for your international roaming plan before embarking on your journey. That way, your phone will automatically kick into the global roaming savings plan you selected. If you are going to use your phone quite often, I suggest skipping on the Pay Per Use option and selecting either the Passport or International Day Pass Option.
• If you are planning to travel abroad often or for longer than one week and you want to use your phone daily, then adding Passport onto your plan will help cut back on charges. You can use Passport only when you are on your trip, or keep it as part of your monthly plan if you travel abroad frequently. This plan starts at $60 per month per line.
• If you are taking an international trip and only going for a week or so on vacation, but you still want a lot of access to your phone, then the International Day Pass Option is an excellent opportunity. You would pay $10 a day to use your phone just like you would use it if you were at home.
• However, for people that are not planning on using their phones often while traveling and if you are only going to be gone for a few days, the pay as you go option might be the best choice for you.

Because AT&T offers so many plans that help make their roaming charges affordable, I feel it is worth it to use an AT&T international roaming plan when you travel, if done in moderation.

All you need to do is take some time to plan out how much you will use your phone, where you are going, and what you will be doing with your phone.

Once you do that, stick to your plan usage, and you will not wind up with an expensive phone bill because of your trip.