Choosing an Unlimited Data Roaming Plan for Europe

Visiting Europe is always a good idea, regardless of the season. This continent offers a unique blend of stunning beaches, scenic mountain tops and old cities which possess impressive classic architecture. Europe is also home to many nations that have specific cultures and local customs you can enjoy.

Unfortunately, due to that diversity, you might also run into some additional expenses through mobile roaming upon crossing the borders. Trust us, if you’re not careful, those data roaming expenses can climb in a hurry. Luckily, there are lots of ways in which this can be avoided, as there are several roaming plans that you can choose from, aimed at keeping these costs down.

Today, we will take a look at the best options that are currently out there. In no particular order, here is where you can start.

Difficulties with regulations

We first have to mention some of the difficulties you might run into while traveling across Europe on a single data plan. As you might’ve heard, the countries that belong to the European Union, and the others that are not allied with the Union are not always seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to roaming plans.

What does this mean for the average traveler? Well, if you are on a road trip, and you plan to go in and out of European Union, your data plan will not offer universal coverage. With that in mind, you might want to check out some of the specific regulations regarding the country you’re going to visit before making a final decision on your desired mobile provider.

Verizon International Monthly Plan

Although this plan does not offer unlimited roaming, it should be mentioned here as it does include some good features for the users. The list includes 5GB of data, along with 250 minutes and 1,000 SMS included. For those features, you will be asked to pay $100 per month, which might sound like a lot, but it’s way better than simply letting those data roaming costs mount up.

Truth be told, 250 minutes is not a whole lot, especially when it comes to heavy users, but it should be enough to cover some basic needs. At the very least, it might force you to use your cell phone less while traveling. Isn’t that the whole point?

AT&T International Day Pass

This is a great option for travelers who are going on short trips that last for just a couple of days. For each day spent abroad, you are asked to pay $10 in addition to your existing plan, and that includes 4GB of data. Additionally, calls from your desired destination in Europe made to individuals in the United States are free of charge.

Boost International Connect PlusBoost Unlimited

At a cost of $150 per month, this roaming data plan might be on the more premium side, but for that, you get 12GB of high-speed data each month you can use at a hot spot. It also includes video streaming, which is however limited to the standard definition only.

Besides offering 200 minutes in selected countries, Boost also provides its users with reduced rates for the additional 200 minutes. What is unlimited though is texting, which can be used in over 200 destinations worldwide. In case you frequently call landlines, you will also gain unlimited minutes in many EU countries. That is the thing that separates this deal from many others.

T-Mobile Magenta

If the previous offer seemed a bit too expensive for you, we have something here that might seem a little more appealing. The Magenta data plan from T-Mobile costs $75 per month and it includes unlimited texting and data in more than 210 countries around the world, many of which are located in Europe.

However, while you are granted free data for roaming, with this plan, be prepared to arm yourself with patience, as the data transfer is oftentimes limited to just 2G speeds. However, if you decide to invest $15 more and opt-in for the Magenta Plus plan, you will also gain additional features, such as faster data speeds, additional video streaming and 40GB of mobile hotspot data. Is it worth it? We’ll let you be the judge.