Turn on roaming in your phone’s cellular settings, following T-Mobile’s published steps below, and check what your plan includes abroad first. An eSIM is the better choice when the trip is long, crosses borders or sails on a cruise line, and you want unlimited data at one flat price: Maya’s Global plans start at USD 9.99 for 3 days across 165+ countries, and cruises take the Global + Cruise plan, priced on its own.
Your phone roams fine at the airport. By day two it’s a meter or a throttle.
What do you need before you turn on T-Mobile roaming?
Check your plan first, because what roaming includes depends on it. According to T-Mobile’s international plans page, Experience Beyond includes up to 15GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries and destinations, Experience More includes up to 5GB, and voice calls run $0.50 per minute.
Here is T-Mobile Support’s international roaming checklist, in its order:
- Log in to My account with your T-Mobile ID. Your device compatibility and plan-specific rates then display automatically.
- Search for the country you’re visiting.
- Enter up to three countries and your device, then click Check coverage.
- Review the calling and texting rates and the data experience. High-speed data varies by country and plan. If a country isn’t listed, there is no roaming agreement, and you can’t use your device or a T-Mobile SIM there.
- Review Your device status for network compatibility, active roaming blocks and line status.
- Select Check another device to review a different one.
- Coverage while roaming is based on T-Mobile’s roaming partners’ networks and can’t be guaranteed.
- Your device must register on T-Mobile’s U.S. network and make a call before it can be used internationally.
- You may need to turn Data Roaming on or off. To enable it, dial #RON# or #766# and press Send. To disable it, dial #ROF# or #763#. T-Mobile’s device tutorials cover the Connections & Network settings.
- Check your plan, since the roaming experience varies by plan. Manage your plan or log in to your T-Mobile account.
- Before departure, note that you can reach voicemail from a landline or other phone with your voicemail password. Landline long-distance fees may apply.
- Before departure, note the roaming-block options. Only the Primary Account Holder can block international roaming on T-Mobile.com or the T-Life App, and blocking it all stops calls, texts and data abroad.
Where does T-Mobile roaming run out on a trip?
It runs out at your plan’s high-speed allowance: up to 15GB on Experience Beyond and up to 5GB on Experience More. After that, T-Mobile says roaming data is unlimited up to 256kbps (T-Mobile, 2026). It also runs out at the pier, because T-Mobile states that cruise ships aren’t covered by international data passes.
Allowance gone, you’re on 256kbps. That’s the throttle.
On cruises, T-Mobile’s published guidance says ship roaming is available on selected cruise lines and ferries. Your phone may pick up the ship’s network while docked in a U.S. port and be charged cruise ship roaming rates. T-Mobile recommends turning roaming off while docked in a U.S. port, then back on once the ship is at sea.
Long stays hit a wall too. T-Mobile’s service notice says its international travel benefits are meant for short-term travel. Using more than 50% of voice or data off-network for more than two bill cycles (approximately 60 days) violates its Terms and Conditions, and international data is blocked after three months if usage continues. If you’re abroad for an extended period, T-Mobile tells you to call 1-800-937-8997 from the US.
How do you compare roaming and an eSIM on price before you fly?
T-Mobile’s International Pass costs $10 for 1 day with 2GB, $50 for 10 days with 15GB and $75 for 30 days with 30GB (T-Mobile, International Pass page). Our plans are one-time purchases with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance: USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7, USD 27.99 for 14 and USD 49.99 for 30, which is USD 1.67 a day on the 30-day plan.
For 30 days of daily use, T-Mobile’s 30 Day Pass is $75 for 30GB, about 1GB a day. According to their own sites, Verizon’s TravelPass and AT&T’s International Day Pass are $12 a day, so $360 over 30 days. Our 30-day plan is $49.99.
What kind of trip needs an eSIM instead of roaming?
Four trips: nomads on long stays, travelers crossing several countries, cruise passengers, and families who want one thing less to manage. Our one eSIM works across 165+ countries and 20+ cruise lines. It’s installed once and stays on the phone, with unlimited data and a daily high-speed allowance stated in our terms.
Nomads hit T-Mobile’s roughly 60-day limit; our 30-day plan is built for long trips. Multi-country trips stay on one plan and one eSIM, because one plan covers them. In a Trustpilot review on March 28, 2026, Glenn gave five stars and wrote: “4th time using Maya, 3 x Indonesia & 1 x Vietnam. Coverage has been excellent on all 4 occasions. Eaxy set up which works first time, every time. Highly recomment Maya eSims.”
Cruises are covered by the Global + Cruise plan, a separate purchase from the Global plan. Cruise connectivity runs on satellite and maritime networks and depends on vessel and route. Service in a specific country isn’t guaranteed and can vary for reasons outside our control. For families, the eSIM adds a line for data and your own SIM stays put.
Can you keep your T-Mobile number while using a travel eSIM?
Yes. The eSIM carries data as a second line while the T-Mobile line stays on the phone, and Apple’s dual-SIM steps show how to choose which line carries data. Our plans are data only, so your own SIM handles calls and texts.
Apple Support’s steps for choosing the cellular data line on a dual-SIM iPhone:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap either Cellular or Mobile Data.
- Tap Cellular Data.
- Tap the number you want to use cellular data.
With Allow Cellular Data Switching on, your voice-only number switches to voice and data during a call, so you get both. With it off, cellular data won’t work while you’re on a call from a number that isn’t your designated data number.
Keep Data Roaming off on your T-Mobile line. Roaming data charges won’t apply as long as our eSIM is installed and configured correctly and Data Roaming is off on your regular phone plan. Some carriers may charge international SMS fees even over Wi-Fi calling, though that’s not common.
Which travel eSIM should you buy instead of T-Mobile roaming?
The rivals below sell plans per country or region, most beside global ones, and we sell one global eSIM at a flat price by trip length. The table gives each provider’s own published statement on how it’s sold and what unlimited means.
| Travel eSIM | How plans are sold | Unlimited plan allowance, as published | Calls, texts and phone number, as published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya Mobile | One Global eSIM for 165+ countries, unlimited data at a flat price by trip length: USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7 days, USD 27.99 for 14 days, USD 49.99 for 30 days | A daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota) at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it, reset every 24 hours; unlimited data at standard speed once the Daily Quota is used | Data only, with no local number; your own SIM stays in the phone for your calls and texts |
| Airalo | Per country, per region, or one global plan; priced in USD | Our unlimited data packages don’t have a fixed total data cap. However, to keep the network running fairly for everyone, when you use more than 3GB in a day, we’ll slow down (or “throttle”) your internet speed to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. | We offer flexible data packages — some have calls and texts. |
| Holafly | Per country, per region (Europe, Latin America, Cruise plans), and unlimited monthly/annual global plans | Unlimited data means there is no fixed limit on the amount of data you can use. However, some network operators may temporarily reduce your speed after a certain amount of high-speed data usage, as explained above. | Unlimited Plans purchased on November 4, 2025, or later include a phone number for US, UK, or Canada. Please note that this service supports inbound SMS only and VOIP-based calling (traditional incoming cellular calls are not supported) |
| Saily | Per country and per region, plus one global plan; by the gigabyte, unlimited, or both | The Unlimited plan gives you 5 GB per day at full 4G/5G speed, then keeps you online at 1 Mbps for the rest of the day — fast enough for navigation, messaging, and standard browsing. | Yes, you can keep your own number while using a Saily eSIM plan. If you want to make calls and send SMS messages abroad without worrying about extra carrier fees, you can add a US phone number to your Saily eSIM plan. |
| GigSky | Per country, per region, and cruise plans; by day, unlimited data with 3.5GB daily high-speed allowance | Get up to 3.5GB/day at our fastest speeds: Video calls, uploads, streaming and more. | The SIM only allows for ‘data usage’ as defined by the Global System for Mobile Association (GSMA) . All other services, including voice calls, SMS, and MMS cannot be made with the SIM. |
Each rival’s cells are its own published words, or a short summary of what it states, from its own site; the Maya Mobile cells are from maya.net.
How Maya Mobile gives you one eSIM and one flat price for every trip abroad
Roaming ran out of road on your trip; our eSIM doesn’t have that problem. We sell one global travel eSIM with unlimited data across 165+ countries. You install it once and it stays on your phone permanently. Each trip you only buy a plan: the Global plan is USD 9.99 for 3 days, up to USD 49.99 for 30.
No SIM swaps. No plan shopping per country. Kurt gave us five stars on Trustpilot on October 6, 2026: “I’ve used them once before for a trip to The Netherlands and now to Poland. Both times I needed some sort of assistance and both times had the issues resolved within 30 minutes. And the service was everything I needed to navigate out of the USA.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you check that your phone supports an eSIM?
Using Maya requires an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device, and the full list is at maya.net/esim-compatible-devices.
What does a daily high-speed allowance mean on an unlimited eSIM?
All our plans include a daily high-speed data allowance, the Daily Quota, at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it. It resets automatically every 24 hours. Once it’s used, data continues at standard speed for the rest of the day. No speed is guaranteed.
Does the Maya eSIM renew on its own?
No. Every plan is a one-time purchase and ends when its days end, unless Auto Top-Up is on. Auto Top-Up is opt-in and off by default, and you can turn it off at any time from My eSIM in the app or at maya.net, with immediate effect.
What if you need more data than your plan gives you?
Every Maya plan is unlimited data with a daily high-speed allowance, and data continues at standard speed once the day’s allowance is used. For more days, buy another plan from the Maya app; the eSIM stays on your phone, so there’s nothing to reinstall.
Does a Maya eSIM work on a cruise ship?
Yes, with the Global + Cruise plan, bought separately from the Global plan. It covers 20+ cruise lines and 165+ countries with unlimited data at sea. Cruise connectivity runs on satellite and maritime networks and depends on vessel and route.
Does the eSIM stay on your phone after the trip ends?
Yes. You install one Maya eSIM and it stays on the device, with no need to delete or reinstall it between trips. When a plan expires the eSIM stays on your phone in an inactive state. For the next trip, buy a plan and enable the Maya eSIM in your device settings.
Maya is a travel eSIM that gives you unlimited data in 165+ countries and 20+ cruise lines through a single eSIM that stays on your phone.
