How Much Are Roaming Charges for Verizon?

Major mobile carriers like Verizon and AT&T don't charge for domestic roaming calls and messages. There's a map of Verizon's coverage area on its website, which is practically the entire U.S. Verizon partners with other providers to provide uninterrupted coverage if you leave Verizon's coverage area. This domestic wireless roaming is free.

The roaming situation changes when you travel internationally. Roaming charges can mount up quickly. If you're a Verizon customer, understand the carrier's roaming policy to prevent surprise roaming charges when you travel outside the United States.

Domestic Roaming Charges

Domestic wireless roaming is free on all nationwide Verizon plans. That means your mobile device can connect to a non-Verizon network in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico at no additional cost.

Except for a few old plans, you won't incur fees for domestic roaming. Instead, these roaming minutes are treated like regular Verizon minutes. If your plan allows 60 minutes for the month, you're allotted that same hour when you roam domestically. The number of minutes doesn't change because you left Verizon's coverage area. You probably won't be aware you did.

While you can make international calls while domestic roaming, make sure you have the International Services Enabled feature for that line.

International Roaming Charges

If your Verizon plan doesn't include service outside the United States, you're charged on a per-minute, per-text, and per-megabyte (MB) basis when you travel abroad. Verizon charges you for each bit of activity, but you have some control over how much you pay.

When traveling abroad, you may receive text alerts from Verizon explaining how you'll be charged and that you've reached a usage threshold. Verizon may limit your service if you incur significant charges.

Without an international plan, roaming minutes are billed as separate minutes of use (that is, separate from the minutes included in your domestic plan) and can get pricey. Verizon's pay-as-you-go rates for international voice usage range from $0.99 to $2.99 per minute. Text messaging is priced at 50 cents for outgoing messages and 5 cents for incoming ones. Data usage incurs a fee of $2.05 per megabyte.

Verizon's International Plans

Verizon TravelPass allows you to take your domestic minutes, texts, and data allowance to more than 200 countries for $12 per day ($6 per day for Canada and Mexico). Plus, you're charged only for the days you use your device.

With Verizon, you can make calls and use text messaging services on select cruise lines. The Cruise Daily Pass provides unlimited texting and per-day limits of half a gigabyte of data and 50 minutes of incoming and outgoing calls per line, with a $1.99 /minute overage fee. You'll be texted an upgrade option if you need more data, which is an additional $25 per 0.5 GB.

If you're taking a trip outside the United States, use Verizon's International Trip Planner to avoid surprise roaming charges.