Why Is My Phone Always On Roaming: How To Fix

When I went out of town a few weeks back, I put my phone on roaming.

Usually, the phone does this automatically, but I forced it on this time to avoid additional charges.

But after I got home and turned it off, it came back on automatically after some time.

The internet was slower than usual, a usual sign of being in roaming mode.

I wanted to find out why this happened and if there were any fixes for it.

I went to user forums and looked up support pages to figure out how to get my phone out of roaming.

The guide I have for you today is a result of that research so that you can get your phone out of roaming too.

If your phone says “roaming” all the time even if you are not traveling, it is because your phone has not been updated. It can also be caused by a misconfiguration on the carrier side, which you can fix by contacting them.

What is Roaming/Data Roaming?

Roaming in a phone network means that you are connected to a network outside your home network.

A home network is where you registered your phone number, and any networks outside it are called visitor networks.

When you leave your home network and connect to one of the visitor networks, roaming charges apply.

Most phone providers today do not charge for domestic roaming, i.e., inside the United States.

But they do charge roaming fees for international trips, depending on the international plan you select.

This also applies to cruise liners; you will need to pay extra for an international roaming plan to use your phone outside the US.

Reasons for Your Phone Always Being on Roaming

Almost all phones identify what network they are on using network IDs.

When one company buys out another, they keep the IDs unchanged to prevent mixups.

Phone updates usually update their list of IDs, but this can be an issue for older phones on Android that no longer get updates.

These phones still think they are on another service provider’s network, but you are actually on your home network.

So turning off roaming in these devices does nothing because they revert to roaming after a while.

How Does it Affect Your Phone and Data/Call Plan?

Most carriers today don’t charge extra for domestic roaming.

You can use your phone across the country without needing to think about extra charges on your phone bill.

Carriers do, however, charge for international roaming.

For example, Verizon offers a $100 monthly plan with a data limit, a TravelPass that lets you use your domestic phone plan internationally, or a Pay As You Use plan.

Unless you are outside the country, roaming mode won’t cost anything extra to use.

When Should Roaming be Activated?

Roaming mode activates automatically as soon as your phone detects its out of its home network, and ideally, it should turn on automatically without you needing to tell it explicitly.

Make sure you are on roaming mode outside your home network.

That means turn it on if the phone doesn’t turn it on when you go outside the state where you registered the phone.

How to Fix a Phone Always on Roaming?

To fix a phone that’s always roaming, first, try turning mobile data on and off.

Then, if it remains on roaming, restart your phone.

Turn it off and wait a few minutes to turn it back on again.

If the roaming mode still hasn’t turned off, update your phone.

You can update your phone by going to its Settings app and looking at either the About section or the dedicated Software Update section.

If its still not fixed, remove the SIM card if your phone allows it.

You cannot remove the SIM card from some phones, so if your phone is one of them, you don’t need to try it.

Turn Off Roaming on the Phone

Roaming might have stayed on if you did not follow the right way to turn roaming off.

To turn roaming off on Android:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to the tab labeled “Connections” or “Wireless & Networks”
3. Choose Mobile Networks.
4. Turn of Data Roaming.

To turn off roaming on iOS:

1. Open Settings
2. Go to Cellular or Cellular Data or Mobile Data.
3. Turn off Cellular Data, then go to Cellular Data Options.
4. Turn off Data Roaming.

Check Your ROM Type

If you are running a custom ROM on your phone, check if it is updated to the latest version.

Update the network and radio components of your ROM to their latest versions as well.

Each ROM has their update procedure, so go online to find out how to update yours.

Set Your Network Operator Manually

You can use your phone to search for your home network again to reconnect to it.

To search and set your network operator manually on Android:

1. Open the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to the tab labeled “Connections” or “Wireless & Networks”
3. Choose Mobile Networks.
4. Tap Network Operators.
5. Select Sea

Contact Your Service Provider

If roaming is still on, contact your service provider.

Its best you inform them of the issue as soon as possible to avoid any extra roaming charges on your phone bill.

Look up how to contact your carrier by going to their official website.

Is Your Phone Off Of Roaming Mode For Good?

After successfully turning the roaming off on your phone, log onto your carrier’s website with your account.

Check if there were any extra charges and if there are, contact your carrier and let them know what happened.

You can upgrade to a Wi-Fi system at home if you don’t have one, so you don’t have to worry about going on roaming again.

Go for a mesh Wi-Fi system compatible with Wi-Fi 6 to get the best results; you get a better range compared to other types of routers and is compatible with home automation systems as well.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my phone is roaming?

A roaming icon appears at the top of the screen on the notification bar. If you see this, you are currently in roaming mode.

Why is my phone searching service?

Your phone is searching for service because it has lost connection with the mobile network. Restart your phone and check if you are in the coverage area of your network.

Does data roaming increase Internet speed?

Roaming usually does not make a difference, but if the network you are connecting to is faster, it can give faster speeds.

Do I get charged roaming when using Wi-Fi?

If roaming is turned on and using the internet over Wi-Fi, you will not be charged for roaming. If you take calls, however, you will be charged.