After you travel: Understanding roaming charges

Roaming vs. Long -Distance: what’s the difference?

Roaming

Roaming charges apply when your phone connects to a mobile network outside Canada.

Roaming can be triggered by:

Making or receiving calls
Sending or receiving text messages
Using mobile data (including background activity)
Checking voicemail

Roaming charges depend on:

Your destination
Your Roaming options (for example, Roam Like Home Daily or Roam Like Home Travel Passes)
When and how your phone is used

Long-distance

Long-distance charges depend on who you’re calling, not where you are.

Long-distance charges may apply when:

You call a country that isn’t included in your plan
You call a third country while traveling (for example, calling Europe while you’re in Asia)

Important: Roaming and long-distance charges can apply at the same time.

How are Roaming charges are applied?

Roam Like Home Daily

This Roaming option charges a daily fee:

The fee is triggered when your phone is used while roaming
Even brief usage can trigger the charge (Accessing voicemail, background data usage)
The daily fee is based on the calendar day according to Eastern Time (ET). For example, if the customer starts using talk, text or data on January 1 at 5:00 p.m. ET, they’ll be charged for 1 day of service from 5:00 p.m.to 11:59:59 p.m. ET on January 1, and then again for usage on January 2 starting at midnight ET until 11:59:59 PM ET

What if I visit multiple destinations in one day?

If you:

Cross borders, or
Use your phone in more than one country on the same day

You may see charges related to each destination.

This often explains why multiple countries appear on the same bill.

Common unexpected roaming charges

Roaming charges aren’t always caused by active phone use.

Unexpected charge situations include:

Background data usage
Automatic app updates
Cloud backups
Location services
Push notifications
Accessing voicemail

This is why preparing your devices before travel is so important.

When does Wi-Fi help avoid roaming?

When would charges apply even if you are using WiFi?

Charges may still occur if you:

Send SMS or MMS messages
Make calls or texts to non-Canadian numbers using Wi-Fi Calling
Access voicemail
Allow your phone to switch back to mobile data (Wi-Fi Assist/ Wi-Fi Assistance)

Key takeaway:

Simply being connected to Wi-Fi does not automatically prevent Roaming charges.

Voicemail usage

Voicemail is one of the most common sources of confusion.

Checking voicemail while abroad usually counts as:
- A call, and
- Roaming usage
Charges may apply even if you don’t listen to the full message

Important: With Roam Like Home Daily or a Roam Like Home Travel Pass, you can use your wireless plan just like you do in Canada. Checking your voicemail is completely covered!

Where are the travel expenses listed on your Business bill?

Travel-related charges typically appear:

As roaming charges
As long-distance charges
Grouped by destination or date

If multiple employees travel, reviewing charges by line or role can help identify patterns and improve future guidance.

To prepare roaming with your employees, use this easy-to-follow checklist:

Common “why was I charged?” scenarios

“I only used Wi-Fi.”
- The phone may have used mobile data briefly or accessed voicemail.
“I didn’t make any calls.”
- Incoming calls, voicemail, or background data may have triggered roaming.
“I was only traveling for a few hours.”
- Roam Like Home Daily is based on the calendar day according to Eastern Time (ET).
“I see more than one country on my bill.”
- Border crossings or multi-country travel can affect billing.