How to Avoid Roaming Charges When Using a Travel eSIM

Set the travel line without disturbing the home line

Mark an item when you have personally checked it. Ticks do not change your phone, account or eSIM settings.

Step 1Before travel, check the home carrier's rates and decide whether the Australian line stays enabled for calls or SMS. Step 2Save the setup email but do not add the eSIM before departure. Step 3After landing, use airport Wi-Fi only after you can sign in and open a normal webpage. If that does not work, use hotel Wi-Fi or another steady trusted connection. Then install the travel eSIM and make it the mobile-data line. Step 4Keep Data Roaming off on the Australian line and disable automatic data switching. Only change the travel eSIM's roaming control if its setup email says to; on Galaxy, stop and ask support if the menu does not clearly identify the line.

0 of 4 marked done

Make the phone do one thing at a time

Before travel, check the home carrier’s rates and decide whether the Australian line stays enabled for calls or SMS. A travel eSIM and your Australian SIM can have different jobs, so check the data line, roaming setting and automatic switching separately instead of assuming one change controls all three.

Set the travel line for data on your phone

Choose your phone

iPhone

Open Settings > Mobile Service, Cellular or Mobile Data. Choose Mobile Data, select the travel eSIM, then open that travel line’s options only if the order email says it needs Data Roaming. Keep the Australian line’s Data Roaming off unless you deliberately use home-carrier roaming.

Samsung Galaxy

Open Settings > Connections > SIM card manager. Under Primary SIM or Preferred SIM card, select the travel eSIM for mobile data and switch Auto data switching off unless support says otherwise. The roaming control can vary by Galaxy model, so use it only when the order email identifies the travel line.

Google Pixel

Open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs. Under Your primary SIMs, choose the travel eSIM for Mobile data and keep Automatic data switching off unless support has advised otherwise. Follow the order email for the travel line’s roaming setting.

Other Android

Search Settings for SIM, mobile network or mobile data. Select the travel eSIM for data, keep automatic data switching off if the phone offers it, and use only the roaming or APN instructions supplied for your own order.

The result worth checking before another change

If the step above does not work as expected, stop here. Keep a cropped screenshot of the setting or error, then contact us before changing other settings. Do not include QR or activation details unless we ask.

Keep these cost and line-selection boundaries in place

Do not assume that keeping the Australian line on is free.
A travel eSIM does not control charges on your home carrier’s calls, SMS or voicemail. Check that line separately.

When the phone menus do not match this guide

For help with your phone, plan or order, email hello@thesimshop.com.au. If the phone will not keep the travel line selected, send support the order number, phone model and a redacted screenshot of the line-selection screen. Do not reset mobile settings before we can see the current arrangement.

Sources and checks

Information checked: 19 July 2026.

These links support the phone menus and safe setup checks used in this guide. Phone labels can vary by model and software version, so follow the screen on your own device and the instructions in your order email.

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How to Avoid Roaming Charges When Using a Travel eSIM

The short answer

Make the phone do one thing at a time