Roaming has become particularly well-known through mobile communications. German providers have no network abroad. Conversely, foreign mobile operators have no networks in Germany. However, in order to still be able to call home on a business trip in France or on vacation in Spain, there is roaming.
The English word “roam” can be translated as wandering around or wandering around. In principle, roaming allows you to roam anywhere and receive and send data, as long as a corresponding network is available.
EU abolishes expensive roaming
Roaming enables the transmission of data, such as voice data or text messages, via someone else’s network to your own mobile phone provider – or vice versa from a German mobile network abroad. For this purpose, the mobile phone providers conclude so-called roaming agreements, in which the costs are also determined.
Before 2017, calls from strangers to the domestic mobile network (or vice versa) incurred costs that were often criticized as too high. Above all, mobile data transmission was expensive for users when roaming. From 2007, the EU Commission set maximum prices for roaming for calls and data usage, which have been steadily reduced over the years. Voice and data roaming within the EU has been free since June 15, 2017. In other EU countries, EU citizens can switch on data roaming on their smartphones without having to worry about costs.
International and national roaming
When we talk about roaming, we usually mean international roaming. On the other hand, there is also national roaming. Basically, both mean the same thing, although national roaming does not take place between different countries.
Instead, a wireless service provider in one country agrees with another to let them on their network, allowing the provider to offer wireless service without a network. For example, the O2 predecessor Viag Interkom initially used the Deutsche Telekom network to also supply customers in rural areas where Viag Interkom had not yet set up cellphone masts. A more recent case is the 5G supply at provider 1&1 Drillisch. Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica Deutschland have their own networks, but the fourth holder of 5G licenses, 1&1 Drillisch, does not. In 2021, 1&1 Drillisch therefore signed an agreement with Telefónica Germany in order to be able to use roaming in its 5G network.