Roaming or local SIM card in Europe: what to choose for more profitable Internet?

The question of choosing between roaming and a local SIM card for using the Internet in Europe has become especially relevant for many travelers, especially after mobile communications and the Internet have become an integral part of everyday life. More and more people depend on smartphones for communication, navigation, information search, etc. In Europe, with its many countries and variety of mobile operators, every traveler strives to find the most profitable solution to avoid unpredictable and often excessive communication costs.

Roaming from Ukrainian operators

Roaming from Ukrainian operators such as Kyivstar, Vodafone and Lifecell provides Ukrainian users with the opportunity to use mobile communications and the Internet abroad, while keeping their number. Let's take a closer look at the offers of the most popular Ukrainian mobile providers:

1. Kyivstar offers roaming in almost 30 European countries. The most popular tariff allows subscribers to use their native number with affordable communication conditions. It includes up to 20 GB of Internet. The cost of calls and SMS in roaming is only 1 UAH per minute. In addition, you can order an additional monthly package at a better price.
2. Vodafone offers its subscribers a package that includes 10 GB of Internet, 70 minutes for calls and basic access to the network in 30 European countries. However, after using the basic package, users may face additional costs.
3. Lifecell stands out from the competition thanks to the “Gigabytes without Borders” tariff, which allows users to use the Internet in volumes close to those available in Ukraine, with a limit of up to 40 GB. Lifecell also offers some additional service packages.

In general, each of these operators offers convenient and favorable conditions for travelers in Europe, but for long trips or intensive use of the Internet, it is worth carefully choosing the operator that offers the best conditions.

Local SIM cards as an alternative to roaming

Local SIM cards are becoming an excellent alternative to roaming for those planning long trips around Europe. In European countries such as Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, various tariffs are available that include significant amounts of Internet at reasonable prices. Let's take a closer look at them:

1. Poland. In Poland, operators such as Orange and Play offer packages with 20-30 GB of Internet for 30-50 PLN. They are ideal for travelers who plan to use mobile Internet actively, for example, for work, social networks or navigation.
2. Germany. In Germany, there are tariff packages from O2 and Vodafone DE that guarantee up to 20 GB of Internet for 20-30 euros. These tariffs allow you to avoid unnecessary costs for expensive packages with limited data volumes, as with some Ukrainian operators in roaming.
3. Czech Republic. In the Czech Republic, local operators such as T-Mobile offer prepaid packages with 10-15 GB of Internet for 15-20 euros, which is an attractive option for tourists, especially those who intend to spend several weeks in the country. These tariffs provide convenient conditions for active use of the Internet and a long-term stay, without worrying about overpaying for additional gigabytes.

Thus, local SIM cards can be much more profitable, especially for those who spend a long time in Europe, since they offer a number of advantages that are difficult to overestimate.

Read also: New entry system to the EU: which Ukrainians will not have to pay for visiting the European Union?

Which option is better: roaming or a local SIM card?

Firstly, roaming conditions and local tariffs can vary greatly in different countries. In countries such as Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, where mobile operators offer competitive and advantageous rates, a local SIM card is often a better choice, providing large amounts of internet at lower prices. However, in countries with a limited choice of operators or high prices for mobile services, roaming can be a convenient solution for a short time, as it allows you to avoid the hassle of buying and setting up a new SIM card.

Secondly, the length of your stay also matters. For short trips, such as tourism or short business visits, roaming can be a more convenient solution, as it does not require additional steps, such as buying a local card or setting up a new number. In this case, you can simply activate roaming, and your Ukrainian number will remain working for the duration of your trip. However, if your stay in Europe is long, such as a business trip or study, a local SIM card will be much more advantageous, as it provides stable communication and access to the internet at lower rates for a long time.

Finally, the user's special needs also play a role. If you plan to use the Internet actively for work, video calls, streaming or other data, a local SIM card will usually offer better conditions with a large amount of data at an affordable price. In case your needs are limited to basic functions - searching for information, navigation or rare calls, roaming may be a sufficient option, especially if you want to keep your Ukrainian number.