International Travel & Roaming

How to enable International Roaming on your account

Contact Customer Support at (888) 345-5509 to enable international roaming and use your Consumer Cellular service when you're traveling internationally. We recommend doing so at least two weeks before leaving the U.S.

International roaming availability depends on your network provider and enabling it on your account requires at least 30 days of active service and having paid your first bill. If your account is past due, international roaming won't be available until the balance is paid.

Use our international rates tool to look up international roaming rates and verify our service can be used in the countries you are traveling. International roaming charges vary by country and are charged per GB. International roaming is not available in every country and rates are subject to change.

Consumer Cellular utilizes multiple network providers while you travel abroad. The network provider your specific cellular service uses determines international roaming availability, reliability, and coverage.

Be aware that when using your phone internationally, charges can add up, so it is always best to use on a more limited basis. For your protection, your data will be disabled once we have received billing records showing your specified threshold in international roaming charges has been reached on your account during a billing period (this includes calls, text messages, and web data). Due to delays in receiving billing records, your charges will likely have exceeded your specified threshold when international data is disabled.

Prefer a prepaid data option for international travel?

Consumer Cellular has partnered with Airalo, a leading eSIM provider, to give you flexible, affordable connectivity in 200+ countries.

Eligibility checklist:

• Your smartphone is eSIM capable — See full device list.
• Your phone is carrier unlocked. On iPhone: Settings → General → About → Carrier Lock — if it says "No SIM restrictions," you're unlocked.
• On Android: Settings → Connections → SIM card manager — a "Network locked" message means locked; no notice means unlocked.
• There's no outstanding EasyPay balance on your account.

Can I send text messages while traveling outside the U.S.?

You can use your Consumer Cellular service to send text messages when traveling outside the U.S. by enabling international roaming. Contact Customer Support at (888) 345-5509 to enable international roaming.

On some networks with Consumer Cellular, texts made from countries will be billed at international roaming rates of $0.10 per text message. On other networks with Consumer Cellular, those costs can be much higher, or international roaming may not be available. Be aware that when using your phone internationally, charges can add up, so it is always best to use on a more limited basis.

Multimedia messaging (picture messaging) may not be available when travelling outside the U.S.

Can I use my phone while I'm on a cruise?

You can use your Consumer Cellular service when traveling outside the U.S. by enabling international roaming. However, cruise ships utilize network technology that differs from land-based technology, so we cannot guarantee that our service will be available.

Contact Customer Support at (888) 345-5509 to enable international roaming.

If service is available, rates are unregulated and set by the country in which you are traveling or by the cruise line. If your phone rings, you are billed — even if you don't answer it, so our advice is to check with your cruise line before traveling to learn what their rates are, and determine if you wish to use your phone during the cruise.

Save money on your bill when traveling internationally

International roaming charges can add up quickly. Follow our tips to save money on your bill:

• How to check data usage on your Apple iPhone
• How to check data usage on your Android
• Tips to reduce your Apple iPhone data usage
• Tips to reduce your Android data usage
• Tips to reduce your Apple Watch data usage

Assistance while Traveling Internationally

For assistance while traveling internationally, contact our Customer Support either by dialing 611 from your cellular phone (a free call) or by dialing 00-1-503-675-0998. If calling this number from a mobile phone, you may need to press the "+" sign on the keypad before or instead of "00."

Looking to Make International Calls?

Did you know you can connect with friends and family abroad and use your Consumer Cellular service to make international calls from the U.S.? These calls use minutes from your voice plan, and there is a per-minute charge based on the country you're calling.