What Is Data Roaming? Telekom Just Dropped Its Non-EU Surcharges for 2026
5 min read
A single day of mobile data in New York: €9.95, that's what Telekom's price list used to charge, per the carrier comparison at reisechip.de (as of July 2026). Since 4 February 2026, plenty of Telekom customers pay nothing for that day. Which makes it a decent moment to ask what data roaming actually is.
What Telekom changed on 4 February 2026
Deutsche Telekom announced on 8 January 2026 that from 4 February 2026 every MagentaMobil tariff would carry an annual data allowance for use outside the EU, valid in more than 140 countries in its country groups 2 and 3, including the USA, Canada, Turkey and Mexico. How much depends on the tariff:
| Tariff | Non-EU allowance, per calendar year |
|---|---|
| MagentaMobil XS | 2 GB |
| MagentaMobil S | 4 GB |
| MagentaMobil M | 10 GB |
| MagentaMobil L | 25 GB |
| MagentaMobil XL | 50 GB |
As netzwelt.de reported on 13 January 2026, the allowance replaces the old surcharges rather than sitting on top of them. Existing customers don't get it automatically. They have to move to a new tariff themselves.
So where's the price rise? There is one, just somewhere else entirely. inside-digital.de reports that on the same date the monthly fee for an additional SIM card (PlusKarte) went from €9.95 to €14.95, roughly 50 percent more. That's a card fee, not international data.
EU or non-EU, that's what decides almost everything
Inside the EU, "Roam like at Home" has applied since 2017, so your normal allowance keeps running on holiday. Germany's telecoms regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, explains the rule and its exceptions. Ukraine and Moldova joined the zone on 1 January 2026, which Telekom confirms on its own roaming page. More on what else is changing with EU roaming in 2026.
Step outside that zone and none of it applies: roaming charges still apply there whenever no allowance covers you.
An automatic spending cap of around €59.50 gross per billing period acts as a backstop, in principle worldwide, per the Bundesnetzagentur, since 1 July 2012. I wouldn't lean on it, honestly. It only works where the visited network reports usage back in real time. If you'd rather run a separate data line despite Roam-like-at-Home, say for fast top-ups without fair-use limits, see our best eSIM for Europe comparison.
Vodafone and O2 customers still pay by the day
Neither Vodafone nor O2 has announced a comparable allowance as of August 2026, so for their customers it's still a day pass. The reisechip.de comparison lists these prices, current as of July 2026:
Telekom Travel & Surf: €9.95 to €24.95 per day, depending on zone
Vodafone GigaRoaming: €5.99 to €22.99 per day
O2 Travel: €5.99 to €19.99 per day
Stretch that over two weeks. At €12.99 a day (Vodafone Welt 1, as of July 2026) you're looking at roughly €182, purely for being online.
When a travel eSIM still wins in 2026
Not always, and I'd rather say so plainly. Someone on MagentaMobil L flying to the USA for a fortnight, with 25 GB of annual allowance, probably doesn't need to buy anything at all. Anyone who does want to top up can compare eSIM providers for the USA.
Four cases where it still makes sense:
You're with Vodafone, O2 or a budget provider and have no non-EU allowance.
Your yearly allowance is gone and there's another trip in October.
Your route runs through countries that appear in none of your tariff's country groups.
You'd rather not touch the work phone and only need data for ten days.
Switching takes minutes. You buy the eSIM before you fly, scan the QR code, turn off data roaming on the German SIM, and set the eSIM as your data line. Your German number stays reachable. For the full walkthrough, see our beginner's guide to using an eSIM abroad.
What I find interesting here is the signal more than the allowance. Once one carrier bundles international data, the others eventually follow. In 2026, though? I'd be careful betting on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is data roaming?
Your phone uses mobile data abroad through a foreign network, while the bill still runs through your home contract. Without it, you're limited to Wi-Fi or a local SIM card.
Is roaming inside the EU really free?
No surcharges have applied inside the EU since 2017, and your normal allowance keeps working. Ukraine and Moldova joined on 1 January 2026. Fair-use limits still apply to permanent use abroad.
What does data roaming cost outside the EU?
Without an allowance in your tariff, you pay a day pass. The three big German carriers listed between €5.99 and €24.95 per day in July 2026, depending on the destination zone.
How do I turn off data roaming?
On iPhone it sits under Settings, Cellular, Cellular Data Options. On Android it's usually under Network and Internet, Mobile Network. The setting is per SIM, so your travel eSIM needs roaming left on.
Is an eSIM worth it for a short trip?
For a weekend inside the EU, usually not, since your own tariff covers it. On long-haul trips with no allowance, an eSIM often pays for itself by day two or three.
