Roaming in Albania: Everything You Need to Know Before You Travel
If you’re planning a trip to Tirana, Durrës, Lushnjë or anywhere else in the country, you might be wondering if it is a good idea to use data roaming in Albania.
While it can be a very convenient way to enjoy internet access when travelling around the country, you may end up with a nasty surprise when you eventually get the bill for doing so from your home network provider.
That is because the potential costs can be extremely high, depending on how much data you use and where you are travelling from.
For this reason, it is good to understand the pros and cons of data roaming Albania, what charges you could incur for using it, and what other options for online access might be available to you.
In this post, we’ll take a look at these aspects in more detail to help you decide on whether data roaming is the right way for you to enjoy connectivity on your travels.
What is Data Roaming?
For those who aren’t sure exactly what it means, data roaming is the act of using cellular data services to access the internet or make calls on your mobile phone when you are outside of the coverage area of your home network provider.
Doing this can be a convenient way to stay online, but it can also result in you receiving additional charges from your provider. The reason for this is that they may not have ready access to hubs or base stations outside of their domestic coverage range to be able to easily connect your device to data services and the internet.
Instead, to counter this issue, most companies partner with other international suppliers to offer their customers uninterrupted coverage through a data roaming solution.
Essentially, this involves ‘sharing’ a signal which allows them to enjoy temporary access to the internet to browse websites, email, talk and text. They can do this until such time as they are in the range of their home network, at which point users will automatically start using their home country’s infrastructure.
However, as you will be connecting to a foreign network every time you access data roaming services on your mobile phone, your usual mobile phone network provider will charge you for the privilege of accessing ‘foreign’ data.
Most typically, this will be at a premium rate, with the costs varying between accessing the internet, sending text messages or making a phone call.
The Pros and Cons of Data Roaming
Generally, data roaming is a reliable option for accessing the internet when you are travelling outside of your home country’s cellular data services network.
Indeed, many people use it because of the convenience it offers and the fact they trust their current network provider.
Overall, it can be a good option if you don't have access to a free Wi-Fi connection, particularly if you find yourself in an emergency situation. Additionally, it can be useful if you quickly want to access the internet to check your email, see how your football team got on or book yourself an Uber.
That said, it might not be the best solution if you want internet connectivity for prolonged periods of the day because it can result in you being hit with significant charges.
Another issue you might experience is that if you have a plan which places caps on your data usage, you might receive extra charges for going over your limits. This could be particularly expensive if you have apps that are constantly running in the background or automatic updates enabled on your phone.
While the overwhelming majority of them will be perfectly safe, there is always a possibility that the security of some unknown networks can make your device susceptible to phishing attacks and malware.
What are the Data Roaming Charges in Albania?
The cost of data roaming Albania will vary depending on who your provider is and what country they are based in. It will also be determined by how much data you use and for what purposes.
Typically, you will be charged for accessing the internet, sending SMS messages and making phone calls.
But within these activities, you can also expect higher tariffs for streaming a movie, as opposed to quickly checking a website, sending an SMS with a video clip attached rather than a straight text message, and phoning someone outside of Albania instead of within the country.
If you want to use data roaming in Albania, your best bet to get the most up-to-date prices is to work out how much it might cost you to either visit your network provider’s website or phone them directly.
How to Reduce Data Roaming Charges
Thankfully, if you want to use data roaming as your sole method of internet connectivity in Albania, there are a few things you can do to stop the fees from quickly adding up.
Firstly, you should ask your existing provider what options they have available for data roaming. As the telecommunications infrastructure constantly evolves and improves around the world, and more strategic alliances are being agreed between network providers, many companies are now able to offer international roaming coverage for a fixed daily, weekly or monthly fee.
The great thing about these plans is that you will know exactly how much you will pay for internet connectivity during your time away in Albania (or anywhere else around the world). Therefore, you should be able to better budget for it.
Whilst abroad, you might also make a point of turning off auto-updates to avoid being charged for usage that is not essential to your travel experience. It is best to update all your apps on the day you leave for Albania, and save any subsequent activity for when you have free and secure Wi-Fi.
You would be well advised to disable push notifications for all applications other than the most important ones for your trip, i.e. real-time weather warnings or traffic information, and avoid streaming videos, movies or music.
It is also good practice to turn off data roaming when you do not want to access apps, maps, messages or email to avoid unnecessary charges. At the same time, make a point of regularly monitoring your usage to avoid exceeding any daily limits that might be imposed on you by your network provider.
Lastly, you should consider downloading maps before your trip to Albania. That way, you will have access to a map at all times during your trip without having to rely on costly data roaming.
Alternatives To Data Roaming
If you would rather not use data roaming services, there are some other options available to you that will provide you with internet connectivity at much cheaper or no cost.
Throughout the country there are several Wi-Fi hotspots you can access for free, including in hotels, cafes, public squares and airports. You just have to make sure they are on secure networks. Additionally, most cities and several larger towns have an internet cafe you can pay to use.
Many savvy travellers also choose to purchase a local SIM card from one of the two main network providers in Albania, namely Vodafone and One Telecom. They are widely available throughout the country and can be a very inexpensive way to access the internet, with some plans starting from as little as 500 Leke (4.10 euros) for 1 GB of data for a 7-day period.
To sign up with a local network, you will need a passport before you can get the physical SIM card to insert into your phone. However, if you would prefer not to part with these details, you can activate the eSim that is pre-programmed on your phone from any of these companies.
Once you have signed up to one of these providers you will be able to access the internet within seconds, with the added benefit of not having to insert a physical SIM card into your phone.
It is important to note that depending on the provider, eSims are not necessarily an alternative to data roaming, as you may still be using it. However, it can be a very simple and cheap option to enable you to do so.
FAQs
Here are some answers to questions tourists frequently have about data roaming in Albania prior to their visit there.
Can you use data roaming in Albania?
Yes, you can use data roaming in Albania. However, unless your SIM card is from a provider in the Western Balkans, you will incur (potentially quite expensive) charges from the network that gives you connectivity in your home country.
What is data roaming?
Data roaming refers to the act of using the cellular data services of a mobile device outside of your home network’s domestic coverage area.
However, before you do so, you should be aware of what, if any, additional charges you will receive from your current mobile service provider. The amount can vary depending on how much data you use and what country you are using it in.
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Roaming in Albania | Internet Connectivity Guide for 2024
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Looking for advice about data roaming in Albania? Here is everything you wanted to know about staying connected to the internet during your travels there.
