- Written by Dominic Stone - Account Director Mobile
- Connect with Dominic on LinkedIn
Regular business travel requirements mean businesses are now relying on mobile devices being used abroad more a frequently. Yet, many find themselves blindsided by huge roaming bills known as roaming bill shock. There are many things that can be implemented to prevent bill shock from happening in the first place. Here we explore the common causes of bill shock and why it often happens.
Why do businesses get hit by roaming bill shock?
Unclear or Hidden Charges
Roaming fees may be buried in the fine print, or the fair usage policies unexpected per-megabyte data charges, especially outside of common roaming zones, can be astronomical. Business plans may appear competitive but complex terms around roaming regions often trip users up.
Lack of spend caps & monitoring
Many business mobile plans lack enforced spending limits unless specifically requested and a lot of businesses are not aware this can be implemented. Without real-time alerts or controls, incidental mobile background data such as messaging apps syncing or automatic cloud backups can rack up large costs before anyone notices.
Complex and inconsistent pricing
Roaming tariffs vary dramatically by region and provider. Inconsistencies make it hard for employees and finance teams to anticipate costs. All-inclusive tariffs however safeguard businesses as they provide a fixed monthly cost with fully inclusive roaming.
Employee behaviour & default settings
Many businesses don’t think to educate their employees about the implications of roaming and what can be put in place to prevent large mobile bills when they travel. Without this, employees may leave data roaming on, automatic updates active, or apps running in the background generating significant usage without realising it. Set a roaming policy up and make sure your travelling employees are aware of the expectations and caps whilst abroad.
How to avoid roaming bill shock
Audit current usage & assess your current mobile plan
Segment your travelling employees into heavy-data travellers, occasional roamers, and messaging-only users. You can then use these segments to switch each group to the most suited roaming tariff. Your heavy-data travellers would likely benefit from an all-inclusive roaming tariff, whilst your occasional roamers from local eSIMs. This audit process will help you to streamline costs and limit surprise bills in future.
Enforce spend caps & alerts
Activate strict spending thresholds with proactive alerts to both employees and billing teams when limits are nearing, this enables you to take control of roaming usage. Shared data pools are included within some tariffs and also help contain usage within defined budgets.
Leverage eSIMs and Local/Global SIM Options
Switching to local prepaid SIMs can be cheaper, but eSIMs or local eSIM solutions offer flexibility and typically lower rates without swapping cards. They are not always the best solution for frequent travellers.
Train employees on best practices
Here are the roaming basics every employee that travels on business should be aware of:
- Disable automatic updates, background data, and location services before departure.
- Use Wi-Fi for calls, downloads, and meetings whenever possible.
- Enable Airplane Mode when data isn’t required.
Read our recent blog about international roaming tips for business mobile users.
Rely on real-time roaming management tools
Ensure your IT team have implemented systems that track usage by device and geography, trigger alerts, and enable real-time control to prevent runaway costs. Usage tracking also helps to ensure you are on the right roaming tariffs.
Review regulatory protections (where applicable)
In some regions, roaming charges are regulated, with spend caps or rules in place. Understanding these protections before travel can prevent unnecessary costs and employees should always assume these are not in place.
| Common Roaming challenges | What you can do to safeguard |
|---|---|
| Hidden/high roaming tariffs | Audit usage, select appropriate tariffs such as the Opus VIP all-inclusive tariff |
| No spend limits | Enable spend caps, alerts, shared pools |
| Background data & auto-updates | Train employees to disable, use Wi-Fi, and leverage low-cost apps |
| Poor visibility of charges | Use real-time monitoring tools |
| Lack of regulation | Understand local protections and roaming rules |
Managing roaming bill shock isn’t just about saving money; it’s about ensuring operational continuity, and giving finance teams predictability. By combining employee education, policy enforcement, smart technology, and suitable pricing plans, IT directors can ensure that mobile connectivity supports and never surprises the business.
Proactive mobile management today can prevent costly and unnecessary bill shock in the future. Get in touch to speak to one of our mobile consultants today to discuss your roaming requirements or find out more about our market leading, VIP international roaming tariff.
