Data Roaming in Norway & Alternatives to Get Internet in 2024: Which Option to Choose?

Daisy Rodriguez

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Published: June 2024

If you are a tourist planning to visit Norway and want to know how data roaming services work here, GIGAGO will help you make intelligent decisions about using or turning off roaming services in Norway, helping to avoid trouble problems and save costs on your journey to explore this snow-white country.

I. Phone Roaming in Norway – Quick Facts for Tourists

Choosing the right phone service in Norway will allow travelers pay a affordable costs and ensure stable connection throughout their trip.
Practical information about phone roaming and data roaming in Norway that travelers should know includes:

• Data Roaming Fees: When you travel abroad in Norway, data usage on your phone can be expensive. Travelers should check with their international mobile service provider or consider an international roaming plan to avoid paying cost surprises.
• Data Roaming Plans: Some mobile service providers offer special plans for data roaming in Norway. Before that, you should check out these plans to save money and get suitable options for your usage needs.
• Buying a Local SIM Card: Buying a local SIM card when arriving in Norway is a smart choice. Many shops and SIM sales points at airports or urban centers offer service packages suitable for travelers.
• Checking Coverage: Before using the service, you will check your provider’s or SIM card’s coverage map to make sure you have enough signal in the locations before you visit.

II. Understand about Roaming in Norway – How It Works

Roaming data is the ability of a mobile phone to connect and use data when you are outside the main network range in your nation. Despite being convenient, using this service can be expensive, especially if roaming options or plans are not configured in advance.
To avoid cost surprises, service providers often offer plans or options that allow users to browse the web, send emails, and use apps without the cost problems of traveling across different mobile networks.
In Norway, you have 2 main options for roaming:

• “Roam Like at Home” Policy (RLAH): If you are from a country in the European Economic Area (EEA), you can enjoy the “Roam Like at Home” policy. This allows you to use the same mobile phone service in Norway as you would be in your home country. As a result, you do not need to pay extra roaming costs.

• Buy a Local SIM Card: If you are not in the EEA, you can choose local options. This allows you to buy a local SIM card when you arrive in Norway. As a result, you save money and have a local phone number, as well as providing flexible options for data and calling plans.

Mobile operators in Norway

● Telenor: Because of being one of the largest providers in Norway, Telenor often offers roaming packages for tourists.
● NetCom (Telia): NetCom is another mobile service provider in Norway, it often offers roaming packages to users.
● ICE (Ice.net): An emerging service provider in Norway- ICE also has roaming services for their mobile users.
● MyCall: Known as a virtual mobile provider in Norway, MyCall often offers international plans for travelers.
● Lebara: Lebara is an international mobile service provider that can provide options for mobile users in Norway.
Pro tip: Service and fee information is subject to change. You should contact directly the mobile service provider you are interested in in order to get the accuracy of information

III. Is the Roaming Rate in Norway Expensive?

Yes, roaming charges in Norway are often higher than local charges. Your home mobile service provider may charge you expensive roaming rates when you use the network in this country. If you consider the carrier and package you are using, prices may be different.
For example, some mobile service providers in Norway have the following roaming rates:
Telenor:
Data: 0.12 USD/MB.
Calls: 1 USD/minute.
Message: 0.25 USD/message.
NetCom (Telia):
Data: 0.12 USD/MB.
Calls: 1 USD/minute.
Message: 0.25 USD/message.
► Recommendation: To avoid paying cost surprises, you should check carefully with your service provider and consider using roaming plans or installing a local SIM while you are in Norway. This option often reduces roaming costs and brings pleasure to travelers’s pockets.

IV. How to Activate Roaming Service for Na Uy in Your Cell Phone?

To activate roaming service in Norway, you can follow 4 simple steps:
Step 1: Choose Your Preferred Network Carrier
First, You need to take consideration into keeping your mobile plan in your home country or switching to using your local mobile carrier.
If you want to keep your home mobile plan and your home carrier belongs to one of the brands such as Telenor, NetCom (Telia), ICE (Ice.net), MyCall, below are detailed information about available roaming charges:

If you choose a local mobile operator and activate their roaming service, the recommended local providers for roaming service are Operator 1, Operator 2, and Operator practice 3.
Each carrier may have different roaming fees, so it’s important to check and choose the option that suits your needs.
Step 2: Enable roaming functionality for your service provider
After that, each mobile network operator has a different way of activating roaming services. You should refer directly to the official website of your chosen carrier for more details.
For example: To activate roaming service on Telenor network, you can perform the following detailed steps:

• Opening a web browser and visit the official Telenor website. Next, you will download the Telenor mobile app from your phone’s app store.
• Signing in to your account or registering a new account if necessary.
• Finding and selecting the “Roaming” or “Roaming” option in the user interface.
• Following the on-screen instructions to activate the roaming service. You may be asked to enter some specific information such as destination country and activation time.
• Checking your pricing options and choosing the plan that fits your needs, if available.
• Confirming and waiting for confirmation from Telenor about activating the roaming service.

Step 3: Buying a mobile package with roaming
Why are roaming packages important?

• Regular roaming fees are often very expensive. Purchasing roaming packages will ensure that you don’t have to face expensive roaming costs and help you effectively control your spending throughout your trip.
• You should be sure to check the roaming plans which was offered by your chosen carrier to choose the one that suits your needs and avoid any inconvenience related to roaming costs.

Step 4: Enable roaming on your phone in Norway
On Android OS:

• Open the Settings app.
• Tap “Data roaming”.
• Turn on “International Roaming”.

On iOS (iPhone):

• Open the Settings app.
• Tap “Cellular”.
• Tap “Data roaming”.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to turn off roaming when not in use to avoid unnecessary costs when you return to Norway.

V. How to Avoid Roaming Charges When Traveling to Norway

As mentioned above, there are 4 main ways to avoid roaming fees when traveling to Norway for tourists: free WiFi, prepaid Thailand SIM card, prepaid ESIM for Thailand and pocket wifi.
Each option brings different benefits and amenities, suitable to individual needs and desires when traveling in Norway.

► Recommendation:
If you are a new device user and want to save money, choosing a Prepaid ESIM may be the right choice. However, if users travel frequently and want convenience, Pocket Wifi can be a good choice to ensure a stable connection anywhere. Being sure to check your phone’s compatibility with ESIM before purchasing.

VI. Norway ESIM – Alternative to Data Roaming in Norway to Get Internet

In addition to using traditional roaming services, visitors to Norway also have a more efficient and convenient choice with Norwegian ESIM. It is because ESIM not only helps travelers stay connected with family and friends but also brings many other benefits.
Why is ESIM the best choice when traveling to Norway?
● Norwegian ESIM helps travelers stay connected to the Internet anywhere in Norway without relying on public WiFi spots.
● Customers can choose prepaid data packages to save costs compared to using traditional roaming services.
Here is a table comparing Norwegian ESIM and Traditional Roaming:

► Recommendations:

• Using an ESIM with a prepaid plan to control costs and enjoy flexibility.
• Activating ESIM before traveling so you can use it immediately after arriving in Norway.
• Make sure the device supports ESIM and is unlocked to use different networks.
• By using Norwegian ESIM, tourists not only save money but also experience an effective and convenient means of connection during their journey to explore this country.

Why choose GIGAGO?
With GIGAGO, you not only get flexibility in your data usage but also get the chance to enjoy a reliable network and superior customer service. It is the reason why you can make all your travel plans safely and conveniently. Moreover, you can enjoy high-speed internet from 1GB to 50GB for about 3 to 30 days, with coverage not only in Norway but also in 31 other European countries.

For instance, Using the networks of leading carriers such as Telenor Norway and Orange, Gigago offers not only internet connectivity but also free calls and texts on 14 and 28-day plans. In addition, you can easily receive packages via email right after payment and even share your connection with the built-in wifi hotspot function

ESIM in GIGAGO
Here are some outstanding advantages of ESIM only available at GIGAGO

• Gigago offers more options which are suitable to their budget, needs, and travel time.
• For some countries, Gigago’s ESIM provides a phone number so you can analog calling and texting in addition to data usage for web browsing or calling/texting via apps.
• Gigago has excellent customer support, available 24/7 and supports multiple languages, including English, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and French. It is also fast, almost instant support.
• Gigago’s ESIM uses top providers in each country, ensuring strong, widespread, stable, and fast signals.
• In some countries, Gigago’s ESIM uses waves from many different carriers to ensure stable connections in all areas, from urban areas to rural areas.
• This advantage makes Gigago ESIM an attractive choice for visitors to Norway, providing not only convenience but also reliable connection quality.

VII. How to Turn Off Data Roaming When Traveling in Norway

To turn off data roaming when traveling in Norway, you can follow these steps
Android:

• Openịng the “Settings” app on your Android device.
• Looking for “Network & Internet” or “Connections.”
• Selecting “Mobile Network” or “Mobile Network.”
• Finding the option named “Data Roaming” and tap it.
• Turning on/off the switch next to “Data Roaming” to adjust the mode.

Iphone:

• Opening the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
• Scrolling down and tap “Cellular” or “Mobile Data” (depending on your iOS version).
• Selecting “Data Roaming.”
• Turning on/off the switch next to “Data Roaming” to adjust the mode.
• A dialog box may appear. Tap “Off” or “Disable” to confirm.

Pro tip: Remember that turning off data roaming helps you avoid unwanted charges when using mobile data in Norway.

VIII. FAQs

IX. Conclusion

Whenever you’re planning a trip to Norway, consider carefully the option of using a local SIM card or ESIM instead of roaming through an international carrier. This not only helps you avoid expensive roaming charges but also provides flexibility and convenience when you intend to use mobile services in Norway. For more details and support, let’s contact Gigago. We will be happy to help you have a pleasant travel experience and not be worried about unwanted charges.6