Destinations
Roaming in the Dominican Republic: the classic Caribbean bill
Land, switch the phone on and leave it connected all week. How you are billed, what to switch off and why resort wi-fi is not enough.
Tomás Berruezo 5 min Photo by Carlos Cruz on Unsplash The Caribbean accounts for a curious share of European roaming bills, and not because people use their phones a lot there: because they switch them on when they land and leave them connected all week without thinking about it.
An international zone
The Dominican Republic is outside the European Union, so your plan treats it as an international zone, with a daily pass, a bundle or pay-as-you-go depending on which plan it is.
Why hotel wi-fi is deceptive
With wi-fi in the room and by the pool, you assume you are not using data. And meanwhile the phone hops onto the mobile network whenever the wi-fi weakens, which in a large resort happens constantly.
That is where the usage slips in: not through heavy use, but through a trickle of whole days connected.
What to do
- Turn off data roaming on your line before boarding.
- Leave the line switched on for calls and texts.
- Connect to the hotel wi-fi for everything indoors.
- Bring your own data for excursions and transfers, which is where the wi-fi does not reach.
How many gigabytes a trip like this really needs is in how to choose a plan for the Dominican Republic.
Hurricane season
Between June and November it is worth having your own data: weather warnings and flight changes arrive by app and by text, and a power cut leaves the hotel without wi-fi but does not bring down the mobile network.
Frequently asked questions
Is roaming free in the Dominican Republic?
No, it is an international zone on European plans. It depends on what yours includes.
Why am I using data if I am on hotel wi-fi?
Because the phone hops onto the mobile network when the wi-fi weakens, and in a large resort that happens constantly. With data roaming off it cannot.
Do I need data if I am going to a resort?
Not for the hotel, but yes for excursions, transfers and taxis, which is where the wi-fi does not reach.
And in hurricane season?
All the more so: warnings arrive by app and by text, and a power cut leaves the hotel without wi-fi.
How do I avoid the bill?
By turning off data roaming on your line and leaving it switched on for calls and messages only.
