# Internet and navigation on the road: roaming, SIMs, offline maps

> What roam-like-at-home really covers, where roaming costs money again, and how wifi, routers, satellite and offline maps keep a camper connected.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-internet-on-the-road/

*By Camping Spirit Editorial Team, 2026-10-21*

Navigation, weather, booking a pitch, a video call home: on the road a lot depends on a data connection that is never guaranteed. Rules and coverage change from country to country, and campsite wifi tends to fail exactly when it is needed. This article sorts the options and flags what to check before departure. Tariffs change; the sources cannot replace the current terms of your own provider.

## Inside the EU: roam like at home

Since 15 June 2017, operators in the EEA generally may not charge roaming surcharges: calls, texts and data are billed at the domestic rate, according to the Belgian regulator BIPT. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein belong to this zone, and since 1 January 2026 Ukraine and Moldova are included as well, as Stiftung Warentest reports. There are limits, however. Providers may apply a fair use policy: they can ask for proof of normal residence or stable links, and may observe usage over four months. If roaming prevails, they must warn the customer; if usage does not change within two weeks, a surcharge may apply. For data it is capped at 2.50 euros per GB excluding VAT (BIPT). Whether your tariff also caps the roaming data volume is in the contract: check before you go.

## Outside the EU: where roaming costs money again

According to Stiftung Warentest (January 2026), Switzerland and Turkey are not covered by the EU roaming rules; in Switzerland only Telekom postpaid customers get EU conditions. The same article says the German providers it checked had not changed their conditions for the UK, but that can change: check before you go. Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Vatican City and the Channel Islands are also outside the rules, even if some providers treat them like EU countries. For the Western Balkans the article only says that Montenegro and Albania are planned for 2026 without a date; for Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo, check before you go. Roaming on ferries and aircraft is often handled separately: check before you go, which matters on ferry crossings. Near borders a phone may log onto a foreign network without being asked, so switch off mobile data or select the network manually there. Set a cost limit with your provider: the cost airbag (50 euros net by default, a warning at 80 per cent, then heavy throttling) applies worldwide according to Stiftung Warentest, but only works if usage is tracked in real time; otherwise you only get a warning SMS on arrival. Turn off wifi calling abroad, as such calls can count as expensive international calls in EU countries.

Three routes are common. First, the roaming or travel packs of your own provider. Second, a travel eSIM, which usually carries data only; the phone must support eSIM. Third, a local prepaid SIM, which is sometimes cheaper, so compare first; outside the EU, camperstyle.de recommends local prepaid because roaming prices are too high. Turkey is a special case: Stiftung Warentest reports that since July 2025 the authorities have apparently blocked international travel eSIMs, so check before you go. For the USA, teltarif.de points out that EU roaming does not apply there; options are roaming packs, a travel eSIM, or a local prepaid SIM, for which the phone must be SIM-lock free and support US frequencies. 2G and 3G have largely been shut down, so older devices can have trouble. For Canada and Australia: check before you go.

## At the pitch: wifi, routers and satellite

Camperstyle.de writes that campsite wifi is widespread, but quality and availability vary strongly. The alternative is your own mobile connection. A phone hotspot is the simplest, but the metal bodywork weakens the signal and the battery drains quickly. A mobile router with a SIM card serves several devices at once; the same source gives a price range from about 50 to over 1,000 euros. An external antenna noticeably improves reception, stability and speed. The author advises two antennas (MIMO) at least 50 centimetres apart, short cables and SMA rather than TS9 connectors, which sit more firmly. According to the article, streaming uses roughly 0.25 to 2 GB per hour depending on the service; for regular streaming it suggests 20 to 30 GB or a flat rate.

Satellite internet, with Starlink as one example, is the option for places without a mobile signal. The Roam plan is designed for mobile use, but it is tied to the country of registration: according to SlashGear, a trip abroad is allowed for up to two months per trip, after that the address should be updated or the service may be restricted, and some countries are not authorised at all, so check the availability map beforehand. Prices differ by country and change, so check before you go. Power matters in a camper: according to DishyTech, whose figures are the author's averages rather than official specifications, a Gen 2 Standard dish draws about 50 to 75 W and a Gen 3 about 75 to 100 W including router; for idle the source gives roughly 20 W. Over a day that adds up to a noticeable load for the leisure battery, so plan battery capacity or shore power accordingly.

## Offline: maps, dead zones and public wifi

Navigation should never depend on a live connection. Download maps for the whole route in a navigation app while on a good connection, and check before you go how long offline maps stay valid and which route types work offline. The Swedish Tourist Association is clear that in the Swedish mountains you cannot rely on a mobile phone: Telia generally has the best coverage but it is limited, and northern Lapland has very limited coverage, often none, for example along the Kungsleden between Abisko and Kvikkjokk. It advises offline map apps as a complement to map and compass, a power bank, keeping the phone in an inner pocket because cold drains batteries, and telling friends and family that you may be unreachable. Dead zones are equally possible in other mountains and national parks (check before you go): save routes, addresses and reservations offline.

Public wifi, for example in cafés, hotels or trains, is usually unencrypted, so others on the same network could read data, warns the consumer advice centre Verbraucherzentrale; the same caution applies to campsite and ferry wifi. It recommends checking for https, switching off file sharing, deleting saved networks (a fake hotspot can imitate a known name) and using a VPN, whose privacy policy deserves a look. Stiftung Warentest adds: avoid online banking and shopping on open networks.

## Sources

- [Roaming services in the EEA (BIPT, Belgian regulator)](https://www.bipt.be/operators/telecommunications/consumer-protection/roaming-services-in-the-eea)
- [Mobilfunk im Urlaub (Stiftung Warentest, test.de)](https://www.test.de/Mobilfunk-auf-Reisen-50-Euro-fuer-ein-verschicktes-Foto-Das-geht-guenstiger-5033564-0/)
- [Internet beim Camping und auf Reisen (camperstyle.de)](https://camperstyle.de/internet-beim-camping-und-auf-reisen/)
- [Mobile coverage in the mountains (Swedish Tourist Association)](https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/guides/mountain-safety/mobile-coverage/)
- [How much power does Starlink use? (DishyTech)](https://www.dishytech.com/how-much-power-does-starlink-use/)
- [Starlink's 2-month rule explained (SlashGear)](https://www.slashgear.com/2089034/starlink-2-month-rule-international-travel)
- [Roaming in den USA (teltarif.de)](https://www.teltarif.de/roaming/usa/handy.html)
- [Öffentliche WLAN-Netze sicher nutzen (Verbraucherzentrale)](https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/digitale-welt/datenschutz/oeffentliche-wlannetze-sicher-nutzen-19264)