Easy Roam: Frequently asked questions
Information about Easy Roam, including US or international calling, local calling plan, calling and texting with Easy Roam, details on cost cap, and removing Easy Roam
In this article
How does Easy Roam work?
With Easy Roam, you can use your phone like you do at home in the US and over 190 international destinations. For a daily fee you can use the data, texts and minutes from the same monthly rate plan you use at home when you travel. You can add a data top-up whenever you need more data just like when you’re in Canada.
Data usage does not apply when using Wi-Fi or if data roaming is turned off.
Note: The Easy Roam fee applies to each device that is roaming, so you must ensure each device on your account has it enabled.
For more information about Easy Roam, you can visit telus.com/travel.
How do I get Easy Roam or confirm if I have it enabled?
For information on how to ensure you’re covered with Easy Roam, view the support article: Set-up and tips for travelling with your mobile device.
Do I need to do anything to activate Easy Roam when I travel?
Once enabled on your device, the Easy Roam fee will automatically activate for a full 24 hours from the first time you use data, send a text, make or answer a call in the US or one of the 190 international destinations that are included.
If you don’t want to use Easy Roam on the next day, turn data roaming off to ensure you won’t be charged. Incoming texts will not activate Easy Roam, so you can receive texts without being charged the Easy Roam fee.
There’s no need to remove Easy Roam from your account when you return to Canada since it can only be activated when you travel.
Will I be charged for Easy Roam every day I travel?
With Easy Roam, you only pay for the days that you choose to use your phone. Easy Roam will only activate every 24 hours when you decide to make or answer a call, send a text or use data while travelling. You will not be charged on any days that you refrain from doing any of these actions and turn data roaming off before the next 24 hour period begins.
Incoming texts will not activate Easy Roam, so you can receive texts without being charged the Easy Roam fee. Also, using data over Wi-Fi when data roaming is turned off will not activate the Easy Roam fee.
What numbers can I call and text with Easy Roam?
Making phone calls with Easy Roam
All calls to phone numbers in Canada and within the country you are calling from are included. Phone calls to numbers outside Canada and the country you are calling from will be subject to the roaming pay-per-use rate for the country you are calling from.
So this means that if you’re in the US, you can call any Canadian phone number nationwide or any US phone number nationwide. However, if you call a phone number in the United Kingdom while in the US then you will be charged the $1.50/min US roaming pay-per-use rate.
The same goes for North American toll free numbers (1-800, 844, 855, 877 and 888), as you can only call these numbers while located in North America. If you connect these calls from outside North America the roaming pay-per-use for the location you’re calling from will apply.
Additionally, calls to 411, 511, Sanger, California (559-726-XXXX) Carroll, Iowa (712-775-XXXX) Lake Park, Iowa (712-432-XXXX) Oglala, South Dakota (605-562-XXXX) Redfield and South Dakota (605-475-XXXX) are not included and will also be charged the roaming pay-per-use rate.
Any of these calls that are not included in Easy Roam will not activate the Easy Roam fee, if a 24 hour period is not already active.
Sending texts with Easy Roam
All incoming and outgoing texts to any phone number in the world are included. So you can text any mobile phone number across the world while roaming in an Easy Roam destination, as long as it's not a premium or subscription based phone number.
Incoming texts will not activate Easy Roam, so you can receive texts without being charged the Easy Roam fee.
Picture & video messaging, including iMessage use data and not text messages.
For information on how to make calls and send texts while travelling, see the support article: Make a call or send a text while travelling.
How does Easy Roam work with a local calling plan?
Easy Roam allows you to make calls to any Canadian phone number nationwide while travelling in an included destination. You can also make calls nationwide to numbers within the Easy Roam destination you are currently located in. This still applies even if you have a local calling voice plan that you use at home.
US or international long distance calling add-ons
This information applies if you have a US or international long distance calling add-on, such the LD saver, or one of our other US or international long distance minutes add-ons.
At this time, Easy Roam does not work with long distance calling add-ons. This means that if you have a US or international long distance add-on, calling phone numbers outside Canada or the destination you are currently located in is still not included in Easy Roam. So these calls will still be subject to the standard roaming pay-per-use rate.
What destinations are included in Easy Roam?
Easy Roam covers the US and over 190 international destinations. For a list of destinations included in Easy Roam, visit telus.com/travel and search your travel destination to confirm if its covered.
Travelling to multiple destinations with Easy Roam
If you’re travelling to multiple destinations on your trip, you still only pay one $14 and/or $16 Easy Roam fee every 24 hours that you use your device (i.e., make/receive a call, send a text or use data).
Example:
- You spend the day in the USA and begin using Easy Roam for $14 at 12:00 pm EST in Florida.
- By 4:00 pm EST on that same day you enter the Port in Nassau, Bahamas and begin using Easy Roam for $16
- At 12:00 pm EST on the next day you visit the beach in Varadero, Cuba and continue using Easy Roam for no extra charge. Another $16 fee would apply if you continue using your device at 4:01 pm EST after the previous 24 period that you initiated in the Bahamas ends.
Note: Easy Roam does not cover you on cruise ships or in-flight. Usage on while out at sea on cruise ships or in-flight will always be charged at $0.60 per text, $8.00 per minute and data usage will be blocked.
What notifications do I receive when using Easy Roam?
You receive the same data notifications about your monthly rate plan while using Easy Roam. For more details, view the support article: Getting setup to travel and tips for travelling with your mobile device.
At this time, you will not receive any notifications about how many daily Easy Roam charges you have accumulated throughout your trip. This information will be summarized on your monthly bill. For information about how Easy Roam appears on your monthly bill, view the support article: Understanding roaming charges on your bill.
What happens if I run out of data or exceed other monthly plan limits?
If you’ve already used all your data in this billing cycle or run out during your trip, you can add a data top-up just like when you’re at home.
To add a data top up, open the My TELUS mobile app and add a data top-up from either the overview or usage section. Alternatively, you can log in to My TELUS online and add a data top up from the usage section. If you don’t have a My TELUS account you can create an account for free.
Usage that exceeds what's included in your monthly rate plan will be subject to the same rates you would pay as if you are in Canada.
How does the $240 (US) and $300 (International) bill cap work?
The $14 per day US fee will be capped at $240 while the $16 per day international fee will be capped at $300 per bill cycle. If you reach this cap in your bill cycle, you can continue to use Easy Roam at no extra cost.
It’s possible that your trip may happen across more than one monthly bill cycle. If this happens, then it is possible that total Easy Roam charges for your trip could exceed the $240 (US) or $300 (International) bill cap since the cap would reset at the beginning of your next cycle.
Example 1: If your bill cycle closes on the 30th of every month, and you are away in the USA from July 1st to 29th, the total Easy Roam charges would be as follows (assuming that you use Easy Roam every day of your trip):
- July 1st to 29th: $14 x 30 days = $420
- Total charges for trip: $240 (taxes are not included)
Example 2: If your bill cycle closes on the 11th of every month and you are away in the USA from July 4th until July 25th, the total Easy Roam charges would be as follows (assuming that you use Easy Roam every day of your trip):
- July 4th to 11th: $14 x 8 days = $112 (New bill cycle resets on July 12th)
- July 12th to 25th: $14 x 14 days =$196
- Total charges for trip: $112 in first cycle + $196 in the next cycle = $308 (taxes are not included)
How do I remove Easy Roam?
There’s no need to remove Easy Roam from your account when you return to Canada since the daily fee can only be activated when you travel. Easy Roam is designed to stay enabled on your device so you’re always ready to travel and be protected against unexpected pay-per-use charges.
If you’re close to the US border, you can turn data roaming off in your device settings to avoid unexpected data charges. For additional information about how to avoid roaming charges while close to the US border, view the support article: Understanding how you will be charged while travelling.
If you prefer to use pay-per-use rates to make short calls or send an occasional text while you travel, you may remove Easy Roam from your device in two ways:
Removing Easy Roam using My TELUS
- Log in to My TELUS online (create an account for free if you don’t have an account)
- Go to the Travel section and select the device(s) you want to remove Easy Roam from if there are multiple devices on the account
- Scroll down to the destination search and enter a destination that’s included in Easy Roam, like the USA
- In the results, you will see a Remove Easy Roam option on the right side of the screen. Click this link and follow the steps to confirm the removal of Easy Roam
Removing Easy Roam using text message
Using the TELUS mobile device that you want to remove Easy Roam from, text REMOVE to 7626.
To confirm the applicable pay-per-use rates when travelling without Easy Roam, search your travel destination at telus.com/travel.
Tip: We recommend turning data roaming off in your mobile device settings if you plan to send occasional texts and make short phone calls, as this will help avoid unexpected roaming data charges.