How is 5G roaming these days?

[donnyguy]

Hey All, 

Looking for some anecdotal responses here as Vodafone’s website doesn’t seem to have been updated on this topic since 2019.

So the question is, for you guys who use Vodafone on pay monthly. Are you getting 5G when roaming overseas?

The website says ‘5G roaming in more locations across Europe than any other UK network’ then goes on to list specific towns in Germany, Spain, Italy and Ireland (so 4 countries). 

I assume things have moved on significantly since 2019 and 5G roaming is widespread (country wise). Would appreciate you guys sharing your experiences of roaming these days as I fear I’ve been spoilt by my current network who has had 5G roaming in all countries I’ve been too (in Europe, Africa and the States).

So basically, have you guys experienced roaming outside of the four countries specified on the website? 

[1BadRobot]

I am in the US primarily in NY a lot, I never get 5G service when on AT&T or T-Mobile

My friends who are on either networks get 5G everywhere

Vodafone is losing it, maybe after near 20 years it's time for me to move to another network

[Getafix]

I am in US at the moment.
The Data connection icon on S22+, when on AT&T, shows LTE but on T-Mobile it is LTE+.
Not seen 5G which is what shows when in UK.

Last trip in June 2023, Kenya, it was LTE in most areas and occasionally dropping to H+, except the area close to the Safaricom HQ where it was 5G.


 

[donnyguy]

Just resurrecting this thread to see if anyone has any further insight on this. I’m moving back to VF next week from EE where I’ve been spoilt with full 5G roaming in all the places I’ve visited with them.

I’ll be visiting Sweden, France and Greece this month. Wondered if they’ve been added to the list. 

I’m asking out of curiosity mainly, 

[PSReady]

I’ve seen 5G roaming in Germany, Spain and Portugal in Europe recently and at last in the US, surprisingly on Verizon in LA and T-Mobile more widely. Nothing on AT&T though. 

[Getafix]

5G roaming in USA/Canada has been fine. However when I got back from Canada to USA, I started getting message that Calls are chargeable and eventually stopped as had reached my spend limit. Call Vodafone and was told to increase Spend Limit as a Solution. And when I get back, I should call and they will investigate. Got back and called and being told I should have called while was Roaming.

Been to Kenya last month, very limited 5G. Noticed another odd thing, on Vodafone's preferred partner Safaricom, calls to particular number would not go through. Switched to Airtel and it was fine.

So, conclusion is the Package is good, especially now they offer it with different Data package, however it is not problem free. And as far as getting it resolved, it is pot luck.

[Scandidave]

5G Roaming on Vodafone in Germany 🇩🇪 no problem but still not in Denmark with  Vodafone partner TDC ! Why not?

[donnyguy]

Thanks to all who replied on this thread. 

I came back to Vodafone (lasted about three weeks before moving away again due to no 5G, slow and patchy 4G and due to the switch off of 3G, calls jumping onto 2G) and had one trip during my tenure. 

I had 4G only on Telenor in Sweden (I did notice that the Vodafone Greece SIM card in my iPad was happily roaming on 5G), but as mentioned above, did get 5G only Vodafone in Germany. 

The roaming I could live with. 5G is a nice to have rather than a need to have I guess when overseas. But the domestic coverage in the areas I was in (inc city centres) was really poor. 

I was tempted to call Roman Kemp as he talks about them being the nations network, not sure which nation he was referring to. Guessing Germany as the coverage was spot on there 😀