How to Get Internet Abroad with Movistar?
To have internet abroad with Movistar, there are two ways: activate international roaming for your line before you leave, or use an independent data line — such as a travel eSIM — that works in parallel without relying on your operator. The right option depends on how often you travel and how much you use your phone outside of home.
If you travel once a year and only need to check your email occasionally, your operator's roaming might suffice. But if you travel frequently, spend several weeks abroad, or simply want to use your phone normally — maps, social media, video calls — without thinking about how much each megabyte is costing you, it's worth knowing the other option before boarding the plane. In the following sections, we'll see how each method works, with a real travel example so the comparison isn't just theoretical.
What is International Roaming and How Does it Work?
International roaming is the commercial agreement your operator — in this case, Movistar — has with operators in other countries so that your line can connect to their networks when you are outside your home country. Technically, your cell phone never stops being a Movistar line: it simply "lends" your number to the local network of the country you are in, and that network charges Movistar for the service. Movistar, in turn, charges you, either as part of your monthly plan, as an additional package you activate before traveling, or by consumption, depending on the plan you have contracted.
This explains why roaming doesn't work the same in all destinations: it is only available in countries where Movistar has a current agreement with a local operator, and the conditions — how fast the network is, how much you can browse before your speed is reduced, whether it includes calls or only data — vary from country to country. That's why the first question you should ask yourself before traveling is not "do I have roaming?", but "does my plan include roaming in the exact country I'm going to?".
How to Activate My Movistar Data Abroad?
Activation varies by plan and country, but generally follows this sequence:
- Check if your plan already includes international roaming or if you need to contract an additional package. You can confirm this from the Movistar app or your account portal.
- Activate it before leaving your country. Many roaming packages need to be activated in advance; if you try to do it at the destination airport, it may take time to take effect or you may lose the first hours of your trip without data.
- Confirm that the destination country is covered. Not all destinations have a roaming agreement, and some that do offer different conditions than what you are used to in your country.
- Upon landing, manually activate data roaming on your cell phone (in Settings > Mobile Networks > Roaming Data), as it is usually off by default to avoid accidental charges.
- Monitor consumption during the trip from the same app, especially if your package has a data limit before the speed drops or the service is cut off.
If any step fails — for example, if the package was not activated in time or the country is not covered — you will be without data until you can resolve it from your account, which is not always easy with unstable airport Wi-Fi.
How to Use Movistar Abroad: Coverage and Compatibility
Using Movistar abroad depends on three things that should be checked before traveling, not after: that your cell phone is unlocked (carrier-unlocked), that the destination country has a current roaming agreement, and that your current plan allows it without unexpected costs. A Movistar-locked cell phone will generally still work with roaming because the line is the same, but if you ever wanted to use a second data line — a local physical SIM or an eSIM — the lock could be a problem, because it would only accept your home carrier's network.
Here's a detail that almost no one checks until it happens: many phones, as soon as they detect a signal in a new country, try to automatically reconnect to the last roaming network they have saved, even if you have already activated an alternative data line and want to use only that to avoid paying for roaming. If you are going to use any data line other than your Movistar line during the trip, go to Settings > Mobile Networks and turn off mobile data for the physical Movistar line (not just roaming): this way you prevent the phone from alternating between the two networks without you noticing, something that can generate roaming consumption even if you think you had it deactivated.
A Real Example: A Trip from Bogotá to Europe
Imagine you leave Bogotá for an eighteen-day trip to Italy and France. Before leaving, you open the Movistar app and activate the international roaming package for both countries. All goes well for the first few hours: you arrive in Rome, your phone connects automatically, and you can use maps and messaging without a problem.
The problem arises on the fifth day, when you cross into France by train. The package you activated covered Italy with specific conditions, but when you cross the border, the network changes and, without you noticing, you start consuming data under different billing conditions — or you simply lose coverage until you reactivate something from your phone, with train station Wi-Fi as your only option to resolve it. This is a common scenario when your itinerary crosses several countries: each border can mean a different roaming condition, and the last moment you want to be dealing with data issues is precisely when you are in transit.
This type of situation is what prompts many travelers to look for an alternative that works the same regardless of how many borders you cross on your itinerary, something we'll discuss later.
The Disadvantages of Roaming Worth Knowing
Movistar's roaming is not "bad": it's a solution designed for occasional trips and to keep you from being completely without signal. But before relying on it for a long trip or one with multiple destinations, it's worth knowing its limitations:
- Unpredictable cost. The price of roaming varies by country, plan, and whether you contracted a specific package or are outside one; it's advisable to confirm it directly with Movistar before traveling, as it changes frequently.
- Coverage limited to current agreements. If your destination does not have a roaming agreement with Movistar, or the agreement is weak, the connection may be slow or simply unavailable.
- Requires activation before leaving. If you forget to activate it, you'll arrive without data until you can resolve it, and Wi-Fi isn't always available exactly when you need it.
- Conditions change when crossing borders. As we saw in the previous example, an itinerary with multiple countries can mean several different billing conditions and several distinct activations.
Before activating any roaming package, check exactly which countries it includes: "international coverage" in the fine print almost never means "all countries in the world."
| What to check before traveling | Why it might surprise you |
|---|---|
| Exact list of countries included in the package | "International" sometimes covers only a region or a limited group of countries |
| Data limit before speed drops | Some packages drastically reduce speed when the limit is reached, without notifying you at the time |
| Conditions when crossing from one country to another within the same trip | Each border can reset the conditions of the active package |
| What happens if the package wasn't activated in time | You can be left without data until you resolve it from your account, with no guaranteed Wi-Fi to do so |
How Do I Get Internet Abroad Without Relying on Roaming?
If roaming doesn't fully convince you, there are other ways to get data abroad, each with its own limitations:
- Public Wi-Fi in hotels, cafes, and airports: free, but inconsistent, sometimes insecure, and practically useless if you need maps while walking down the street.
- Portable router (mifi) rental: solves coverage, but it's an extra device to carry, care for, and return.
- Local physical SIM: usually cheap, but it means finding a store upon arrival, sometimes waiting in line, and losing your usual number while using it — in addition to keeping your original SIM somewhere you won't lose it. You can see an in-depth comparison of this in eSIM vs. physical SIM.
- Data eSIM: a data line that is installed digitally on your phone, without the need for a physical card, and that you can activate before leaving home or once at your destination. If you don't know exactly what it is or how it works, in what is an eSIM we explain it from scratch.
For most people who travel more than a couple of times a year, a travel eSIM is the middle ground between roaming (convenient but with conditions you don't always control) and a local physical SIM (cheap but with more friction upon arrival).
Travel eSIM vs. Movistar Roaming: Direct Comparison
Putting the two options side by side, here's how they compare on the points that matter most to someone about to travel:
| Criteria | Roaming with your Movistar line | Travel eSIM (PuraSIM) |
|---|---|---|
| When activated | Before leaving, from the app or your account portal | Anytime; the eSIM can be purchased up to 180 days in advance and activated when you need it |
| Activation time | Variable, depending on the operator and package | Approximately 1 minute once you scan the code |
| Your usual number | Remains the same, because it's the same line | Remains the same: the eSIM is a separate data line, your number stays with its physical SIM for calls and WhatsApp |
| Coverage | Depends on the current roaming agreement in each country | Available in over 200 destinations |
| What happens if you have a problem during the trip | Movistar's own customer service channel in your country | 24/7 support in all languages via email and WhatsApp |
| Compatibility | Any phone with the Movistar SIM | Requires eSIM-compatible phone (check which phones are compatible) |
Neither is "the universal solution": if you travel once a year to a destination with a good roaming agreement, activating the Movistar package may be enough. But if you travel frequently, cross several countries on the same itinerary, or simply prefer to know exactly how much data you have and for how long, the eSIM gives you that control. Installation takes a few minutes and is ready before you leave home; the complete process is explained in how to install an eSIM step by step.
How to Choose the Right Data Plan for Your Next Trip?
Before deciding between roaming, physical SIM, or eSIM, it's helpful to answer three simple questions: how many days will you be away, how many countries will you visit on that trip, and how much do you actually use your phone when you travel (just maps and messaging, or also working and sharing content in real-time?).
| Type of Trip | What usually works best | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Short trip to a single country, occasional use | Movistar roaming if the destination has a good agreement | Exact conditions of the package for that country |
| Long trip or with multiple countries on the itinerary | Travel eSIM with broad coverage | How many GB you need based on your usage habits |
| You travel multiple times a year | eSIM that you can buy in advance and activate when needed | Ensure your phone is compatible before buying |
If you want to delve deeper into how this whole decision compares to roaming in general, not just with Movistar, you can find it in eSIM vs. roaming. For those planning a complete trip from scratch, the broader reference is the definitive eSIM guide for travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to deactivate Movistar roaming if I'm going to use an eSIM?
Yes, it is recommended. If you leave your Movistar line's data roaming active in addition to the eSIM, your phone may alternate between both networks without you noticing and incur roaming charges anyway. Deactivate mobile data for the physical line (not just roaming) and leave only the eSIM active for data.
Can I continue using my Movistar number for calls and WhatsApp with an active eSIM?
Yes. The eSIM is an independent data line: your original number remains on the physical Movistar SIM for calls and messages, while the eSIM handles mobile data. WhatsApp works with data, so it will continue to send and receive messages normally over the eSIM connection.
Is my phone compatible with eSIM?
Most mid-range and high-end phones from recent years are, but it's advisable to confirm before purchasing; as we've seen, there's a detailed list by model to clear up any doubts.
What happens if I run out of eSIM data during my trip?
You can buy an additional package or a new one directly from your phone, without needing to find a physical store. If you're concerned about losing signal at the most inconvenient time, in common eSIM problems we explain how to avoid the most frequent cases.
Do I need Wi-Fi to activate the eSIM before traveling?
Yes, you need an internet connection (Wi-Fi or data) to download and install the eSIM profile, so it's ideal to do it calmly before leaving home, rather than leaving it until you arrive at your destination.
How far in advance can I buy my travel eSIM?
You can buy it well in advance: you have 180 days from purchase to activate it, so there's no problem getting it ready weeks before your flight and activating it just when you need it.
Does the eSIM work the same in all countries I travel to?
Coverage depends on the specific destination, but options are available in over 200 destinations, which usually covers itineraries with multiple countries without needing to contract something different at each border.
Conclusion
Movistar roaming can be sufficient for a short trip to a destination with a good roaming agreement. But if you travel frequently, cross several countries on the same itinerary, or simply want to know with certainty how much data you have and for how long, a travel eSIM gives you that control without relying on the conditions your operator negotiated country by country. It installs in minutes, doesn't interfere with your usual number, and is ready before you leave home.
If you want to see the options available for your next destination, you can check the international eSIM collection and compare duration and data according to your itinerary.
