What can my own carrier charge me for?
Atli does not add a roaming fee. The price you pay is the whole price.
Your own mobile carrier is separate, and it can still bill you for anything you do on its line while you are abroad. That is true whether or not you are also using Atli.
What usually costs money on your own line
- Mobile data on your own SIM, at your carrier's roaming rate.
- Outgoing calls, and in many markets incoming calls too.
- Outgoing texts. Incoming texts are often free, though not everywhere.
Rates and rules differ by carrier, by plan and by the destination. Your carrier is the only one who can tell you yours.
The one that catches people out: day passes
Many carriers sell a daily travel pass, and on some plans it activates by itself the first time you use your own line abroad. A single text can be enough to start a full day's charge.
If your carrier works this way, using your own line "just once" is not a small thing. Check before you travel whether you have a pass, whether it auto-activates, and what triggers it.
Two setups that avoid it
Keep your own line on, roaming off
Turn Data Roaming off on your own SIM and set Atli as your mobile-data line. You keep your number, your texts and your iMessage registration.
What it does not do: turning Data Roaming off stops roaming data on that line. It does not stop charges for calls or texts, because those are not data. So do not make or answer calls, and do not send texts, unless you are happy to pay your carrier's rate.
Switch your own line off completely
Nothing can be billed on a line that is off. This is the only way to be certain.
The cost: no calls or texts on your own number while it is off, and on iPhone your iMessage may switch to your Apple ID email. See Why did my iMessage switch to my email? before you choose this one.
What Atli charges in the meantime
Nothing beyond the plan you bought. Atli connects through partner networks at your destination, which is why Data Roaming stays on for the Atli line, and there is no extra fee for that. When a fixed-data plan runs out, data stops rather than running up an overage bill. See Will I be charged for data roaming on an eSIM?
FAQ
I sent one text by accident. Will I be charged?
Probably, yes. Best case it is one text at your carrier's roaming rate. If your plan has a day pass that activates automatically, that one text can start a full day's charge. Check your carrier's terms, or your bill.
Does using Atli trigger anything with my own carrier?
No. Atli runs on its own eSIM line through partner networks. Your own carrier is not involved and cannot bill for it. Charges only come from activity on your own line.
Is turning Data Roaming off enough?
It is enough to stop roaming data on that line. It does not stop charges for calls or texts. If you want certainty, switch the line off.
Can I keep receiving 2FA codes without paying?
Usually yes. Incoming texts are free in many markets, so keeping the line on with Data Roaming off is the common setup for people who need verification codes. Confirm with your carrier, because it is not free everywhere.
Not sure what your carrier will bill? Ask Atli on WhatsApp or Telegram.