Stay connected wherever you are

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you offer international roaming?
  Yes, with Tello you can benefit from international roaming in 200+ countries and territories. Roaming calls, texting, and data costs are charged from your Pay As You Go balance, so you need a minimum of $5 Pay As You Go credit in order to activate international roaming.
  
  You can get PAYG Credit here if you don't have it already.
  
  Once you have the credit, make sure to turn ON "International Roaming" to have calls and text messages working and Pay as You Go Data ON to have your data working. This can be done from your account under My Settings tab.
  
  Finally, once you are abroad and ready to use the service, do not forget to enable the Roaming option under your phone's settings.
• How can I activate my international roaming service?
  Activating your roaming service is easy, but there are a couple of balance rules you need to know before you flip the switch.

  1. The Purchase Requirement
     To enable International Roaming for the first time, you must have Pay As You Go (PAYG) credit on your account.
     The minimum initial purchase for PAYG credit is $20.
  
  
  2. The minimum to activate the service
     To activate the international roaming feature, you need to make sure to have at least $5 worth of Pay As You Go credit.
  
  
  3. How to Turn It On
     • Log in to your online account.
     • Go to the "My Settings" tab.
     • Switch the International Roaming toggle to ON.

  ⚠️ Important: International roaming will only work if the line has been used in the USA before you enable roaming
• How will I be charged for international roaming?
  You will be charged from your Pay As You Go balance, according to the fees for the services you use and the country you're in, as listed on this page. Your Pay As You go balance for international roaming usage will update within 7 days or more.
• What is your international roaming coverage?
  Tello's international roaming is available in 200+ countries and territories around the globe. Whether you're heading to Europe, Asia, or anywhere in between, we’ve likely got you covered.
  
  You can see the full list of supported destinations and specific rates by visiting our International Roaming Page.
  
  ⚠️Things to keep in mind

  • Local Carrier Partners: While we provide the service, your actual connection depends on the local networks in the country you’re visiting. If a specific area has weak local coverage, your Tello roaming will reflect that.
  • Network Availability: Just like in the States, 5G or 4G LTE speeds depend on what the local partner supports and your device's compatibility.
• Will Wi-Fi calling still work if roaming is activated?
  Yes, Wi-Fi Calling still works even if you have International Roaming activated. Think of Wi-Fi Calling as your "home base" connection—whenever you are on a stable Wi-Fi network, you can call and text at your standard domestic rates.
  
  How it works abroad:

  • On Wi-Fi: Your phone uses the internet to connect. This uses your regular plan minutes and avoids extra charges.
  • Off Wi-Fi: Your phone switches to local cellular towers. This is when International Roaming kicks in, and charges are deducted from your Pay As You Go balance.

  
  ⚠️ Warning
  To avoid unexpected charges, we recommend not having both enabled at the same time if you can help it. If your Wi-Fi signal drops even for a second, your phone might automatically jump to a roaming cellular connection, which will start using your Pay As You Go credit.
  
  ✅ Pro-Tip If your roaming service isn't working or the local signal is weak, disable Wi-Fi Calling in your phone settings. Sometimes having both active can cause the phone to "get confused" about which signal to prioritize.
• Why is Auto Recharge not triggered by roaming usage?
  If you're using International Roaming, you might notice that your Auto Recharge doesn't kick in even if your balance is running low. This is intentional and designed to protect your wallet.
  
  The Delayed Update
  When you use your phone in another country, the local networks have to report to "Tello" about how much data or how many minutes you used.
  
  This reporting process can take 7 days or even longer.
  
  Because we don't get your usage data in real-time, we can't accurately trigger an automatic top-up the second you hit a certain limit.
  You can manually recharge your account with Pay As You Go credit whenever necessary.
  
  ⚠️ Warning
  Because of the reporting delay, you might see roaming charges hit your balance several days after you actually used the service. Always make sure you have a "cushion" of credit so your service isn't interrupted.
• How can I access my voicemail when traveling abroad?
  When traveling abroad, you can access your voicemail in 2 ways:

  • Option 1: Using International Roaming
    Dial your own phone number using the full international format (e.g., +1 followed by your number).
  
  
  • Option 2: Using Wi-Fi Calling
    If you are connected to a Wi-Fi network and have Wi-Fi Calling enabled: Press and hold the "1" key on your keypad or dial 123 just like you would if you were back at home.