4 in 5 Aussies Fear Travel Bill Shock as Optus Offers Smart Mobile Roaming Tips

New research commissioned by Optus¹ reveals that a staggering 82% of Australians have either experienced or fear experiencing ‘bill shock’ from unexpected roaming charges when travelling overseas.

With over half (51%) of Aussies planning to travel internationally in the next 12 months, staying connected without worrying about surprise costs is top of mind for many.

The survey of over 1,000 Australians aged 18 to 54 who have travelled internationally in the past two years revealed staying connected without the stress of surprise costs is top of mind for many especially as mobile data plays a key role in how people get directions to local spots, stay in touch with loved ones, and share their adventures in real time on social media.

While options like eSIMs are growing in popularity, many travellers find it confusing to set up, worry about losing access to their number, or simply want something easier. In fact, 9 in 10 Aussies say they’d prefer to use roaming if their provider offered a more convenient and reliable solution.

This growing demand is backed by Optus customer data². In June 2025 alone, international roaming activity increased by 19% year-on-year, with a clear uplift in mobile data use as more Aussies leaned on their phones to stream, map, and stay connected abroad. 

Popular European destinations like the UK, Italy, France, Greece and Spain ranked among the top 12 for total roaming data consumed, highlighting just how connected travellers are staying during the peak holiday season.

Anthony Shiner, Chief Customer Officer, Consumer at Optus said, “Travel should be about creating memories, not stressing over your phone bill. We know Aussies want to feel confident they can stay 
connected without the nasty surprise of a big bill when they return home. That’s exactly why we’re focused on making staying connected overseas simple, affordable and stress-free.”

“Whether you’re navigating the streets of Rome, sharing snaps from Santorini, or staying connected mid-flight, knowing your roaming options can help you stay in control and avoid bill shock, so you can focus on enjoying your trip,”  Anthony Shiner added.

To help Aussie travellers roam smarter, Optus has shared a few practical tips to avoid surprise charges overseas:

1. Don’t rely on public WiFi: While half of Aussie travellers use public WiFi abroad, 2 in 3 report concerns about privacy and security. Using roaming solutions helps keep personal information safer and connections more reliable.
2. Choose predictable daily roaming options: To give customers simple, fixed cost peace of mind, Optus offers Daily Roaming from just $5 a day with 5GB of data included in over 150 destinations worldwide on eligible plans.  If more data is needed, another 5GB pack is automatically applied for $5, valid for another 24 hours. Users are also notified via text message when they’re nearing their data limit and can easily track their usage in real time via My Optus app.
3. Download key apps before you go: To save on data and stay prepared, download essentials like maps, language translation tools and boarding passes while still on home WiFi. Offline access can be a lifesaver when you land.
4. Stay connected in the air: With Optus’ in-flight roaming through AeroMobile, customers on eligible plans can use their $5 Daily Roaming pack to access data from 20,000 feet on 19 major airlines including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa.
5. Skip the SIM swap hassle: Swapping SIMs or setting up a travel eSIM can be confusing and time-consuming. With Optus, Daily Roaming is automatically activated on eligible plans, so there’s no need to swap SIMs or manage multiple accounts while travelling.

To find out more about Optus’ International Roaming options, visit optus.com.au/international-roaming

1 Survey commissioned by Optus of 1,035 Australians aged 18–54, conducted in June 2025. All respondents had travelled internationally in the past two years.
2 Insights based on Optus postpaid customer usage data from June 2025. Figures represent total international roaming activity and data usage across the Optus postpaid customer base.

ENDS
Media contact: 
Nidhi Gorai
02 9037 8179
media@optus.com.au