What is the difference between Mobile Data and Data Roaming?

Question

I just need some explaintions regarding these Mobile Data and Data Roaming. Turning-on the Mobile Data alone won't let me go online. So, I need to enable the Data Roaming first before my Smartphone can go online.

Questions:

1. What's with Data Roaming? Why I need to turn-on the Data Roaming before I can go online?

2. What's the difference between Mobile Data and Data Roaming?

I would be happy if someone can answer my queries. Thanks :)

Answer 1

Both are the same except Roaming is when you get your home carrier data connection using onather network. The same apply for calls.

Usually using your phone on roaming can cost additional fees so always contact your carrier for informations.

Answer 2

Mobile Data is Internet access via mobile signals (4G/3G etc.)

From home.bt.com article

Data roaming is the term used when your mobile phone is using data on a mobile network, away from your home network, while you're abroad.

So whenever you're using mobile data outside your registered region, you're roaming your data. While Data Roaming is active, higher data fee often applies.

Go Google.

Answer 3

Mobile data is the one which allows your phone to connect with the internet. But if you are away from your home location or if you have purchased your sim card somewhere else, then your mobile network will be on roaming. This means that every time you initiate a connection, the signal has to connect to a network that is different from your home location. This is because, your cell network is only registered to a particular region. So, if you move beyond that region, you have to enable roaming to use the mobile data, because you are roaming.