{
 "source": "The Sales Traveler — the Index Desk",
 "license": "Free to use with attribution to The Sales Traveler. See https://thesalestraveler.com/press/",
 "dataUrl": "https://thesalestraveler.com/data/roaming-index.json",
 "slug": "roaming-index",
 "name": "The Roaming Index",
 "url": "https://thesalestraveler.com/roaming-index/",
 "entityNoun": "Provider",
 "measures": "published commitments",
 "period": "2026-07",
 "methodology": "The demo doesn't care which country you're in. We scored 10 international-data options — four US carriers, six travel eSIMs — on 15 published commitments: honest pricing, stated limits, tethering rights, and what happens when the plan runs out mid-trip. Top score: 93 (T-Mobile (included intl)). ‘Unlimited’ turns out to be roaming's ‘varies by property.’",
 "scale": {
  "rawMax": 15,
  "displayMax": 100,
  "formula": "round(raw / rawMax * displayMax)"
 },
 "categories": [
  {
   "id": "P",
   "label": "Pricing transparency",
   "checks": [
    "Per-day/per-GB pricing published",
    "Coverage list per plan published",
    "Taxes/fees included stated"
   ],
   "max": 3
  },
  {
   "id": "D",
   "label": "Data honesty",
   "checks": [
    "Data caps stated",
    "Throttle thresholds stated",
    "Speed expectations stated"
   ],
   "max": 3
  },
  {
   "id": "W",
   "label": "Tethering & reach",
   "checks": [
    "Hotspot/tethering rights stated",
    "Calls/number option available",
    "Regional/multi-country plans"
   ],
   "max": 3
  },
  {
   "id": "S",
   "label": "Setup & self-serve",
   "checks": [
    "Instant eSIM issue",
    "Pre-trip install supported",
    "In-app top-up"
   ],
   "max": 3
  },
  {
   "id": "N",
   "label": "Support & renewal",
   "checks": [
    "Refund policy published",
    "Live chat support stated",
    "Extension/rollover terms stated"
   ],
   "max": 3
  }
 ],
 "entities": [
  {
   "rank": 1,
   "name": "T-Mobile (included intl)",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 3,
    "W": 3,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 2
   },
   "score": 93,
   "note": "Wins by publishing its own weaknesses: international data is included, and the reduced speeds are stated in plain terms. The Index rewards the asterisk you can actually read.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 2,
   "name": "Google Fi",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 3,
    "W": 3,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 1
   },
   "score": 87,
   "note": "Domestic-plan roaming with the throttle threshold in writing and tethering allowed — the most complete stated commitment set among carriers.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 3,
   "name": "Airalo",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 1,
    "W": 2,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 2
   },
   "score": 73,
   "note": "The eSIM category leader publishes prices, caps, and tethering rights cleanly — the data-only tradeoff is at least an honest one.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 4,
   "name": "Holafly",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 1,
    "W": 2,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 2
   },
   "score": 73,
   "note": "‘Unlimited’ with a stated daily hotspot cap — credit for publishing the limit, deduction for the banner that needs one.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 5,
   "name": "Saily",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 1,
    "W": 2,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 2
   },
   "score": 73,
   "note": "Nord's eSIM matches Airalo's published set nearly line for line — the category's commitments are converging fast.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 6,
   "name": "Verizon TravelPass",
   "category": {
    "P": 2,
    "D": 2,
    "W": 3,
    "S": 2,
    "N": 2
   },
   "score": 73,
   "note": "$12/day, auto-activating, calls included — convenience fully committed; the taxes-and-speeds fine print less so.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 7,
   "name": "AT&T Intl Day Pass",
   "category": {
    "P": 2,
    "D": 2,
    "W": 3,
    "S": 2,
    "N": 1
   },
   "score": 67,
   "note": "Mirrors Verizon's committed convenience at the same $12; publishes slightly less around throttles and extensions.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 8,
   "name": "Nomad",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 1,
    "W": 2,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 1
   },
   "score": 67,
   "note": "Clean published pricing and tethering rights; refund terms trail the leaders.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 9,
   "name": "Ubigi",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 1,
    "W": 2,
    "S": 3,
    "N": 0
   },
   "score": 60,
   "note": "Solid stated basics from the Transatel network; support and refund commitments are the thin end.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  },
  {
   "rank": 10,
   "name": "GigSky",
   "category": {
    "P": 3,
    "D": 1,
    "W": 2,
    "S": 2,
    "N": 0
   },
   "score": 53,
   "note": "Pioneer-era eSIM with published prices and caps; the modern commitment set — refunds, live support, top-ups — hasn't followed.",
   "ruledBy": "Editor-in-Chief, The Sales Traveler",
   "ruledOn": "2026-07-22"
  }
 ],
 "terms": {
  "usageInfo": "https://thesalestraveler.com/press/",
  "attributionRequired": true,
  "attributionText": "The Sales Traveler — the Index Desk",
  "freeWithAttribution": [
   "findings, single statistics and score references",
   "quoting up to three rows of a table in coverage",
   "embedding charts and share cards from index pages",
   "fetching every dataset in /data/"
  ],
  "requiresSyndicationLicense": [
   "republishing a full table"
  ],
  "contact": "rachel@thesalestraveler.com",
  "governance": "https://thesalestraveler.com/governance/"
 }
}