Destinations
Roaming in Morocco: what you pay and what your options are
Fourteen kilometres of sea and a whole tariff border. How operators treat Morocco, what to switch off before boarding and what the options are.
Irene Salazar 6 min Photo by Nicolas Cool on Unsplash At its closest point Morocco is fourteen kilometres from Europe, and a whole border away as far as tariffs go. The EU's included roaming does not reach it, so what you pay is decided by your operator and its international zones.
The special case of the border and the strait
There is one situation worth knowing about, because it produces bills without anyone having left home: near the border and at points along the strait, a phone can latch onto a Moroccan mast if its signal comes in stronger.
With data roaming switched on, that means spending abroad while still on the other side. There are two ways to avoid it: turn data roaming off, or pin the network by hand in your settings instead of leaving it on automatic.
How you are billed
Morocco usually falls into an international zone, and the usual schemes apply there: a daily pass, a data bundle or pay-as-you-go. It is worth checking in your operator's app before you leave, because within the same company some plans include it and some do not.
What you actually use the phone for in Morocco
More than you would think. Taxis are easier to negotiate with the map open, the medinas of Fez and Marrakesh are a maze where GPS is the difference between strolling and getting lost, and the translator comes out often, especially outside the tourist areas.
All of that is data, and on a pay-as-you-go tariff it turns into an uncomfortable figure.
Before you board
- Check which zone Morocco is in on your plan and what that includes.
- Turn off data roaming on your home line.
- Download maps of the cities you are visiting, above all the medinas.
- If you will be near the border, pin the network by hand so the phone does not jump to a Moroccan mast.
Coverage, which is better than people expect
Morocco has wide 4G in cities and along the main roads, and 5G rolling out in the big urban areas. The gaps are where you would expect them: the Atlas, the desert routes and the stretches between small villages.
On a desert route it is sensible to count on losing signal in several stretches, so downloaded maps and bookings saved on the phone make all the difference.
What is worth sorting out before this particular trip is in what to know before travelling to Morocco with your phone.
Frequently asked questions
Is roaming free in Morocco?
No. Morocco is not in the European Union or the European Economic Area, so included roaming does not apply and your plan's international-zone terms take over.
Can I be charged Moroccan roaming without leaving Europe?
It can happen near the border or at points along the strait, if the phone latches onto a Moroccan mast. Turning data roaming off or pinning the network by hand prevents it.
How much does roaming in Morocco cost?
It depends on your operator and your plan. It is usually an international zone with a daily pass, a bundle or pay-as-you-go, and you check it in your account area before travelling.
Is coverage good in Morocco?
Yes in cities and on main roads, with wide 4G. In the Atlas and on the desert routes there are stretches with no signal, so it pays to travel with maps downloaded.
Is it easy to buy a Moroccan SIM?
Yes, they are sold at airports and in shops on presentation of a passport. In exchange you have to take your own card out of the phone and do the paperwork on arrival.
