signal dropping out when roaming

Forum|Forum|10 months ago
October 4, 2025
2 replies
83 views

Hello,

My signal keeps cutting out when roaming. An '!' will appear and I am unable to browse text or call. Please advise

Decembersangel72

Gold Contributor

Hi @George Biddle

Seeing an ‘!’ suggests your phone is trying to connect to a network that is not part of the roaming package.
An example of this is, if your are at the coast or on a boat/ferry then your phone might be trying to connect to a costly offshore/marine satellite network (as this might be the closest signal to where you are).

To stop your phone from connecting to expensive marine offshore networks and switch to other available options, you can use your phone's network settings to manually select a different network or enable Airplane Mode and use Wi-Fi instead

. Offshore networks, typically via satellite, have very high roaming fees, so preventing your phone from automatically connecting is essential.

Option 1: Manually select a network (recommended)

This method allows you to block the automatic connection to the marine network while keeping your phone's cellular functions active for use near land.

For Android:

Go to Settings.
Navigate to Network & Internet or Connections.
Tap on Mobile networks (or Mobile Data).
Select Network operators.
Turn off the Select automatically option. Your phone will now scan for available networks.
A list of available networks will appear. Manually select a land-based network from a mobile operator when you are in range, such as near a coast or port.

For iPhone:

Go to Settings.
Tap on Cellular (or Mobile Data).
Select Network Selection.
Turn off the Automatic toggle.
Your phone will search for available carriers. A list will appear after a few moments.
Select a land-based network from the list when one becomes available, for example, when approaching a port.

Option 2: Use Airplane Mode and Wi-Fi

This is the simplest and safest option to avoid roaming charges entirely, but you will not be able to make calls or send texts via a cellular network.

Enable Airplane Mode. Do this as soon as you are offshore and your land-based signal disappears.
- On iPhone: Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center and tap the airplane icon.
- On Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal the Quick Settings panel and tap the airplane icon.
Turn Wi-Fi back on. After activating Airplane Mode, you can manually re-enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You can then connect to any available Wi-Fi networks, such as on-vessel internet services.
Use Wi-Fi for communication. With Wi-Fi enabled, you can use apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Wi-Fi Calling to communicate.

Hope this helps x

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