Armenian operator Ucom is seeing a clear change in how its customers travel: roaming is becoming increasingly data-heavy, and 5G is moving from a domestic network story into an international one.

Ucom says its roaming service is now available through 327 operators in 167 countries, while 5G roaming has expanded to 96 partner networks across 62 countries. That includes major destinations such as Russia, China, the United States, Australia and India.

Roaming use keeps climbing

The strongest signal is customer behaviour. In the second quarter of 2026, the number of Ucom subscribers using roaming abroad increased 29% compared with the first quarter, while mobile data consumption rose 26%. Across the first half of the year, customers used around 50,000 GB outside Armenia.

The longer-term trend is equally telling. Ucom reported nearly 40,000 GB of roaming data usage in the first half of 2025, meaning first-half consumption has risen by roughly a quarter year on year.

READ MORE: Mobileum & GSMA Expand 5G Roaming Testing

Ucom is also adding partners quickly. On July 1, the operator reported 319 roaming partners and 87 5G roaming partners in 55 countries. By August 10, those figures had reached 327 roaming partners and 96 5G partners across 62 countries.

“Today, maintaining fast and reliable connectivity is essential for subscribers, whether they are in Armenia or travelling abroad. The growing use of roaming services shows that mobile internet has become an integral part of the travel experience. We continuously expand our international partner network, extend our 5G geographic reach, and provide solutions that make connectivity abroad simple, convenient, and predictable,”

said Ralph Yirikian, General Director of Ucom.

uTravel gets a summer boost

Until September 30, Ucom is adding extra data to several uTravel packages without increasing prices. The 4 GB package becomes 4.5 GB for AMD 4,500, the 6 GB package becomes 7.5 GB for AMD 6,500, and the 9 GB package becomes 10 GB for AMD 9,500. Packages are available across popular destinations including Georgia, the UAE, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Montenegro, Albania and Tunisia.

Activation is handled through *121#, while roaming itself must be enabled before leaving Armenia through the Ucom app or the same USSD menu.

READ MORE: Ucom Boosts uTravel Roaming Plans Across 167 Countries

There is growth on the inbound side too. Ucom says the number of foreign visitors using its network rose 54% quarter on quarter in Q2, while their mobile data usage increased 93%. Domestically, Ucom says its 5G network now reaches 94.6% of Armenia’s population.

The bigger picture

Ucom is competing in a market where roaming bundles are becoming much more aggressive. Viva currently offers 4 GB for AMD 4,000 and 7 GB for AMD 6,000 through its 30-day VOYAGE packages, while Team Telecom Armenia lists a 4 GB, 15-day roaming package at AMD 5,000. That makes Ucom competitive, but not automatically the cheapest choice in every travel scenario.

For travelers, the real comparison is no longer simply “roaming versus no roaming.” It is operator roaming versus increasingly flexible travel eSIMs, regional plans and bundled international data. The GSMA’s Mobile Economy 2026 points to continued 5G adoption worldwide, and that shift raises expectations for the quality of connectivity abroad as well as at home.

Ucom’s strongest move, therefore, is not the temporary bonus data. It is the pace at which its 5G roaming footprint is expanding. What could still improve is transparency around package validity, supported networks and out-of-bundle pricing at the point of purchase. Travelers who prioritize the lowest possible data cost may still find local SIMs or travel eSIMs more attractive; those who value keeping their Armenian number and avoiding a second connectivity setup may see Ucom’s expanding roaming network as the simpler option.