Why does an Atlantic archipelago this small need ten different islands?
Cape Verde sits 600 km off the West African coast and spans ten volcanic islands in two clusters — Barlavento in the north (São Vicente, Santo Antão, Sal, Boa Vista) and Sotavento in the south (Santiago, Fogo, Brava, Maio). Most resort travelers fly into Sal or Boa Vista; most island-hop travelers move between São Vicente and Santo Antão by ferry, or between Santiago and Fogo for the volcano. The connectivity question is whether your tariff stays attached as you cross those waters. Ours does.
Roamzy charges $18.02 per gigabyte in Cape Verde. That's $0.0176 per megabyte, billed in real time as your phone uses data on Cape Verdean networks. The wholesale rate here sits higher than mainland West Africa — that's the cost of running networks across an Atlantic archipelago. One per-MB rate across 193 countries means the same model — pay for what you used, balance carries.
How much will Roamzy actually cost on this trip?
Resort visitors to Sal and Boa Vista lean on hotel Wi-Fi heavily, with cellular for excursions and the occasional video call. Island-hop travelers use more — Google Maps, ferry timetables, the WhatsApp logistics with guides. Plan on 0.4–0.7 GB/day:
| Trip length | Roamzy ($18.02/GB) | Tourist roaming pass | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days (resort) | $36.45 (2 GB) | $45–110 | $10–25 + paperwork |
| 10 days (mixed) | $72.91 (4 GB) | $80–180 | $20–40 + 30-day cap |
| 2 weeks (multi-island) | $127.59 (7 GB) | $150–300 (often two passes) | $30–55 + 30-day cap |
Competitor prices in columns 3 and 4 are 2025 ranges based on typical offerings; exact figures depend on your home carrier and the airport store you visit. Roamzy's rate in column 2 is our actual published rate from the pricing page.
A local SIM at Amílcar Cabral on Sal or Aristides Pereira on Boa Vista is reasonable for longer multi-island trips. The trade-off is the queue, the paperwork, and that the SIM caps at 30 days regardless. For a one-week resort trip, the eSIM saves the queue and bills exactly what you used.
How does coverage span the islands?
| Island / area | 4G | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Sal (Santa Maria, Espargos) | 4G | Solid across the resort strip and the airport corridor |
| Boa Vista (Sal Rei, Praia de Chaves) | 4G | Reliable in Sal Rei; weakening on the desert tracks |
| São Vicente (Mindelo) | 4G | Workable across the city and along the coastal road |
| Santo Antão (Ribeira Grande, Paul valley) | 3G/4G | Patchy on the mountain roads; the Cova caldera drops out |
| Santiago (Praia, Cidade Velha) | 4G | Stable in the capital and along the southern coast |
| Fogo (Pico do Fogo, Chã das Caldeiras) | 3G/4G | Workable in São Filipe; the volcano summit is signal-light |
| Inter-island ferry (CV Interilhas) | Partial 4G | Signal at both ends; mid-channel drops are normal |
The volcanic interiors of Santo Antão and Fogo are where you'll lose signal most predictably. The roads are spectacular and the network thin. Offline maps cover the gap.
What you'll feel about Cape Verde specifically
- Trade winds and dry seasons. Sal and Boa Vista are functional desert islands; bring offline maps for the dunes if you're heading off the resort road.
- Portuguese on signs, Crioulo in the markets. The translator camera helps; pre-cache the language pack on Wi-Fi.
- The ferry from São Vicente to Santo Antão is the start of the country's most photogenic drive. Signal at both ports, partial in the strait.
- Card payments are widespread on Sal and Boa Vista, mixed elsewhere. Bring some CVE cash for smaller transactions.
- Internal flights between Praia and Sal or Boa Vista are short hops; the eSIM re-attaches on landing.
How do I install my Roamzy eSIM?
| Plug type | Voltage | Frequency | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type C, F | 230 V | 50 Hz | iPhone XS+ | Pixel 3+, Galaxy S20+ |
- Sign in to Roamzy via Telegram or Google
- Top up the eSIM with a minimum of 20 USDT — stablecoins, no cards, no banks, no FX surcharges
- The QR code appears in the dashboard once payment confirms
- Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → scan QR (on home Wi-Fi before flying)
- The counter starts on landing at SID (Sal), BVC (Boa Vista), VXE (São Vicente), or RAI (Praia)
Supported stablecoins, networks, and common iPhone/Android setup errors are in the FAQ.
What are Roamzy's honest limitations?
Three traps Roamzy doesn't have, because they were never built in.
- No welcome promo that flips on the second top-up. Top-up #1 and top-up #20 cost the same per megabyte.
- No fine-print throttling on the ferry day. One rate, full speed when you have signal.
- No auto-renewal you forgot to cancel before flying back. Balance runs out, the eSIM stops.
It's not a marketing gimmick — it's an engineering decision born from indifference to gimmicks. You can't make a tariff cheaper than no fine-print and no expiry — so we don't.
What if my route extends to other countries?
- Portugal — most common return-leg, frequent direct flights to Lisbon
- Senegal — short hop east to the West African mainland
- If you want the underlying mechanics — how roaming actually gets priced and why it hurts