Roaming networks work by passing two things between companies: permission, then records. When you present your app or card at another network’s charger, the charger asks its operator, the operator asks your provider whether your account may charge, and the session starts only when the answer comes back yes. Afterwards the session record — energy, time, charger, price basis — travels the same route in reverse, so your provider can bill you and settle with the operator behind the scenes.
Key Takeaways
- Roaming is an exchange: an authorisation goes out before the session, a session record comes back after it.
- Networks connect directly, pair by pair, or through a hub that links many members with one connection each.
- The driver is billed by their own provider at the provider’s price for that station; companies settle between themselves.
- Only networked chargers can roam — the connection lives in the platform above the hardware.
One Roaming Session, Step by Step
| Step | What happens | Who acts |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Credential presented | You tap an RFID card or start from an app at a charger on a partner network | Driver |
| 2. Charger asks its operator | The charger sends the credential to the platform it reports to | Charger and operator (CPO) |
| 3. Operator asks your provider | The authorisation request crosses to your provider, directly or through an intermediary connection | CPO platform and provider (eMSP) |
| 4. Answer returns | Your provider confirms or refuses the account; the charger starts, or shows why not | Provider, then charger |
| 5. Session runs and is recorded | Energy, start and end time, charger identity and price basis are logged as the session record | Charger and operator |
| 6. Record and money settle | The record goes to your provider, which bills you and settles with the operator on the cycle their agreement sets | Provider and operator |
The charger-to-platform leg runs on the charger’s own protocol — the layer covered by our OCPP explainer for operator hardware. Roaming happens one level up, between the platforms, using shared roaming protocols and formats so different companies’ systems can understand the same request and the same session record.
Two Ways Networks Connect
Behind step 3 there are two connection models, and most large networks use both:
| Model | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Direct (bilateral) agreements | Each operator–provider pair connects its own platforms and settles its own terms | Full control over terms with each partner, but every new partner is a new connection to build and maintain |
| Through a hub | Both sides connect once to an intermediary platform, which passes authorisations and records between all its members | One connection reaches many partners, on the hub’s standard terms rather than pair-by-pair terms |
Either way, the driver’s experience is the same — which is the point. What changes is behind the platforms: how many agreements a network maintains, whose price rules apply to a session, and how settlement is grouped. The price you pay is your provider’s price for that station, which is why it can differ from the price posted on the charger, as the public charging pricing models show.
The Hardware Side of Roaming
No agreement can roam a charger that is not connected. A station joins roaming when it reports sessions to its operator’s platform and can authorise credentials issued by others. In the EVDANCE range, the EV-AC03201T dual-connector AC station and the EV-RHDC30K-L compact DC fast charger state OCPP 1.6J with RFID authorisation, which is the hardware basis operators build roaming on. EVDANCE manufactures that hardware and operates no roaming service; roaming itself is arranged between operators and providers. Network projects can start from our commercial charging solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my provider charge a different price than the station showed?
On a roaming session your bill comes from your provider, at the price it sets for that station — which can differ from the operator’s posted price. Check the price in your app before you start, not only the price on the charger.
Do all charging networks roam with each other?
No. A charger is reachable only where an agreement — direct or through a hub — connects its operator with your provider. Coverage grows agreement by agreement, which is why a station appears in one app and not another.
What information about me crosses to the other network?
What the session needs: the credential check, and the session record of energy, time, charger and price basis used for billing and settlement. The detail is set by the roaming agreement and each side’s privacy terms — your provider remains the company that holds your account and your bill.
Related Reading
- OCPP Explained: What Charge Point Operators Need From EV Charger Hardware
- How Much Do EV Charging Stations Charge? Pricing Models Explained
- What Is an RFID Card for EV Charging?
- Can You Use Any EV Charging Station?
