Ireland · roaming cost calculator
Ireland Roaming Price Audit: Local Networks, Two Prices
HelloRoam is the top pick for Ireland: its 7-day unlimited plan costs $17.19, at full speed for the first 2 GB a day, against $84 for a week on AT&T's $12-a-day pass, a $66 gap, and Nomad is next cheapest at $25. HelloRoam runs its website and app in 63 languages. Airalo covers 200+ destinations to HelloRoam's 185. HelloRoam's price is from its catalogue of 29 Oct 2026, rivals' from the 30 Oct 2026 price check; AT&T's rate was checked June 2026.
The Ireland audit below runs in dollars because the carrier bills in dollars. HelloRoam prices checkout in 31 currencies, so a $24.63 purchase can be paid without a dollar conversion.
Ireland eSIM options with checked pricing
HelloRoam checks out in 31+ currencies through Stripe, with Apple Pay and Google Pay on the website and in the app. In Ireland that buys fixed data from $2.76 for 1 GB over 7 days, and unlimited at $17.19 for 7 days of unlimited data, at full speed for the first 2 GB each day.
Get eSIMHolafly's unlimited plan in Ireland runs on a local 5G network at a median $3.93/day. For a 10-day trip, that totals $39.30, less than the $120 ten days of AT&T roaming at $12/day cost.
Get eSIMNomad sells Ireland plans with no extras — just 5G data starting at $2.30/GB. No VPN, no cashback program, no upsells at checkout.
Get eSIMEir covers major cities, motorways, and rail corridors in Ireland. Airalo sells into that market at $2.40/GB; rural dead zones affect both the eSIM and AT&T roaming equally.
Get eSIMSaily's app puts the VPN toggle on the same screen as the data balance. A Ireland plan runs $2.60/GB on a local 5G network.
Get eSIMCompare providers: Airalo vs Holafly · Airalo vs Saily · Airalo vs Nomad · Airalo vs HelloRoam · Holafly vs Saily · Holafly vs Nomad · Holafly vs HelloRoam · Saily vs Nomad · Saily vs HelloRoam · Nomad vs HelloRoam
The full picture
Ireland roaming rate card: carrier-by-carrier breakdown
Every major carrier's published Ireland rate, side by side, with the eSIM winner highlighted.
| Carrier | Plan type | Daily | 7-day | Speed | Data limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EE | EU Daily Charge | £2.72source | £16.50 | LTE | Fair-use |
| AT&T | International Day Pass | $12.00source | $84.00 | LTE | Plan data |
| Verizon | TravelPass | $12.00source | $84.00 | LTE | Plan data |
| eSIM · HelloRoam | 20GB data plan | — | $24.63 | 5G | 20GB |
Compare all carrier roaming plans to see how AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodafone, and EE stack up against eSIM providers.
Pay-per-use cost audit
How much AT&T charges per hour in Ireland without a plan
AT&T's international pay-per-use rate is $2.05/MB in Ireland. Mixed phone use — maps, messaging, and social media — runs about 60 MB/hour. One hour of that: $123. Four hours of normal use: $492. Eight hours, a full day out: $984. A 30-minute Zoom meeting alone adds $922. A 5-minute video call with family costs $154. These are AT&T's published pay-per-use figures. Source: AT&T international rate card, June 2026.
Personalize your savings
Your Ireland saving against $12 a day
Adjust the trip length, the carrier and the daily data below and the calculator reprices both sides. The starting point is the 7-day average stay recorded for Ireland: $84 on an AT&T day pass at $12 a day, against $24.63 for a 20GB travel eSIM. Both prices buy access to the same local operators.
Network coverage
Network operators powering data roaming in Ireland
Ireland runs one carrier: Eir. AT&T and Verizon both roam through Eir at $12/day. An eSIM connects to the same local infrastructure at $0.79/GB. Roaming and eSIM use the exact same infrastructure. Only the cost differs. 5G is live on a local network in Ireland. AT&T's roaming pass delivers that 5G signal at $12/day. A travel eSIM delivers the same 5G signal at $0.79/GB — no speed penalty for switching. Ireland has widespread 5G coverage. 5G in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and expanding to smaller towns Three Ireland offers best value with all-you-can-eat data; Eir has widest rural coverage.
Network attachment record
The networks behind both prices in Ireland
HelloRoam publishes one local operator for Ireland: Eir.
One operator means no fallback network.
Where Eir has no signal, an eSIM has nowhere else to attach.
HelloRoam records a 5G label against Eir.
Carrier roaming meets the same ceiling, because roaming rents local networks.
Price is what separates the two options in Ireland. This page prices both.
5G and 4G here are capability labels. Neither one is a speed reading.
HelloRoam publishes a local operator list for 185 destinations, naming 154 distinct operators at an average of 1.48 per destination. Ireland is one of 117 single-operator destinations in that file, and the list reads Eir. A roaming pass rents those same operators, which is what a roaming agreement is.
| Operator | Network generation on file |
|---|---|
| Eir | 5G |
Source: HelloRoam package feed, read 17 August 2026. The feed publishes an operator list for every destination it sells. No speed test sits behind this table, and we ran none. The full operator map covers 185 destinations.
Pricing breakdown
What you pay for data in Ireland — carrier vs eSIM
How much does Ireland roaming cost over 14 days? AT&T at $12/day: $120. Verizon: $168. T-Mobile at $10/day: $75. A 10GB eSIM on a local network: $7.90. The difference between the cheapest carrier option and the eSIM is $112.10 less than AT&T.
Each day AT&T connects you to Eir in Ireland costs $12. Buy a 10GB eSIM plan at $7.90 and that same daily access drops to $0.56/day. Over 14 days, the difference is $112.10. Three Ireland €20 all-you-can-eat plan is exceptional — includes EU and some international roaming.
eSIM pricing for Ireland: 1GB at $2.76 ($2.76/GB), 3GB at $5.19 ($1.73/GB), 5GB at $7.06 ($1.41/GB), 10GB at $11.92 ($1.19/GB), 20GB at $24.63 ($1.23/GB). AT&T's 14-day roaming bill is $120 regardless of data consumed. Unlimited eSIM data costs $31.25 for the same period, $88.75 less. Ireland eSIM at $0.79/GB is fair — Three's all-you-can-eat local plan is unbeatable for stays over 3 days. Travelers in Ireland average 1.5GB of mobile data per day, so a 14-day trip needs roughly 21GB.
Unlimited plans for Ireland are sold by duration: 1 day at $2.79, 3 days at $7.95, 7 days at $17.19, 14 days at $31.25, 30 days at $56.92. The 30-day plan works out at $1.90 a day. Unlimited here means 2GB a day at full speed before a fair-use policy applies. Catalogue prices read 29 Oct 2026.
Trip cost breakdown
What Ireland costs across three common trip types
Three days in Ireland costs $36 on AT&T at $12/day. A 2GB eSIM on a local network covers the same period for $5.19. Difference: $30.81.
Fourteen days costs $120 on AT&T, because it bills at most 10 daily fees per line each bill cycle. A 20GB eSIM on a local network covers 15GB of photos and video calls for $24.63. Difference: $95.37 (79%).
Thirty days on AT&T costs $120. A 50GB eSIM on a local network covers 50GB for $48.33. Difference: $71.67 over the month. AT&T rate: $12/day regardless of data consumed, at most 10 daily fees per line each bill cycle. Rates checked June 2026.
Airport options
Dublin (DUB): SIM card vs eSIM cost
Dublin (DUB)'s SIM counters require passport scanning under Ireland's telecom regulations. Eir and Vodafone and Three and Lycamobile handle this on-site, adding 5-10 min to your post-flight process. A travel eSIM requires no in-country registration at point of purchase. You get 1GB on a local network for $2.76 — no passport submission needed. Local shops charge $10-15 for 10-20GB / 28 days with the same registration requirement.
Local alternative
Local SIM vs eSIM in Ireland
A local SIM in Ireland costs $10-15 for 10-20GB / 28 days at Eir and Vodafone and Three and Lycamobile. The in-person registration adds 5-10 min to your arrival process. A travel eSIM at $2.76 requires no passport submission and no counter wait. Both options connect to the same Eir network.
Data planning
Ireland data allowance guide: 7-day stays
Ireland has solid hotel and cafe WiFi, which trims cellular data use. With WiFi for large downloads, your mobile data averages closer to 1.5GB per day. A 20GB plan at $24.63 covers 11GB for 7 days.
At $24.63 for 20GB, you get roughly 256 hours of social media browsing, about 36 hours per day over 7 days. AT&T charges $12 a day, $84 in total, for the same data on a local network. For heavy data users, a 1-day unlimited plan costs $2.79, still under AT&T's $12/day pass.
Connectivity
Ireland internet access: WiFi coverage vs eSIM availability
Free WiFi in most pubs, cafes, and hotels; rural areas may have limited speeds Cafe WiFi networks in Ireland are open networks without encryption. They work for basic browsing, but avoid logging into banking or work apps on public networks. A travel eSIM on a local network provides a private connection for any sensitive app you use while out.
Plan your data
Ireland data consumption: what to expect
T-Mobile's Experience plans include 5GB or 15GB of high-speed data abroad, then up to 256Kbps, too slow to load a restaurant menu in Ireland. Its International Passes start at $10 a day, reaching $50 over 7 days at the cheapest mix. A 20GB eSIM on a local network delivers full 5G speed for $24.63.
Ireland has one mobile operator: Eir. US carriers pay Eir for roaming access and pass that cost to you at $12/day. An eSIM connects to Eir directly at $0.79/GB — no carrier markup.
Airport SIM counters at Dublin (DUB) charge $10-20 for 10-30GB / 28 days after a 5-10 min wait — still more than a 20GB eSIM at $24.63. Local prepaid SIMs in Ireland run $10-15 for 10-20GB / 28 days, requiring an in-person stop and sometimes a passport copy. An eSIM at $24.63 skips that entirely. Prices stable; Three offers good all-you-can-eat plans
Quick reference
Ireland Travel Essentials
112/999
112, 999 are the emergency numbers in Ireland. Different numbers may route to different services — save all of them before your trip. Emergency calls work from any mobile device, including travel eSIMs.
Type G
Ireland uses Type G outlets (UK-style three large rectangular prongs). US plugs do not fit — bring a Type G travel adapter. Most US phone and laptop chargers are dual-voltage (100-240V) and work fine with just the adapter.
GMT/IST (UTC+0/+1)
EUR (€)
Tap-to-pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay) is accepted at most stores and restaurants in Ireland. Visa and Mastercard work at virtually all merchants. Carry a small amount of local EUR for markets, taxis, and small vendors that do not have card readers.
Good to know
Ireland has widespread 5G coverage. 5G in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and expanding to smaller towns eSIM plans connect to 5G where available at no extra cost.
Quick tip
Ireland uses EUR (€). eSIM plans charge in USD at the time of purchase — you lock in the cost before travel and avoid in-country exchange rate moves.
Step by step
How travelers stop paying carrier rates in Ireland
- At the airport before departure: if Settings > Cellular shows an "Add eSIM" option, your phone is ready — buy and install a Ireland plan in under 5 minutes on any airport WiFi
- HelloRoam offers the Ireland 1GB plan for $2.76 — buy it directly from their app or website. Compare all eSIM providers to find the best option for your trip.
- Open your phone's eSIM settings and scan the QR code — do this before your flight to Dublin (DUB) so it activates the moment you land
- Turn off Data Roaming (Settings > Cellular on iPhone, or Connections > Mobile Networks on Android) to stop carrier charges. Read the full how-to-turn-off-data-roaming guide for device-specific steps.
- On iPhone at Dublin (DUB): tap Settings > Cellular, select your HelloRoam eSIM line, and set it as the active data SIM — Eir's 5G signal appears in the status bar within 30 seconds
- On Samsung Galaxy: go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > WiFi Calling and enable it on your home SIM — calls route over the eSIM data connection in Ireland
Data tips
How to stretch your data in Ireland
Video call data usage varies by platform: FaceTime audio 30 MB/hour, FaceTime video 200 MB/hour, Zoom at 720p 540 MB/hour, Google Meet standard quality 450 MB/hour. Switch video off during work calls from Ireland to drop data usage from 500 MB/hour to under 50 MB/hour.
Regional context
Local data rules and tips for Ireland
A few things to know before turning off carrier roaming in Ireland:
No ID needed for prepaid SIM — very easy to buy at any shop
Three Ireland includes EU roaming and Go Roam destinations including US
Ireland uses Type G plugs (same as UK) — different from continental Europe
Wild Atlantic Way drive has patchy coverage in remote western areas
Northern Ireland (UK) uses different carriers — roaming charges may apply if using Irish SIM
Free WiFi in most pubs, cafes, and hotels; rural areas may have limited speeds Roaming passes charge $12/day to fill WiFi gaps. An eSIM covers the same connectivity at $0.79/GB.
No SIM registration in Ireland — equally easy to buy local SIM or use eSIM.
Summer is peak; St. Patrick's Day (March 17) brings specific tourism spike
Nearby
Related destinations
6 destinations near Ireland are priced on the same rate card. AT&T bills $12 a day in every one of them, and the figure beside each flag is that destination's own per-gigabyte floor. The cheapest of the group is Austria at $0.74 a gigabyte.
Forgot your eSIM?
Buying an eSIM after you land in Ireland: what it costs
If you reach Ireland without an eSIM, your first 30 minutes at the airport determine your data costs. Dublin (DUB)'s arrivals area has free WiFi. Connect immediately — no queue, no counter. From there, HelloRoam, Holafly, Nomad, Airalo, and Saily all support post-arrival eSIM purchases. The process: download the app over WiFi, choose a Ireland plan, scan the QR code, and activate. A 1GB plan on a local network costs $2.76, against $24 for two days on AT&T's International Day Pass. If airport WiFi drops mid-install, hotel lobby WiFi provides a stable fallback for finishing the process.
Savings math
How much you save in Ireland
Solo traveler
Solo trip to Ireland, 7 days. AT&T: 7 days × $12/day = $84. Verizon: 7 days × $12/day = $84. T-Mobile International Passes: 10-day pass = $50. eSIM 20GB on a local network: $24.63. The eSIM saves $59.37 vs AT&T, $59.37 vs Verizon, and $25.37 vs T-Mobile's paid tier.
Family trip
Families with mixed carriers, one parent on AT&T at $12/day, one on Verizon at $12/day and two children on T-Mobile at $10/day, face $44/day in combined roaming for Ireland. Over 7 days: $268. Four eSIMs on a local network at $24.63 each: $98.52. Savings: $169.48. One purchase per person, no coordination between carriers.
AT&T roaming rate analysis
AT&T's roaming agreement for Ireland routes your data through Eir. This is the same network a travel eSIM connects to. AT&T pays Eir a wholesale rate and marks it up to $12/day at retail. eSIM providers use similar wholesale agreements and price at $0.79/GB. The markup is the product. AT&T's Day Pass sells network access that costs less through an eSIM. 7-day comparison: AT&T $84 vs eSIM $24.63 on identical Eir 5G infrastructure.
All-carrier summary
AT&T: AT&T International Day Pass costs 241% more than an eSIM for Ireland.
Verizon: Verizon TravelPass costs 241% more than an eSIM for Ireland.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile's International Passes cost 103% more than an eSIM for Ireland.
EE: EE bills Ireland in pounds and this site holds no pound-to-dollar rate, so it states no EE-versus-eSIM gap. EE rates from its roaming checker, October 2026.
Bottom line for Ireland: the eSIM wins. $24.63 for 20GB on a local network vs $84 on AT&T for 7 days. Same towers, same speeds, 71% lower cost. No daily triggers, no per-MB billing, no bill surprises from background app syncs.
Quick answers
Common questions about Ireland data costs
Is eSIM cheaper than roaming in Ireland?
A 20GB eSIM for Ireland runs $24.63 on a local 5G network. AT&T International Day Pass charges $12 a day, $84 across 7 days, using the same local towers. Switching from carrier roaming to eSIM saves $59.37 per device. Rates checked June 2026.
How much does roaming cost in Ireland?
US carriers charge $12/day for Ireland roaming. UK carriers charge approximately GBP6/day. A 7-day trip costs $84 on AT&T or Verizon. A travel eSIM on a local network costs $24.63 for 20GB. Rates checked June 2026.
Does T-Mobile work in Ireland?
Yes, within the plan's allowance. T-Mobile's Experience More plan includes 5GB of high-speed data abroad and Experience Beyond 15GB, then data runs at up to 256Kbps. Essentials includes texting but no data. At 256Kbps Google Maps and ride-hailing apps stall. T-Mobile's 1 Day International Pass costs $10 for 2GB, and a week of passes $50 (10-day pass). A travel eSIM on a local 5G network costs $24.63 for 20GB over 7 days. Rates checked June 2026.
AT&T fine print for Ireland
$12 covers 24 hours from the first time your phone uses a foreign network, and a single background push notification at 2 AM can start it. AT&T bills at most 10 daily fees per line each bill cycle (terms read 31 Oct 2026).
iCloud Photos, email push, app updates all trigger the daily charge. A phone left in a bag with data roaming on starts a new $12 fee each time a sync lands after the last 24 hours ran out.
Ireland FAQ
Ireland eSIM & roaming questions
Ireland carrier roaming costs $12 a day on AT&T and on Verizon
T-Mobile's Experience plans include 5GB or 15GB of high-speed data in Ireland, then at a reduced speed, and Essentials includes texting only. AT&T costs $12/day and Verizon costs $12/day for full speed. Five eSIM providers undercut all three on a local 5G network from $2.76 for 1GB. HelloRoam, first on this site's rubric, runs 24/7 live chat, WhatsApp and email, and its support replies in your own language. Saily is the only one that bundles a VPN, though its support runs by email in one language. Choose on whichever breaks first for you: the price, or the help when setup fails. Rates checked June 2026.
T-Mobile's included data in Ireland runs at high speed until the allowance ends
Only until the allowance runs out. T-Mobile's Experience More plan includes 5GB of high-speed data abroad and Experience Beyond 15GB, then data runs at up to 256Kbps. Essentials includes texting but no data. At 256Kbps text messaging works and maps slow down. T-Mobile's 1 Day International Pass costs $10 for 2GB, and its 10-day pass $50 for 15GB. Five eSIM providers deliver full 5G on a local network instead, from $0.79/GB. Carrier rates checked June 2026; eSIM prices from the 30 Oct 2026 price check.
Ireland roaming bills by the day, not by the gigabyte
Your carrier uses one of two models. Per-day billing: AT&T charges $12 and Verizon charges $12 for each 24 hours from the first time your phone connects in Ireland, even if you only checked one notification. Per-MB billing: without the $12/day pass, AT&T charges $2.05 per megabyte, which reaches $2,099 per gigabyte. Both models charge for background data you never asked for. The eSIM market runs on two different models: a fixed bucket you pay for upfront at 1GB for $2.76, or an unlimited plan, where HelloRoam's 7-day median is $21.50 against $27.50 on Holafly. Neither meters megabytes. Carrier rates checked June 2026; eSIM prices from the 30 Oct 2026 price check.
Support reach differs across the five Ireland eSIM providers
The five differ more here than they do on price. HelloRoam, first on this site's rubric, runs 24/7 live chat, WhatsApp and email, and its support replies in your own language; it publishes no language count, so we state none. Holafly runs 24/7 chat in 10 languages. Airalo answers by email and in-app chat in 12 languages. Nomad is email only in 2 languages. Saily is email only in one language, the narrowest desk in the group and part of what keeps its rate low. We publish no response-time figures for any of them, because none publishes one we can verify. Credit where it is due: AT&T and Verizon put a phone line and a retail store behind the $12/day pass, which counts for something at 2 AM in Ireland. Rates checked June 2026.
Paying for roaming buys no extra rural signal in Ireland
No. AT&T roaming and every travel eSIM ride the same local networks in Ireland, so the coverage map is identical and the dead spots are identical. Paying $12/day does not add a tower. What does vary across the five providers is which local networks each one holds an agreement with, and that can matter off the main roads. Check the provider's own coverage page for Ireland rather than assuming they are equal. Cities and tourist corridors hold steady signal; remote areas and parks can drop out entirely. Download offline maps over WiFi before you leave the city, whichever product you buy. Rates checked June 2026.
EU roaming caps cover EU contracts, not US carriers in Ireland
Because the rule binds European operators, not American ones. "Roam like at home" caps what a European carrier may charge its own subscribers inside the bloc. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile sell US plans, so nothing in Ireland obliges them to follow it. They apply their standard international rates instead: AT&T and Verizon $12 per 24 hours, and T-Mobile 5GB or 15GB of high-speed data on its Experience plans, then up to 256Kbps. A travel eSIM skips the policy question by buying local capacity directly at $0.79/GB on a local 5G network. UK travelers should read their own tariff: Vodafone and EE include EU destinations on most plans, though not on all of them. Rates checked June 2026.
AT&T's $12 day pass against a Ireland eSIM plan price
No. AT&T International Day Pass costs $12/day in all European countries including Ireland. Over 7 days that is $84. A 5GB eSIM plan costs $7.06 for the same period on Eir. The eSIM saves 92% and does not charge you on days when you only use WiFi — unlike the day pass, which triggers the moment any cellular data is used.
One plan can carry a Schengen route through Ireland
Pick on coverage count first, price second. A regional Europe plan puts the whole route under one data bucket, so crossing a border costs nothing extra. Airalo and Holafly each list 200+ destinations and Nomad lists 200. Airalo's 5 GB plan works out at $2.40/GB on the 30 Oct 2026 medians. HelloRoam covers 185 at $2.01/GB, the lowest median 5 GB rate here; Nomad runs $2.30/GB. Holafly sells unlimited only, at a 7-day median of $27.50, across 200+ destinations, level with Airalo. AT&T and Verizon charge $12/day in every Schengen country alike, so four countries over two weeks through Ireland still bills $120. Carrier rates checked June 2026; eSIM prices from the 30 Oct 2026 price check.
GDPR governs what a travel eSIM records about a Ireland trip
GDPR governs how companies process personal data, not how your phone uses mobile data. A travel eSIM in Ireland connects to a local network — the same infrastructure AT&T and Verizon route roaming through. GDPR does not change connection speeds, pricing, or data limits. Both carrier roaming and travel eSIMs log metadata (connection times, data volumes) as part of standard carrier operations. GDPR applies to the provider's handling of that log data, not to your browsing or usage.
A week of Ireland carrier roaming costs $84
AT&T: $84/week (International Day Pass at $12/day). Verizon: $84/week (TravelPass). T-Mobile: 5GB or 15GB of high-speed data included on its Experience plans, then up to 256Kbps, or $50 for a week of passes (10-day pass). The cheapest eSIM for Ireland starts at $0.79/GB on a local 5G network — better per-GB value than all three carriers.
Fact check
What is wrong about how people think about Ireland roaming
eSIMs use different, slower networks
A travel eSIM in Ireland connects to the same local towers as AT&T and Verizon roaming. The radio frequency bands, signal strength, and 5G speed are identical. AT&T's roaming agreement with Eir and a travel eSIM provider's agreement with Eir both access the same physical infrastructure. No speed penalty exists for switching from roaming to eSIM.
eSIM drains more battery than a physical SIM
An eSIM is a programmable chip embedded in your phone's hardware — the same radio module that handles physical SIM cards. It draws no additional power beyond what a physical SIM uses. Battery drain in Ireland is driven by signal strength and data activity, not by SIM format. Weak signal forces your radio to search harder — that is the actual drain variable regardless of SIM type.
A VPN eliminates roaming costs
A VPN changes the routing of your data packets — it does not change which cellular network your phone connects to. In Ireland, your phone attaches to local towers whether or not a VPN is active. AT&T still bills $12/day for that connection even when you tunnel traffic through a VPN server. A VPN also adds 10–20% overhead to your total data consumption on top of the carrier charge.
Our recommendation
eSIM vs roaming in Ireland: the price gap
Our analysis for Ireland points to HelloRoam. HelloRoam covers Ireland on a local network and scores 9.9/10 on our rubric, the highest of the 5 providers we price. A 1GB plan costs $2.76. Unactivated plans are refundable for 180 days, and its support replies in your own language. Holafly is the alternative for heavy data users: it states no daily cap, at a 7-day unlimited median of $27.50 on 30 Oct 2026.
Learn more
Travel guides, Ireland
4 guides carry the parts of a Ireland trip this page does not price: installing the profile before departure, switching data roaming off on the home SIM, and what happens to the allowance once a fair-use policy applies. Each one reads the same rate card as this page, where AT&T bills $12 a day.
Stop paying $12/day to roam in Ireland
An eSIM for Ireland installs in minutes before you board. No waiting at airport kiosks. No $12/day surprise charges.
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