Starting today, Google Project Fi subscribers who use data abroad can expect between 10 and 20 times faster data connections thanks to a new deal with Hutchinson Whampoa, the parent company to Three in the UK.
GSMA, also known as the entity that produces Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo each year, seems to be onto something. And by "something," we mean "getting 24 carriers around the globe to agree on a single point." That's no easy feat, mind you, and the latest release from Shanghai asserts that 24 operator groups have agreed to implement new measures in order to better inform jetsetters about data roaming rates when they land. America Movil, AT&T, China Mobile, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom-Orange, Hutchison 3 Group, SoftBank Mobile Corp., Verizon Communications, VimpelCom and Vodafone Group (among others) are all onboard, with the following measures to go into effect by the end of 2012. For one, texts will be sent to remind customers of their data roaming tariffs when they arrive in another country, and there will also be a monthly data roaming spending limit paired with the ability to "temporarily suspend" one's data when usage exceeds said threshold. Of course, alerting users to how they're about to be hosed only seems like part of the issue. Till that's addressed, we'll keep carrying an Xcom Global MiFi or hunting for a local SIM upon arrival.
24 wireless operators agree on data roaming alert mechanisms, do nothing about actual roaming rates originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments 
Three UK is doing its best to stop you getting bill shock on your holidays by introducing a flat rate for European data roaming. The Euro Internet Pass will allow users to consume unlimited information in any "supported country" on the continent for £5 ($8) per day. Users can start using the plan from today, simply by texting the operator when you arrive at your destination, flip-flops in hand. There are some caveats however, the allocation lasts until midnight UK time, streaming probably won't work and you aren't allowed to use tethering -- your office will just have to struggle on without you.
Continue reading Three UK offers flat-rate plan for unlimited European data roaming
Three UK offers flat-rate plan for unlimited European data roaming originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 06:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments 
Could it be? Is AT&T addressing bill shock by simply trying to make international data roaming costs reasonable? From the looks of its new Data Global Add-On deals, that might be the case. The baseline price is up from last year at $30 per month, but you'll get 120MB of data for your trouble -- an amount that used to cost $50. The next step up not only costs less than before, at $60 versus the old $100, but ups the data ever so gently to 300MB in the process. AT&T's maximum allotment is still a relatively modest 800MB, but at $120 a month, it's a lot easier to swallow for a European vacation than the earlier $200 for the same data cap. The real advantage for all three may be the overage rate: rather than bill by the byte, AT&T is now charging $30 for every 120MB over your limit, so you won't have to fork over the equivalent of a car payment just because you couldn't resist posting to Instagram from the Alps. We still think dedicated international services like Xcom Global (or an unlocked phone and a prepaid SIM) are the most efficient ways to go, but the carrier-bound among us will catch a big break when the new international plans take effect June 1st.
Continue reading AT&T cuts prices on international data roaming, goes easier on overages
AT&T cuts prices on international data roaming, goes easier on overages originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
AT&T | Email this | Comments 
Verizon has just finished trotting out the last of its known 2012 Jetpack hotspots through the arrival of the ZTE-made model we saw back at CES in January. Now carrying a bit more Verizon red on the surface and a bit less Chinese in the name, the Jetpack 890L can share its 4G LTE sugar with as many as 10 WiFi devices at once. There's no removable battery like its Novatel-made Jetpack cousin, but you do get Global Ready (read: HSPA) roaming abroad. We're most liking the price. At $20 on a contract after a $50 mail-in rebate, the 890L will be the most frugal way to board the LTE hotspot train once it reaches stores on May 24th.
Verizon's ZTE-built Jetpack 890L 4G hotspot ships May 24th, promises globetrotting for $20 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 16:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink
Electronista | Verizon | Email this | Comments 
European Union countries already had a data roaming cutoff law in place to prevent bill shock after your next Balearic vacation, but the price of the data in question should get much cheaper very soon. The European Parliament has just voted 578 to 10 to cap the price customers pay at no more than 70 Euro cents (91 US cents) per megabyte starting from July 1st, with that price eventually dipping to 45 Euro cents (58c US) a year later and just 20 Euro cents (26 US cents) in 2014. Voice and text price caps are going down to as little as 19 and nine Euro cents (25 and 12 cents US) in that two-year span, and if you're visiting from outside the EU, you'll be glad to hear that the anti-bill shock rule will apply to you this year as well. So, while you still might want to avoid uploading large videos from your phone while in Spain, you'll at least have the option of checking in on Foursquare without having to take out a small mortgage.
Europe votes to cap data roaming prices, will make it cheaper to tweet from Ibiza originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 23:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkGigaOM | European Parliament | Email this | Comments