Move to end Bill Shock: Telecoms Slash Data Roaming

(Cross posted between my travel and telecom blogs)

Over the past 18 months or so the telecom industry has been
slowly going through a subtle change that affects travelers.

Back in December 2012 Telecom [New
Zealand] announced a breakthrough new approach to international data roaming
that will slash costs for travellers when using their
smartphones and other mobile devices overseas.

A feature is a flat daily rate for
data roaming by postpaid customers across major travel markets. Australia
roaming will start at a specially reduced rate of $6 a day (Telecom will review
the rate in mid 2013). Customers will pay just $10 a
day flat rate for data while travelling in the UK, USA, Canada, China, Hong
Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia. Telecom’s fair use policy applies to
these rates.

Telecom’s CEO, Simon Moutter, said the flat rate would make it much simpler for
customers to understand data roaming costs and would give them the freedom to
make use of their smartphones in the same way they would at home.

“We know data roaming charges have
been a pain-point for customers – personally, it was a real bugbear of mine as
a customer before I joined Telecom earlier this year. A flat fee provides
certainty and puts an end to concerns about nasty bill shocks on your return
home.

“It’s also much simpler to follow
than any usage-based system – as most customers don’t really know how quickly
their phone apps will chew through 1MB, 10MB or 100MB.”

               

Now other companies have started to follow suit:

On October 20, 2013 “T-Mobile changed
the way you can use your smartphone in more than 100 foreign countries” with
their T-Mobile's
New Global Roaming. While T-Mobile’s Simple
Choice plan allows certain customers to roam in about 116 countries as if
they were at home.

In March 2014 T-Mobile added 7
countries to Simple Choice Global International roaming list so it is now
122 countries.

MTN cuts cost of roaming
across own 'footprint' MTN has introduced its Roam like Home service that
enables all its customers to keep in touch with family and friends at
affordable rates while travelling in any of the 21 countries that it operates in.

Now the EU
parliament votes to abolish roaming end to mobile roaming charges across
the EU by 2016, if it is approved by all the member countries.

So, now with only a few SIM cards you can now have unlimited
calling and flat rate data in 145 countries:

Country	Telecom NZ SIM	T-Mobile USA Simple Choice SIM	Any MTN SIM	Any EU Carrier
Afghanistan		T-Mobile	as Investcom
Aland Islands		T-Mobile
Anguilla		T-Mobile
Antigua and Barbuda		T-Mobile
Argentina		T-Mobile
Armenia		T-Mobile
Aruba		T-Mobile
Australia		T-Mobile
Austria		T-Mobile		in 2016
Bahrain		T-Mobile
Barbados		T-Mobile
Belgium		T-Mobile		in 2016
Benin			as Investcom
Bermuda		T-Mobile
Bolivia		T-Mobile
Bonaire		T-Mobile
Botswana			as Botswana Mascom
Brazil		T-Mobile
British Virgin Islands		T-Mobile
Bulgaria		T-Mobile		in 2016
Cambodia		T-Mobile
Cameroon			as MTN Cameroon
Canada	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Canary Islands		T-Mobile
Cayman Islands		T-Mobile
Chile		T-Mobile
China	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Christmas Island		T-Mobile
Colombia		T-Mobile
Costa Rica		T-Mobile
Cote d'Ivoire			as MTN Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia				in 2016
Curacao (Netherlands/Dutch Antilles)		T-Mobile
Cyprus		T-Mobile	as MTN Cyprus	in 2016
Czech Republic		T-Mobile		in 2016
Denmark		T-Mobile		in 2016
Dominica		T-Mobile
Dominican Republic		T-Mobile
Easter Island		T-Mobile
Ecuador		T-Mobile
Egypt		T-Mobile
El Salvador		T-Mobile
Estonia		T-Mobile		in 2016
Faeroe Islands		T-Mobile
Finland		T-Mobile		in 2016
France		T-Mobile		in 2016
French Guiana		T-Mobile
Germany		T-Mobile		in 2016
Ghana		T-Mobile	as Investcom, MTN Ghana
Greece		T-Mobile		in 2016
Grenada		T-Mobile
Guadeloupe		T-Mobile
Guam		T-Mobile
Guatemala		T-Mobile
Guinea Bissau			as Investcom
Guyana		T-Mobile
Honduras		T-Mobile
Hong Kong	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Hungary		T-Mobile		in 2016
Iceland		T-Mobile
India		T-Mobile
Indonesia		T-Mobile
Iran			as MTN Irancell
Iraq		T-Mobile
Ireland		T-Mobile		in 2016
Israel		T-Mobile
Italy		T-Mobile		in 2016
Jamaica		T-Mobile
Japan		T-Mobile
Kenya		T-Mobile
Kuwait		T-Mobile
Latvia		T-Mobile		in 2016
Liberia			as Lonestar Cell
Lithuania		T-Mobile		in 2016
Luxembourg		T-Mobile		in 2016
Macau	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Malaysia		T-Mobile
Malta		T-Mobile		in 2016
Martinique		T-Mobile
Mexico		T-Mobile
Moldova		T-Mobile
Montserrat		T-Mobile
Netherlands		T-Mobile		in 2016
Netherlands Antilles		T-Mobile
New Zealand	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Nicaragua		T-Mobile
Nigeria			as MTN Nigeria
North America & Caribbean		T-Mobile
Northern Ireland		T-Mobile
Norway		T-Mobile
Pakistan		T-Mobile
Panama		T-Mobile
Peru		T-Mobile
Philippines		T-Mobile
Poland		T-Mobile		in 2016
Portugal		T-Mobile		in 2016
Qatar		T-Mobile
Republic of Congo			as MTN Congo SA
Republic of Guinea			as Investcom
Romania		T-Mobile		in 2016
Russia		T-Mobile
Rwanda			as MTN Rwanda
San Marino		T-Mobile
Saudi Arabia	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Scotland		T-Mobile
Singapore		T-Mobile
Sint Maarten		T-Mobile
Slovakia		T-Mobile		in 2016
Slovenia				in 2016
South Africa		T-Mobile	as MTN South Africa
South Korea		T-Mobile
South Sudan			as Investcom
Spain		T-Mobile		in 2016
Sri Lanka		T-Mobile
St. Barthelemy		T-Mobile
St. Kitts and Nevis		T-Mobile
St. Lucia		T-Mobile
St. Martin		T-Mobile
St. Vincent and the Grenadines		T-Mobile
Sudan			as Investcom
Suriname		T-Mobile
Svalbard		T-Mobile
Swaziland			as MTN Swaziland
Sweden		T-Mobile		in 2016
Switzerland		T-Mobile
Syria			as Investcom
Taiwan	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Thailand		T-Mobile
Trinidad and Tobago		T-Mobile
Turkey		T-Mobile
Turkmenistan (No Data network)		T-Mobile
Turks and Caicos Islands		T-Mobile
Uganda		T-Mobile	as MTN Uganda
UK	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile		in 2016
Ukraine		T-Mobile
United Arab Emirates		T-Mobile
Uruguay		T-Mobile
USA	Telecom NZ	T-Mobile
Vatican City		T-Mobile
Venezuela		T-Mobile
Vietnam		T-Mobile
Wales		T-Mobile
Yemen			as Investcom
Zambia		T-Mobile	as MTN Zambia

Electronic allowed on flights - wait the rules differ by airline and plane type

We have recently see the good news that  use from gate to gate as published: FAA to Allow Airlines to Expand Use of Personal Electronics 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta today announced that the FAA has determined that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight, and is immediately providing the airlines with implementation guidance. 

In general this means

The new rules generally add the ability for passengers to use their smartphones, e-readers, electronic games and tablets during taxi, takeoff and landing as long as they have the device in airplane mode with cellular service disabled. Voice calls will still be prohibited and laptops will still need to be stowed for taxi, takeoff and landing.

But, as an article on Yahoo FAA ruling on personal devices in flight leaves troubling safety questions points out:

Each airline will have to consult the FAA on tolerance testing, so eventually, regulations may vary not only by airline but by airplane type. Some devices will be allowed, but cell phones and other PEDs will not; some at certain phases of flight, but not at others; some modes may not be acceptable at all. Confused yet?

Trying to make this easier, NBC published this article Which airlines now allow electronic devices? showing the current status on American based airlines. But a quick look shows that the Yahoo article is correct it is still a bit confusing. Takeing a selection from the NBC article shows

• will now be permitted to use small PEDs during all phases of flight
• new rules on all domestic mainline flights arriving or departing within the 50 states
• portable electronic devices below 10,000 feet on mainline U.S. domestic flights

But in all cases regional airlines that provide branded service to the major ones are still on a case by case bases. So do not presume that because you could use your device on one segment of your trip that you will be able to on other segments.

Surviving a Plane Crash - hints from the sea

ABC world has a serious story  about How to Survive a Plane Crash based on

The impact of an airplane crash into the sea today on the Indonesian resort island of Bali snapped the jet into two pieces, but somehow all 108 people on board survived and had no serious injuries, according to a hospital official.  Watch the video at ABC

Now the story goes on to describe something that sounds like it should have been done by the MythBusters, but was actually done by its sister show Curiosity. Wikipedia describes the test:

On April 27, 2012, a team of scientists staged an airplane crash near Mexicali, Mexico. An unmanned Boeing 727-200, fitted with numerous cameras, crash-test dummies and other scientific instruments, was flown into the ground. The exercise was filmed for television. 

ABC describes the test as:

Discovery TV had a Boeing 727 equipped with more than a half a million dollars worth of crash test dummies, 38 specialized cameras and sensors, and a crew of incredibly daring pilots. The pilots, who'd donned parachutes, bailed out of a hatch in the back of the aircraft minutes before the huge jetliner careered into the ground in a horrific crash that tore the plane apart.

The photos from that test are at: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/plane-crash-pictures.htm  and they include this one:

Now this makes me realize that most of us do not actually watch or listen to the safety announcements on flights. This prompted Air New Zealand to put out this unique safety video

But after seeing the results of this Bali crash I think I will watch them a little more closely in the future.

Airline Seats: Priced per pound

In the past people complained at the idea that Ryanair passangers would have to pay to use the bathrooms on an airplane, and again when airlines reduced allowed checked luggage, charged for food/snacks on short flights.

Now we have a new twist in the "make the passenger pay" business model of airelines. It seems that Samoa Airlines is now not only charging passengers bast on the weight of their luggage but of themselves.

 

As shown in this article from the originally reported in The Sydney Morning Herald 

Airline to charge overweight passengers more 

"This is the fairest way of travelling," chief executive of Samoa Air, Chris Langton, told ABC Radio. "There are no extra fees in terms of excess baggage or anything – it is just a kilo is a kilo is a kilo."

Under the new system, Samoa Air passengers must type in their weight and the weight of their baggage into the online booking section of the airline's website. The rates vary depending on the distance flown: from $1 per kilogram on the airline's shortest domestic route to about $4.16 per kilogram for travel between Samoa and American Samoa. Passengers are then weighed again on scales at the airport, to check that they weren't fibbing online.

(I presume that these are AU$:  Today (3 April 2013) $US1 equals 0.95 Australian Dollars)


Or reported in the NY Daily News where I saw it:

Samoan airline to start charging fat people more to fly: report 

Samoa Air, which flies small planes, will begin charging passengers based on weight. 'This is the fairest way of traveling,' the airline's chief says.

As if to confirm this Samoa Airlines website says:

Samoa Air, Introducing a world first:

'Pay only for what you weigh'!

We at Samoa Air are keeping airfares fair, by charging our passengers only for what they weigh. You are the master of your Air'fair', you decide how much (or little) your ticket will cost. No more exorbitant excess baggage fees, or being charged for baggage you may not carry. Your weight plus your baggage items, is what you pay for. Simple.

The Sky's the Limit!

Additional reporting:

•  Reuters reports that Samoan airline says pay by weight plan fairest way to fly
•  While Sky News reports thatSamoan Airline Defends Pay-As-You-Weigh Fares

 Think  of this as another incentive to get down to that "beach ware" body before traveling to the South Pacific.

Traveling with electronics-part 2: Security

Several years  ago my wife ran a conference of Immunologists. One of the visitors was on her way from her lab in the UK and she was stopped at UK boarder control. Seems her laptop tested positive for nitrates (they use them in the lab) even though she had been real careful to keep this laptop out of the lab so it would be clean. They wanted to hold her laptop and send it to her, but as it was to be a short trip she told them to hold it for her return. Then came the clincher, she had to tell them that they could not look at the data as it had confidential patient data protected under UK law.
Now the rest of us are not protected under such laws, and need to worry what happens if a boarder agent demands your password to check your device (phone, laptop, etc.)

 Violet Blue for Zero Day has a nice article on ZDnet with the title If security wants your password: Privacy for travelers with digital devices

In it she points out that:

Anyone who travels with laptops, phones and tablets should know what to do if security asks for their password, an agent asks to see what's on their phone, and how to protect sensitive or private information if their gadget gets out of their hands.

 She references material from the EFF that everyone should read about basic precautions, how the government searches devices, how (and when) to protect your data, encryption and good passwords, border agent demands, and more.

On the EFF's Travel Screening page, they cover the basics on border search, and travel 'blacklists' such as the Department of Homeland Security's Automated Targeting System.

•  See also: Defending Privacy at the Israeli Border: Information for Travelers Carrying Digital Devices (eff.org)

•   Supplemental, regarding American police and digital devices: Know Your Rights (eff.org)

 Post image: "I do not consent to the search of this device" sticker, from the EFF shop. A great stocking stuffer!

Guest Blog: Traveling with a Toddler

Guest Blog by Linor Flatto

Plan.

So you've decided to travel with a toddler. Yes, you are opening new worlds to your little one, sharing new experiences and expanding their horizons, and all this at the expense of your sanity and back muscles. Parenting a toddler is hard enough without more complications, but here's a few tips to ease some worries:

Plan it like you plan the day: when does your child sleep and can he/she sleep during the flight? Try to find a flight that doesn't disrupt the precious sleep-eat daily routine. If you're planning a day flight, make sure you bring lots of entertainment, but don't assume that they sleep on night flights.

Prepare them for the flight with songs and stories about it. Tell them what's going to happen.

Chill. It might be stressful to think about everything and anything, but try to calm down, and if they sleep on the plane, try to nap as well (although being a parent, when else can you catch up on the latest films than with the in-flight entertainment?)

Paperwork needed before the flight

•  Children over the age of 2 pay for a separate ticket and get their own chair. Obviously make sure their passport is valid.
•  If choose to brave travelling alone, make sure you have a letter of consent to allow the child to travel from his other parent, some countries are hysterical about allowing a child without both parents.
•  Remember that you will need to queue at passport control, even if you have the fast-track finger-printing card. Yes, Children slow you down.

 Special packing requirements – don't forget the kitchen sink!

Guest blog: traveling with a pet

Guest Blog: The worst flight of your life – without a plane incident

by  Assaf Flatto

If you ever have the fortune of relocation for work or relationship, congratulations to you, but if you have to take your pet with you, I sympathize with you for the grief you are about to endure.

If you own a cat or a small pet (rodent, rabbit, hamster) then you are, relatively, in luck, but if you have a medium or large dog, that is where your trouble start.

Tenchi (Photo By Assaf Flatto)

My experience is based on the regulations I have encountered in my country and with the EU regulations, but the Airlines all share the same rules handed down by the IAWA so there is no going around them, unless you own or know someone with a private plane.

The first hurdle is the “local” veterinary services; you cannot book a flight without notification from the country /district or municipal vet, regardless of the fact if you have had your pet with the same Vet since he was a puppy. 

So you have to take him for inspection, which in my case was a glance at the dog, a look at the papers and rubber stamping a form, for that I had to book a meeting 3 weeks in advance, have blood drawn from my dog, wait in the waiting room 45 minutes and pay $90 US.

Once I passed this hurdle, it was time to book the flight, here you are restricted with cages, you have to bring a cage for the pet, and you'd think you could find a place that will rent one – No, either you buy one at the pet shops (that is if your dog is in the sizes they hold in stock), or you order one specificly, or if you cannot, you can rent one from the Airline – which I highly recommend not to do.

Booking the flight is like passing a bureaucratic semi marathon, it cannot be done on-line as you can imagine, so you wait on the phone and (I tried 3 airlines) then they have to look up what the procedure and price is, and prices can vary and fluctuate, cargo flight (I.e. the only one for pets heavier the 12kg) is cheap $150US, but if I could I would have paid a full seat price for my dog.  

Training dogs to sleep in the cage is a matter for the individual dog, so I cannot say what is right, let’s just say that mine hated the thought and so did I.

 Then the day to travel to the Airport arrives, you gather your stuff, the pet, the cage, all the proper documents and head for the airport.

In the Airport you first need to verify your booking at the check-in desk, then go pay for the dog's flight ,in that desk you will also have to show the veterinary certificate for the dog and (in some cases) the medical insurance for the dog.

You the need to hand your pet in the oversize luggage, word of advice, make sure your dog did his toiletries before the flight and do not give him any food right before, cover the cage bottom with old papers and place something with familiar scent in with him.

Once you hand him (in the cage) you walk to the boarding gates, have your heart set to stone for that distance while you can hear him cry out for you.

Once you are on the plane, make sure to remind the craw that you have a pet in the cargo, there have been instances where the cargo pressure was not pressurised or heated and that caused death to animals, make sure the craw are aware, and then take your sit.

The first part of the nightmare has passed.

During the flight (if you are like me) most people try to sleep and enjoy some slight turbelance, but not during this one, every bump or twist of the plane I found myself cursing the wind and the engineers that build the plan, why can't they make a flight with no bumps?

Some people will ask to visit the pet in the cargo, unless you have a very friendly craw most requests will be denied, at most (maybe) someone will go and look on your pet and say “he is fine”, but don't be fooled by that statement, though there is not much you can do but nod and say “thank you.”

Once you land, you will have to pass border control, and collect you luggage before your pet is brought to you, if you fly to Paris, insist they check again, I had to wait 1 hour AFTER I got my stuff till they brought my dog to me.

They have not checked his papers but I think that is because they didn't want to admit to messing up.

Once you get your dog take him out of the cage ASAP! ! and remember to keep him on the lead/leash in the terminal, he will try to pee in the first place he can – keep him away from the police dogs.

Normal behaviour will resume slowly. Give him time to recover from the ordeal, and let yourself relax in his presence, you will need it as he will need you.

One thing I promised myself and my dog after that one – Never again!!

Call for special case guest bloggers

As I have been discussing this blog with people, it has become apparent that there are a few areas where I am unqualified to offer advice.

For example, I have had the pleasure (or suffered) with having small children around me while flying. So  can talk about kicked seats, amusing games played, etc. but I have never been the adult responsible. I have one friend who has offered to write a guest blog on the special considerations for traveling with an infant, but I have no one to write about traveling with a toddler or small child.

So if there is anyone out there who can offer advice that would help people in any of these situations (or any others that I missed) I would appreciate them providing a guest blog to help everyone else.

• Traveling with an infant (already have volunteer) 
• Traveling with a toddler 
• Traveling with a small child
• Unaccompanied child traveling alone
• Traveling with someone with special needs (blind, wheelchair, etc.)
• Traveling with a person with special medical needs 
• Traveling with a  utility animal
• Traveling with a  pet in the cargo hold
• Traveling with a pet in the cabin

In particular I  would look to pass on advice about

• Paperwork needed before the flight
• Special packing requirements
• Special considerations at the airport
• Special considerations on the flight
• Special considerations for accommodations 

If you are interested in providing a guest blog please reply in comments or via an email to me

Travel Perceptions and Realities

Over the years perceptions and realities of travel change.  

 For example, once it was possible to go and wait at the gate for your arriving loved ones, now security has limited us to the building lobby. You used to get serious meals with real glasses, metal utensils, and real plates in all classes of travel, now on flights these are limited to the first class passengers. Everyone else needs to settle for plastic, if a meal is served at all. On recent trips through different US airports I was surprised to find that there were announcements letting passengers know that they could buy meals to carry on to their flights.

Most of the stories in this blog will be centered around air travel, but there are examples of several road trips and a few that involve ships. All forms of travel can be full of strange adventures. For example I will tell the tale of the road trip where we could not find our way our of New Jersey and another where I drove the Staten Island Ferry. Stories will include stays in hotels, with friends, and the occasional tent. Bonfires, dry ice, and assorted types of food and drink will appear - sometimes with recipes.

Just to show a little of glimpse of where I have traveled I have created this map with the help of TripAdvisor's Cities I've Visited Facebook App:

Thus my stories will take you though 22 Counties, 20 US States, and 3 Australian States.

But first some general advice:

In general I try to learn several key expressions before traveling in order to help me communicate with the locals. These expressions are:

·        Do you speak English?

·        Where is the bathroom?

·        How much does it cost?

·        What time/how long?

To facilitate communications I resort to using a pen and pad (for writing down numbers (cost, time, etc.), guide books (Frommers,  Lonely Planet, and Rough Guide to name a few) and printouts of maps (people can frequently help if you can show them what you want), and when all else fails pantomime. I find that a friendly attitude and one or more of these techniques will usually result in people trying to help.

Unfortunately I have also seen people being stereo typical. Native English speakers (from several countries) who speak to the local in increasing volume as it becomes increasingly obvious that they did not understand.  It is almost as if these people believe that either the person did not hear them so they need to repeat it with more volume or that repetition with more volume will increase their understanding. Usually this only results in a person who was willing to help becoming more frustrated and sorry that they tried to help at all.

I suggest that you always try to have some tourist information with you when you are out on the street in case it can be used to help communication. Even if you can not bring a guide book on the trip you can bring printouts from the internet, general information from the airport (usually found in or just after the baggage claims/customs areas), or a map from your hotel’s front desk. In fact I strongly suggest that you ask for such a map when you check-in, and ask them to mark the hotel on it as it will help you get back from your meetings or days travels (taxi drivers who do not speak English can all read a local map).

Our Journey Begins

Depending on your point of view I have either been blessed or cursed by having gotten to travel quite a lot.

The blessing has been that on every trip I have taken the opportunity to see a little of the place I am visiting, even if the trip is purely for business. On each of these trips I tend to have some sort of adventure or observation that makes telling about the trips amusing to my listener and I am sometimes asked to tell someone else about “the wedding trip to Ireland with the 5 lesbians” or about how I “almost walked out of town and just barely caught the tour bus before it left without me on Santorini” (both will appear in this blog). Some of the stories are about the local people or the foods I encountered; while others are about things that happened on the trip to me or the people traveling with me.

The curse of traveling has to do with the crazy sleep patterns that you can get traveling half way around the world, the time with family and events missed while on travel. For example I have missed several weddings, baby namings, and school events because of business travel.

All of the stories in this collection are true; the names have been changed to protect the innocent, the guilty, and those who don’t wish to be embarrassed.

Ok, there are 2 stories that did not happen to me personally, these exceptions are marked as having been told to me, but are included as they are stories I believe really happened and can show some of the potential problems that can occur when traveling for work.

 

For each of the stories I will indicate the following information:

• Continent        
• Country    
• Year visited        
• City / Site
• Business / Pleasure

I provide this information for several reasons. Most important is the fact that places change over time. Two quick examples are related to the pyramids in Paris, France and Tulum, Mexico. My wife visited Paris in before 1990, so her visit to the Luvor museum was before they had the glass pyramid, my trip was in 1996 when the entrance already had the glass pyramid, thus giving us something to discuss and compare. The second example is the Aztec pyramid in Tulum. When I went to Tulum in 1992 the site was well established with only a few souvenir stands and snack shops, while it is my understanding that today there is a full shopping mall next to the site.

As you can see in these 2 pyramid examples time and man have made major changes that can change what you would see should you visit the same site today.  

 

I will be tagging each post with one of the following tags

• Travel Tale – a story as explained above
• Trip Advice – suggestions or advice for travelers
• Check list – specific check lists of things to bring, to do, etc.
• Musings – random rants about travel related topics
• Location – interesting observations about the locals or locale
• Conference – special considerations for attending or running a business event
• Bureaucracy – those special considerations about travel: visas, entry forms, etc.
• Guest – for those occasions where I have someone else writing a post (or rebuttal) or alternative view on a specific trip

And so Our Journey Begins . . .

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