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