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Topic: Mobility

AT&T slashing international roaming data rates, but Tru SIM is still better option

Summary: AT&T is cutting their international data roaming rates to compete with Verizon while Sprint and T-Mobile should probably never be used for data when outside the United States.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

I recommend using a Tru SIM international SIM card for international travelers (it is inexpensive and convenient), but I also understand that many people just turn on their phone and roam with their US wireless carrier when traveling. Thus, it was great to see AT&T lowering their international roaming rates effective tomorrow.

You can roam internationally with all AT&T and T-Mobile phones, but have to make sure you have a global device on Sprint and Verizon before traveling. Here are the current and new data rates for AT&T where you can see new savings ranging from $20 to $40:

  • Current: 125 MB for $49.99 / New: 120 MB for $30/month
  • Current: 275 MB for $99 /  New:300 MB for $60/month
  • Current: 800 MB for $199 / New: 800 MB for $120/month

The overage rate for all packages is $30 for each 120 MB. Make sure to check out the AT&T rate calculator before traveling so you can calculate your call rates and then compare to Tru SIM.

In comparison, Verizon has a global data rate where they charge $25/month for a 100 MB allowance. T-Mobile and Sprint are not friendly at all to the international traveler with data roaming rates on the order of $15 to $19 for just a single MB so don't even think of using their networks while traveling. It isn't that easy finding the Sprint rates, but I found another page where you can buy data packs for different countries for a cost of about $10/MB. Still outrageous compared to AT&T and Verizon though.

These are still quite expensive and if you roam via your wireless carrier you will have to pay very close attention to data controls or your bill will be huge. Again, I recommend you take a look at something like the Tru SIM or even a SIM card from the country you are traveling in. I previously detailed how you can use a Verizon iPhone 4S internationally so make sure to prepare in advance for your trip overseas.

Thanks to Android Central for the heads-up on the news.

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5 comments
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  • Double Check Your Carriers Options

    Not saying cost is any cheaper however Sprint offers data plans for world wide travel that reduce rates to as low as $0.95/MB up to 85MB. Without a plan costs can be as high as your listed information. Not that you can get too far with 85mb but overages would only be as high as $10/MB.
    nbskip
    Reply Vote

  • An Even Better Solution

    Any time you are roaming, whether it be AT&T, TruSIM, Sprint, Verizon, etc. you will still be paying much more than you would with a local SIM card. Local SIM cards can also be purchased prior to your departure. Here is an example, a TIM SIM for Italy will get you 10GB of data for $129 http://www.cellularabroad.com/DataSIMitaly.php. Unless you are traveling to 2-3 or more countries, using a local data SIM is the way to go.
    Sebby123
    Reply Vote

  • global sim cards

    there are many global sim card options for those with unlocked phones (and T-Mobile makes this much easier than other carriers, though ATT now playing catch-up). Roamline and Abroadband offer data-only sims at reasonable, but not cheap rates, that you can use in portable wifi devices. Piranha, Tru, and Maxroam have good global roaming sims with voice and data, and multiple country phone numbers on one sim.
    davidtheprof
    Reply Vote

  • Not that Great

    I'm a Truphone subscriber. I have relatives in the UK and Australia. When I read your blog entry (and knowing about the reduction in inter-European data roaming rates on July 1), I rushed to Truphone's website and checked my rates. Because I am a US subscriber, they have not lowered my rates. I am still paying $2.15 a meg for France. Truphone's data rates aren't better outside of the UK, Australia, and England (and probably the Netherlands very soon). With ATT, 125 megs costs me $30. With Truphone, I pay $268.76. Their UK plan charges £0.60 a meg which translates to $0.92 a meg. This means that with Tru on the UK version of the same plan, I would pay $115 for the same data. Using EU roaming rates, I would pay $107.50 (VAT exclusive).
    stu@...
    Reply Vote

    • Much cheaper option

      Those tru-phone rates are scary if you're going anywhere other than the UK in Europe. The cheapest option for multiple countries that I've seen is a European data SIM card rental with from Cellhire (http://www.cellhire.com/products/international/data/mobile-internet/usb-modem/europe) $99 gets you 1GB of data which is 30% cheaper than the revised AT&T rates above. The overage rates are less too, $19.99 for 100MB rather than $30 for 120MB.

      As Stu pointed out, Tru-phone is $2.17 per MB in France/Germany/Spain which is over $2000 for 1GB. If you've got a smartphone then you can also get the SIM in a Mifi travel router so you can wirelessly provide data to your phone and/or laptop. They also do the single country data packages .

      Just shows you really have to look at the rates for every country to avoid getting stung.
      kwell
      Reply Vote
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