T-Mobile Now Offering Free International Data In Over 100 Countries
If you’ve ever traveled internationally and been unlucky or unknowing enough to keep on using your smartphone’s data as if you were still in the fatherland, you’ll know that watching a single YouTube video on a foreign network can result in a few hunded dollars being added to your bill.
International roaming charges are so insane that the European Commission is actually planning to abolish them altogether. But looks like T-Mobile beat them to the punch: the uncarrier is now promising free global data in over 100 different countries, no extra charge.
Starting October 31st, T-Mobile will give global data to all subscribers in almost half of the world’s nations. You should probably expect EDGE speeds — enough for email and Twitter — but not 3G or, ha ha ha, LTE…. unless you pay. From Engadget:
The new global data offering will go into effect starting October 31st, and T-Mobile says customers with qualifying plans won’t need to sign up or pay a fee to access basic service. Legere declined to detail free speeds, but we’d expect 2G performance — enough to use text-based apps like Twitter and email, but insufficient for media consumption. Power users can boost speeds with any of three paid passes: one day and 100MB for $15, one week and 200MB for $25 or two weeks and 500MB for $50. Once your plan runs out, you can buy another, or revert to free service.
In addition, T-Mobile is planning a new $10 plan that gives customers International Talk and Texting for $0.20 per text or minute, and free call to landlines. Not bad. T-Mobile’s looking better and better every day, isn’t it?
