AT&T expands iPhone international data plans

AT&T announced Tuesday it's expanding its iPhone international data plans, in a move designed to cut consumers' reliance on pay-per-use data services.

Under the expansion, which is slated to begin Wednesday, iPhone users can add one of two international plans to their existing service.

The 100MB iPhone plan will cost an additional monthly fee of $119.99, while the 200MB plan will run an additional $199.99 a month. Both plans can be added or dropped from users' existing plans at any time, without penalty.

On a pay-per-use data basis, users could pay as much as 0.0195 cents per kilobyte, which translates into nearly $40 for 2MB of data, according to AT&T.

"AT&T has worked diligently to provide affordable options for international roaming because the feature-rich mobile experience of iPhone is indispensable to users," Bill Hague, AT&T wireless operations international executive vice president, said in a statement. "With these new international data plans, iPhone users can access more data in more countries for less cost."

Although AT&T's two expanded data plans offer the discounted data roaming package in 67 countries, such as China, India, Israel, and the United Kingdom, the rate outside of these areas is higher.

A 1 cent per KB rate is charged for areas outside the 67 countries, but a higher rate of nearly 2 cents, or 0.0195, per KB applies in 20 countries such as Bolivia, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,Turkey, and Venezuela.

AT&T also advises iPhone users to save data costs by taking several steps, such as using Wi-Fi whenever possible, turning off automatic e-mail checks, and keeping data roaming in the preset off position.

[Mike E.]

> 0.0195 cents per kilobyte, which translates into nearly $40 for 2MB of data, according to AT&T

2MB is 2000 KB, so it should be 0.0195 cents * 2000 = 40 cent = $0.4, not $40.
It is the repeat of infamous Verizon math, which does not distinguish dollars from cents?
http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/2006/12/verizon-doesnt-know-dollars-from-cents.html

[mulciberus]

These rates are still quite ridiculous. Business travelers need a reasonable unlimited data/phone plan, such as those provided by several carriers for the Blackberry. At these rates users will still end up with heart-attack bills when they return home. Until AT&T comes to their senses about this, no one will use their international roaming except perhaps for emergencies, as is the case now. What they fail to realize is that in a place like Japan (where 3G is everywhere and therefore very inexpensive for AT&T to coordinate) travelers evolved alternative strategies LONG ago to deal with outrageous calling and data services. Local, temporary access is relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain. There's no reason travelers to Japan need use their US domestic service at all. This is a big loss for AT&T.

[pquince]

Mike E's math is correct, but his mistake is in believing that the writer meant .0195 cents per kilobyte. The article makes clear at a later point that it's .0195 dollars, i.e., 1.95 cents, or "nearly 2 cents" per KB. That's $40 for 2MB, which is quite a bit steeper than 40 cents per 2MB.

[klcarter7]

Do be careful as I was in the north-western part of Peru and I was charged for $600.00 worth of data from cell sites in Columbia over 500 miles away. Both during my brief stay and for days long after my return to the US. Most of the data charges happened while my iPhone was not being used in the early morning hours ie 1 am to 5 am. I was sleeping but Colombia needed their money.

[Voyagr]

How can 100MB for $120 be a great deal, or even $40 for the 2MB?? I have a pre-paid plan in Germany with 3G access, and pay only 0.24? ($0.36) per MB. So those 100MB would only cost $36, and pay-as-you go 2MB only 72 cents (and not $40)! Now that is competitive.

[dsmdougstant]

Is there any way of sorting out ridiculous charges as I had to leave to Australia on emergency trip, purchased 200MB deal and find a $950.00US bill before I knew what was happening? A real trick!

Surely there is an international Unlimited plan that avoids this? Please help?