AT&T Mobility is targeting international travelers with its Passport packages, which provide a bucket of calling minutes, text messages and data access for a flat rate.
The packages begin at $30 and include unlimited text, picture and video messages, 120 megabytes of cellular data, unlimited access to select Wi-Fi hot spots and voice calls priced at $1 per minute. For $60 customers receive 300 MB of cellular data, a drop in cellular data overages from 25 cents per MB to 20 cents per MB, and voice calls at 50 cents per minute. The top-tier $120 plan provides for 800 MB of cellular data, 15 cents per MB overage and voice calls charged at 35 cents per minute.
Packages are good for 30 days, with cellular data access compatible with LTE networks in markets where AT&T Mobility has roaming agreements. The carrier claims it now has LTE roaming agreements covering more than 35 countries.
AT&T Mobility earlier this year began including unlimited international text messaging from the United States to more than 190 countries and multimedia messaging to more than 120 countries for customers on its Mobile Share and Mobile Share Value plans. In addition, AT&T Mobility also said its World Value Connect international calling plan would include one-cent-per-minute calling to any phone number in more than 35 countries. Those markets include Canada, Mexico and a large number across the Caribbean and Latin America. The World Value Connect plan is available to postpaid customers for $5 per month.
Smaller rival T-Mobile US last year began offering international travelers unlimited messaging, data and 20 cents-per-minute calling in more than 100 countries for no additional charge to subscribers of its Simple Choice rate plans. The included data services were restricted to 2G-like speeds, though customers can purchase higher-speed access providing 100 MB of data per day for $15 or 500 MB over two weeks for $50.
–Verizon Communications announced a partnership with General Electric to allow GE’s software-enabled machines and devices to connect to Verizon’s machine-to-machine connectivity and cloud platforms to access “industrial Internet” services.
The partnership will use GE’s Predix platform, which includes remote monitoring, diagnostics and the ability to resolve maintenance issues using Verizon’s wired and wireless network assets. The two companies said they will also work to collaborate on a single global SIM solution for global connectivity.
–Tied to its sponsorship deal with the National Football League, Verizon Wireless said it has rolled out additional LTE network support through its XLTE initiative at 28 of the league’s 31 stadiums. That support includes the use of 20 megahertz of spectrum in the 1.7/2.1 GHz band to double the capacity of LTE services.
In addition to the spectrum support, the carrier also touted the use of small cells and distributed antenna systems at many of the locations.
–AT&T said it would work with Accuris Networks and BSG Wireless to power its new Wi-Fi Hub service, which is designed to allow mobile operators to deliver turnkey Wi-Fi roaming services.
The service is being developed using Accuris’ AccuRoam Platform, which uses SIM-based account credentials to allow automatic connections to Wi-Fi networks and supports the Hotspot 2.0 and Wireless Roaming Intermediary Exchange specifications. BSG will provide its reporting and settlement infrastructure providing for data clearing and financial settlement services.
AT&T said customers will be able to access the platform by downloading an application from their Wi-Fi provider, with the platform scheduled to be available later this year.
–Korean telecom operator KT announced a “technical collaboration agreement” with Alcatel-Lucent to bolster KT’s Giga Network initiative. That program will see KT use network function virtualization technology to underpin the development of a network architecture designed to increase efficiency, lower costs and increase the use of cloud-based products.
The two companies said they will work to create a NFV proof-of-concept tapping into Alcatel-Lucent’s Virtualized Evolved Packet Core product, CloudBand NFV platform; and Nuage Networks’ Virtualized Services Platform for software-defined networking to consolidate and provide network automation.
–Also in Korea, SK Telecom said that in partnership with Samsung it had completed development of what it calls “true real time mobile streaming” technology over a commercial LTE network. The companies said the service uses the MPEG Media Transport standard to improve live mobile streaming by reducing network latency by up to 80%.
The companies plan to jointly promote research and development using the technology with plans to provide commercial service by the end of next year.
Additional carrier news can be found on the RCR Wireless News “Carriers” page.
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