AT&T launched Mexico roaming options for US customers, countering recent moves by rivals
AT&T’s multi-billion dollar investment in Mexico is now providing some benefit for U.S. customers traveling south of the border.
AT&T said beginning today, customers on its Mobile Share Value plans can add the Mexico Roaming Bonus at no additional charge and receive unlimited text messaging from Mexico to anywhere in the world and unlimited calling within Mexico and to the U.S. The plan also provides 1 gigabytes of data access when in Mexico, with additional gigabytes priced at $20, and those data gigabytes are not shared between lines.
AT&T earlier this year closed on $4.4 billion worth of deals in acquiring Iusacell and Nextel Mexico in a move the carrier said would allow it to offer a unified network covering some 400 million potential customers. AT&T followed up the acquisitions with plans to invest $3 billion to expand “high-speed, mobile Internet service” to 100 million people in Mexico by the end of 2018. The initial investment is expected to see AT&T build out services covering 40 million potential customers by the end of the year. That reach is set to hit 75 million pops by the end of 2016, and 100 million pops by the end of 2018.
AT&T in August began rebranding plans in Mexico under the “AT&T Unidos” brand, with the offerings available in both Iusacell and Nextel Mexico retail locations.
Domestic carriers have increasingly rolled out and enhanced international roaming options for customers.
Verizon Wireless this week rolled out its TravelPass program, providing customers with access to their calling, text messaging and data allotment for $2 per day when traveling in Mexico and Canada and $10 per day when traveling in 65 other foreign destinations. The price is per line and is charged only for the days a customer accesses those services.
Sprint in August rolled out its Open World service that includes various roaming services in 34 countries, with the biggest hook being free access to 1 gigabyte of 3G data for customers traveling in Mexico, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay. Those customers also receive unlimited voice calling and text messaging in those countries. After the 1 GB of 3G data is used, customers can purchase additional gigabytes for $30, which is billed in kilobyte increments.
T-Mobile US in July unveiled its Mobile without Borders program, which provides customers with free voice calling, text messaging and unlimited LTE-based data services when roaming in Canada and Mexico. T-Mobile US also continues to offer postpaid customers unlimited text messaging, access to low-speed data and calling at 20 cents per minute across more than 120 countries for no additional charge. That plan also allowed customers to tag on higher-speed data access buckets at 3G or LTE speeds beginning at $15.
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