* Operator terms, international data pricing plans evolve
Mobile network operators’ acceptable use policies are evolving and so are their international data roaming plans.
Heads up, for example, that AT&T and Sprint have eliminated their $60-something-per-month international smartphone data add-on plans. If you already have an existing all-you-can-eat plan from Sprint, you can keep it until such time you get a new phone and/or make a change to your plan. After that, Sprint pay-by-the-drink charges are $.002 per KB in countries with CDMA-based networks and eight times more ($.016 per KB) in countries with GSM networks.
The mobile phone evolution
AT&T still offers flat-rate options for smartphones, but the one allowing the most data usage taps out at 200MB (and costs $199.99 per month) before overage charges kick in. Overage costs are $.005, $.010 or $.0195 per kilobyte consumed depending on what country you are in.
Verizon Wireless still offers an unlimited international data plan for $69.99 (data only), $64.99 (when paired with a voice plan) and $20 per month (when paired with an e-mail plan). You can also pay as you go and spend 2 cents per kilobyte.
Another moving target is mobile operator’s acceptable use terms and conditions. Because the rules change frequently and several “sets” exist per carrier, making sure your IT department and your users legally use mobile networks can be a tall order. Violations — intentional or unwitting — could result in service blocking, suspension or termination.
The best way to protect against misuse and avoid penalty risk is to make sure that your carrier has formally certified any wireless equipment you buy for use on its network. For example, if you want to use a cellular data router for last-mile WAN connectivity, make sure the carrier whose network you’ll be using it on has certified the make, model and brand of router you install. FCC certification alone isn’t enough.
Note, too, that you also have to purchase a separate router plan and service from your carrier. These plans are called “Broadband Connect” from AT&T and “Mobile Broadband Router Plan” from Verizon Wireless, for example.
These are just a few issues to stay ahead of as you consider mobile equipment and service procurements and set mobile policies.
