Asian Operators Agree to Improved Roaming for BlackBerry Users
The Asian mobile operators group, Conexus Mobile Alliance has announced the start of the regional rollout of a mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry smartphones among Alliance members. The new plan offers a high mobile data access ceiling in most countries to cater to the data usage needs of frequent mobile roamers.
IndonesiaÃ's PT Indosat, IndiaÃ's MTNL, PhilippinesÃ' Smart Communications, SingaporeÃ's StarHub and ThailandÃ's True Move will be rolling out the new mobile data roaming plan by the end of 1Q-2009. The plan is currently offered by Hutchison Telecom in Hong Kong while JapanÃ's NTT DoCoMo will start to offer promotional special rates for data roaming users including BlackBerry users, in 1Q-2009. Depending on the operator, the new mobile data roaming plan may also be activated for other mobile devices.
The mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry smartphones serves as a complement to the AllianceÃ's current Pay-Per-Day Mobile Data Roaming Plan, which targets business travellers equipped with HSDPA-enabled notebooks and other devices.
"The BlackBerry smartphone is one of AsiaÃ's most popular mobile devices among business travellers for staying in touch with their company while travelling. This new mobile data roaming plan helps businesses control their costs better because of its predictability in data roaming charges," said Alliance Chairman and Head of StarHub LtdÃ's Advanced Multimedia Services in Singapore, Mr Chan Kin Hung. "Together with the Pay-Per-Day Flat-Rate Data-Roaming Tariff Plan for mobile broadband Internet, we believe the Alliance is providing the most comprehensive and cost effective mobile data roaming services for business travellers in the region."
To further offer customers the home-away-from-home seamless roaming experience, nine Alliance members have agreed to establish a roaming toll-free customer service hotline in 1Q-2009. Travellers using the Alliance mobile networks while roaming can call their home Customer Service Hotline absolutely free. This is extremely useful whenever travellers need to get help on their mobile service, be it activating a value-added service while overseas, configuring their phone or checking on billing charges.
Established in April 2006 , Conexus Mobile Alliance is one of Asia's biggest mobile alliance. The alliance is formed to primarily develop and enhance international roaming and corporate mobile services for its members' customers. The alliance boasts a combined customer base of about 210 million mobile subscribers and are committed to promoting voice, video and data roaming via its members' GSM/GPRS, W-CDMA networks and/or HSDPA networks.
On the web: Conexus Mobile Alliance
Posted to the site on 19th November 2008
