SlashPhone » mobile data

Data, SMS roaming charges soon to be cheaper

Budi Putra — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:13:34 +0000

Governments in the European Union are set to regulate the costs on roaming charges of data usage and text messages. According to Mobile Industry Review, by citing Reuters, the EU Telecoms Commissioner has outlined the cost should be at 11 Euros cents for a roaming text message, compared with the existing average rate of 29.

This all new regulations will effective on July 1, 2009, when the joint legislation takes effect in the European Parliament. And it’s aso just in time for the summer holidays. Wahoo.

AT&T to discontinue $20 unlimited pre-paid data

Budi Putra — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:18:44 +0000

AT&T has decided to stop users abuse their unlimited pre-paid data service by tapping into it with their laptops. Yeah, the decision is totally make sense to save the business.

AT&T call center representatives in the GoPhone divison have confirmed to PhoneNews.com that the current $19.99 unlimited GoPhone data option on Pay As You Go service would be discontinued on November 12th, stating that the offering was meant as a trial exercise and that the company is exploring other options for prepaid data offerings.

[PhoneNews via Gizmodo]

US mobile data services increase 40% year on year

Budi Putra — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:53:08 +0000

It’s a good news for the telco industry. Mobile data services or non-voice services are becoming major trend among US mobile subscribers. US trade association, CTIA has announced that wireless data service revenues for the first half of 2008 rose to US$14.8 billion, showing that there is a 40% increase over the first half of 2007, when data revenues totaled $10.5 billion.

Wireless data revenues now amount to 20% of all wireless service revenues. “These statistics prove that wireless service in today’s marketplace means so much more to American consumers than just voice-calls,” said Steve Largent, CTIA-The Wireless Association President and CEO.

According to Largent, we can see more and more people are using wireless devices to access the Internet, take photos, get directions, watch videos, download music and send text messages. “But this is just the beginning,” he said. “When wireless customers want even more from their handsets and networks, the industry will continue to respond, evolve, innovate, and deliver to meet this growing demand.”

[Source]