BlackBerry data roaming launched

The new plan offers a high mobile data access ceiling in most member markets, allowing alliance members to stay connected on their corporate emails and surf the Internet wirelessly.

Indonesia’s PT Indosat Tbk launched the new mobile data roaming plan yesterday, while India’s MTNL, Japan’s NTT DOCOMO Inc., the Philippines’ Smart Communications Inc., Singapore’s StarHub Ltd. and Thailand’s True Move will be rolling out the new plan by the end of the first quarter of 2009. The plan is currently offered by Hong Kong’s Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited. Depending on the operator, the new plan may also be activated for other mobile devices.

The mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry smartphones serves as a complement to the alliance’ s current Pay-Per-Day Mobile Data Roaming Plan, which targets business travelers equipped with HSDPA-enabled notebooks and other devices.

According to the alliance’s press release, the new plan is open to registered BlackBerry smartphone users, and specific rates and details by individual operators may vary.

“This new mobile data roaming plan helps businesses control their costs better because of its predictability in data roaming charges,” said Chan Kin Hung, alliance chairman and head of Singapore-based StarHub Ltd.’ s Advanced Multimedia Services.

Taiwan’s FarEasTone Telecommunications Co. Ltd., Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited, PT Indosat Tbk, NTT DOCOMO Inc., Smart Communications Inc., and StarHub Ltd. will include Thailand and India in their Pay-Per-Day Data Roaming Flat Rate network coverage plan as of early 2009.

Nine alliance members have also agreed to establish a roaming toll-free customer service hotline in the first quarter of 2009.

The alliance will also extend its customer service centers into Thailand starting in December 2008 via True Move and into India by the first quarter of 2009 via MTNL. The alliance’s customer service centers help corporate mobile users with company-registered mobile lines, and activation of new SIM cards should these be lost while traveling in a market with an alliance member.

Established in April 2006, Conexus Mobile Alliance is among Asia’s largest mobile alliances with a combined customer base of about 210 million mobile subscribers. The alliance develops and enhances international roaming and corporate mobile services. It promotes voice, video and data roaming and aims to provide seamless, convenient mobile-related services during roaming. For more information, visit www.conexusmobile.com.

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