Telekom Austria has launched a mobile data roaming service available for anyone in the EU, Switzerland or Liechtenstein. Named abroadband, the service offers mobile internet for EUR 0.59 per MB in over 50 countries worldwide, including all of Europe, Russia, North America, China and Australia. Customers are warned when they reach spending of EUR 60 and can choose to continue or suspend the service.
The abroadband Sim or micro Sim costs EUR 19.90, and customers can also get the Huawei E713 USB modem for EUR 49.90. Orders are taken through the website abroadband.com and paid by credit card or PayPal. DHL delivers the Sims and modems. Abroadband also plans to sell the products at airports, during flights and at travel shows.
The service is cheaper per MB than the best roaming prices offered in Europe from the Dutch mobile operators: EUR 2 per MB from T-Mobile, EUR 1.50 at Vodafone and EUR 2.95 from KPN. Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom have also just announced new data roaming tariffs for Europe with a limited number of MB per day, costing from EUR 0.09 to EUR 0.195 per MB at the German operator and EUR 1 at France Telecom.
What's unique about abroadband is that for the first time an existing mobile operator is offering roaming services outside its usual customer base and trying to take market share from rivals in their 'own' countries.
