Telecom Mobile Offers Data Roaming In Australia
Telecom Mobile customers can now be truly mobile when travelling in Australia.
Customers with 027 phones and data cables or Mobile JetStream modems can now use their palm or laptop computers to
access emails or their office networks while travelling across the ditch. Data roaming is possible using the CDMA
networks on both sides of the Tasman.
“Trans Tasman travel is a fact of life for an increasing number of business people and our customers need to be in touch
and be able to work wherever they are,” according to Lorraine Witten, General Manager Telecom Mobile. “Australia is the
other country where most New Zealand businesses do business – and no one has more roaming coverage there than Telecom
Mobile.
“When you travel there is always a lot of down time – whether it’s waiting for a flight, or between meetings. Our data
roaming service means business travellers can be productive all the time they are away. It also means they don’t have to
come back to a pile of emails when they return and they’d rather be with family or friends.
“Sometimes even people on holiday need to stay in touch with email – data roaming makes that effortless. It also means
you can be totally independent of hotel Internet charges.”
Customers can install ISP Roaming software available through ISPs (e.g. Xtra offers IPASS), that connects them to a list
of local Australian Internet service providers. So a customer can choose an ISP and connect with a local call, meaning
reduced costs and often a better quality Internet connection, or they can connect to their New Zealand ISP and pay
international call charges.
Customers can also dial through to their office LAN or WAN using their laptop or handheld computer. The service is
available wherever there is mobile coverage and no hotel charges apply. International call charges apply unless
customers can access their LAN on a local Australian number.
Customers who are already set up to make voice calls when they roam can also make data connections. Customers wanting to
use the roaming service for the first time will need to call the International Roaming help desk on 0800 492 120. By
calling *22800 a couple of days before they travel, they can access the latest roaming destinations.
The speed in Australia will be around 14.4kbps as it is circuit switched, though Telecom Mobile's goal is to offer
speeds of up to 153kbps next year.
To meet the rapidly growing demand for Mobile JetStream services, Telecom Mobile has introduced three high-end new
mobile data plans, offering 110Mb, 170Mb and 300Mb per month.
And now there is a new Mobile JetStream modem card that also does voice calls. The Sierra Wireless AirCard 555 is a type
II PCMCIA modem card that fits most laptops. Customers can make voice calls over the Mobile JetStream network using a
special headset and the appropriate software. It’s just like making a call over the Internet using a fixed wire phone.
The card costs around $1295 and the headset around $72. Casual voice rates in New Zealand for the card are 70c a minute
or 35c a minute to a Telecom mobile phones.
For further information visit www.telecom.co.nz/dataroaming or www.xtra.co.nz/globalroaming
www.telecom.co.nz/mobiledataplans www.telecom.co.nz/sierra
ENDS