Transatel abolishes data roaming costs for travelers to Singapore
Transatel launches today, via its commercial website (www.transatel-datasim.com), a new offering for travelers to Singapore based on a local agreement with Starhub, the leading Mobile Network Operator. Singapore is the sixteenth country to join the geographical scope covered by the Transatel DataSIM card. This ground-breaking SIM card is based on a non-geographical MNC (Mobile Network Code) enabling multi-local connectivity. It adapts to any device, and, once inserted, can be topped-up via the website to combine multiple pre-paid data bundles. Particularly suited to the needs of frequent travelers, it offers competitive data consumption prices for a growing number of countries, without ever having to be replaced or removed, making it the most versatile data SIM card on the market today.
The key advantages of the Transatel DataSIM solution
From a technical viewpoint, the Transatel DataSIM card is based on the proprietary technology and over two years’ development behind the SIM 901 concept. The technology leverages (i) a non-geographical MNC (901-37), (ii) technical roaming agreements with MNOs worldwide and (iii) the strong scalability potential of Transatel’s commercial and technical platform currently supporting 1.6M SIM cards for the MVNO and M2M businesses.
From the consumer’s viewpoint, the solution is smart, secure, and competitive.
“Smart”, because the purchase of the card is performed before traveling, rather than once in foreign territory, which is still largely the case today. Ordered over the Internet via secure payment, the card is delivered anywhere in the world in a matter of days. Also revolutionary: the card never needs swapping or renewing. Once inserted, and whatever the travels, all the updating is performed via the private customer environment of the website.
“Secure”, because thanks to the affordable and private GSM connection it offers (3G/LTE), the user of a Transatel DataSIM card is no longer dependent on public WIFI during travel, a connection which is reputedly unsafe in terms of data privacy and protection.
“Competitive”, because the rates are comparable to those offered by national MNOs to their local customers.
With the Transatel dataSIM card, costly roaming and unpredictable WIFI are a thing of the past.
Jacques Bonifay, CEO of Transatel: “Today, only 3% to 4% of computers and 5% to 10% of tablets on the market are provided with a module that allows the insertion of a SIM card. Most often, they are only WIFI equipped, which is problematic since WIFI isn’t always available, and can be expensive. For this reason, almost one in every two travelers never uses the Internet during his/her travels [2]. The Transatel DataSIM card is their solution, as it delivers connectivity in any given country at local rates. As such, Singapore is a welcome addition to our geographical scope”.
One data SIM card, many options
There are two ways to benefit from the connectivity offered by this SIM card.
It can either be introduced directly into any device, such as a laptop or a tablet for example, if this device contains a slot for SIM cards.
Or, it can be introduced in a MIFI: either a USB stick, which is then introduced into a laptop; or a hot-spot, which can then share the connectivity with up to 9 independent devices.
The Transatel DataSIM card is a 3-in-1 SIM card, which lets you switch between Nano SIM, Micro SIM and Regular SIM, as and when you want, without the need of additional SIM card adapters.
The card is also versatile in terms of data options.
If one is looking to avoid data roaming restrictions in all of the countries Transatel covers, Option A is the best fit: it is billed according to the amount of megabytes roamed. The SIM card remains valid up to 18 months after it was last used.
If one has a close idea of one’s level of data consumption, choosing among various bundles within Option B is the smarter choice. Benefiting from even more competitive rates, a bundle has a 15 to 30-day period of validity. Here again, the SIM card is valid up to 18 months after it was last used.
If one is undecided, one can subscribe to both options and still only need one SIM card to cover both subscriptions.
Last, the card offers competitive data connectivity for travellers to an important and growing number of countries.
The solution is currently deployed in 16 countries [3], and 25 agreements have already been signed, with 2 to 3 new countries added per month. What is more, the Transatel Data SIM card works in one’s home country as well: one never needs to switch from one data roaming outlet to another.
Depending on the chosen country or data bundle, prices range from EUR 1.2cts/MB to 35cts/MB.
For more information on the Transatel DataSIM, please connect at www.transatel-datasim.com
For more information on the Transatel SIM 901 concept and technology, please connect at www.transatel-sim901.com