TravelSIM drops data rate in Europe by almost 40 per cent
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Australia, July 9, 2012 – TravelSIM, the mobile phone service for international travellers, has dropped its data rate from $1 (USD) per megabyte to $0.65 (USD) per megabyte in 33 European countries, a reduction of almost 40 per cent.
“This is a step toward getting data rates in line with what Australians have at home,” said Jamien Zimmermann, the CEO of TravelSIM. “Look, no one has solved the data question yet, but we think this will bring some data relief to Australians going overseas.”
TravelSIM, which offers prepaid services in over 190 countries, will continue to advise its customers to use free Wi-Fi wherever they can and think twice about streaming videos on their devices in order to keep data usage in check. The company has also created a resource page on its website with additional guidance on data use (www.travelsim.net.au/datatips).
“People have increasingly become dependent on data, but global roaming data prices remain high. I think this new rate shows that we’re very serious about tackling data and making it affordable while supporting our Australian travellers with the kind of customer service unheard of in telco,” Zimmermann said. “Keep watching this space.”
Key TravelSIM service facts:
- TravelSIM is now offering data service for $0.65 (USD) a megabyte in the following European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Gaudeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
- TravelSIM’s prepaid SIM cards enable customers to make and receive low-cost voice calls on their mobile phones when travelling overseas. The SIM cards also support text, email and data applications.
- Receiving incoming calls is free for TravelSIM customers in 121 countries.
- Calls received via TravelSIM’s 1800 toll free number will continue to be charged a flat rate of just $0.21 (USD) per minute in addition to any cost to receive the call, allowing callers back home to reach TravelSIM customers overseas at no cost from their landline.
- TravelSIM’s Personal Assistant service, a full-range of concierge-like options for overseas travellers, will continue to be complimentary until 31st December 2012, with customers only paying the normal cost of making a phone call from the country they are in.
- TravelSIM users can be contacted free-of-charge by family, friends and business associates via a web-based SMS, available at www.travelsim.net.au
- Australian mobile numbers can be diverted to the TravelSIM service for $0.21 per minute USD in addition to any cost to receive the call.
- The range of services offered by Personal Assistant (24/7, 365 days a year) includes:
o Transport, hotel and vehicle information and reservations
o Live language translation and support in more than 90 languages
o Country, visa, currency and medical information; personal safety advice
o Performance of minor tasks such as faxing or emailing with the “Secretary” service
o Information on booking tables at restaurants and tickets to events
o Information on local events, attractions and leisure activities
o Business services such as arranging a meeting or a conference call
o Medical referrals and ambulance arrangement; info on local legal representatives
o
For an executive summary of these services and
more, please visit www.travelsim.net.au/personalassistant
- The TravelSIM Personal Assistant service is backed by 28 alarm centres worldwide staffed by doctors, multilingual co-ordinators, security experts and logistics personnel. It has 31 clinics globally, with more than 8,000 employees, including 1,900 medical professionals. It is backed by more than 65,000 accredited network providers worldwide, and provides solutions to 87 of the Fortune Global 100 Companies.
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About TravelSIM
TravelSIM, the mobile phone service for international travellers, is a prepaid service which aims to greatly reduce the cost of using your mobile phone when travelling overseas. Recently, the company estimated that it had generated over $26 million in savings for its customers over an 18- month period which was an 80 per cent saving over the advertised global roaming rates charged over that period by conventional telcos[1].
With coverage in more than 190 countries, great international roaming rates for calls, text and data, value-added services and dedicated customer support, TravelSIM is an essential tool for leisure and business travellers. Used by more than three million people worldwide and available in more than 2,500 retail outlets across Australia, TravelSIM is the trusted expert in global roaming.
Media contact:
Jonathan Englert
Watterson Marketing Communications
(02) 9929 7533
Jonathan.englert@watterson.com.au
[1] This estimate was based on a comparison of TravelSIM’s total customer spend by country with the advertised global roaming rates of Telstra, Optus and Vodafone in those countries during the same period.
