Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but which country is the cheapest for an unlimited int'l roaming plan? I think that we currently pay about USD 100/month for this plan. I have a friend who is considering getting a Bold and is looking for the cheapest North American or APAC provider to buy such a plan from.

Also, do any providers cover Micronesia?

Coverage, coverage, coverage. You pick the carrier than can provide the coverage where you need it, not the cheapest plan.

Not all carriers can be used in all parts of the world, so look at where it will be used - where you live, work, travel and play. No coverage on a cheap plan is too expensive for me.

That's the best advise, if your phone doesn't work it's worthless.

Dub Dub answered the question. Price is relative

He posted for me as I never heard of this site. Basically I work in Micronesia, Philippines, Thailand, China and USA. I need a plan for my BB that is the best for this type of travel.

I am new to BB and want to get the best unlimited rate plan and would like to know if any offer coverage in Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Saipan, Marshall Islands, Palau, any or all) as I can not seem to find any and the local operators are limited.

I do not mind the costs but I need the best coverage in these regions. Any suggestions on a carrier for this.

T-Mobile USA offers a very inexpensive unlimited international data plan that will do what you want. Your cost will be $44.98 in addition to a voice plan. If you choose not to purchase a voice plan in addition to the data, the plan will cost $10 more.

Coverage is irrelevant in your case. As you are going to be roaming with T-Mobile USA service, you can use the device on any and all GSM carriers in any and all countries in which you work. I know for a fact that BlackBerry service will function properly in Guam, Thailand, China, PI, and of course the US. I'm not sure whether you will get BlackBerry service on some of the other islands in Micronesia, but you will get voice service.

Do you know if there is a coverage map or a list of all the carriers worldwide that are part of the Blackberry data network? Correct me if I am wrong but just because a carrier provides GSM doesn't mean that you have unlimited data on their network. In this case the GSM letters would remain small and not be in all caps.

This site will show you all GSM and 3GSM coverage in the world:
GSM Coverage Maps

Now, that doesn't specifically show BlackBerry coverage, but generally, if the network has GPRS/EDGE/UMTS service, then BlackBerry will operate. Not all countries in the world offer data service, so it wouldn't matter what provider you had, you wouldn't get BlackBerry.

You'll get data in micronesia? I'm not sure about voice, never worked for me.

Going to call T Mobile thanks...

I got data in Guam last time I was there. I am not totally sure about the rest of Micronesia.

That said, most of the islands have GSM service as far as I know, so you should get voice at least. I'm 90% sure that the CNMI have GSM, and I think FSM does too.

They do, FSM Telecom uses GSM 900 service however they are not integrated with other networks to allow roaming services or such. Saipan, Guam can, I agree. Marshall Islands, Palau, and the FSM are the ones I question.

I'm not sure having an data plan on T Mobile or Orange or other services will allow unlimited data while in the FSM. I know that BB coverage did NOT work in the FSM as of a while ago, so I am surprised to hear that an unlimited data plan might work for the FSM. Even if it does not for coverage to Thailand, China, PI, GUM, and US stateside that will do me very well as I only travel to main cities in the USA so I don't care if T Mobile has lower coverage then other options in the USA.

It's a crapshoot in Micronesia for sure. mPulse and docomo Pacific (F.K.A. Guamcell) just started allowing data roaming in Guam late last summer. I can promise you, though, that T-Mobile will be cheaper than Orange IL for roaming in Thailand, China, PI, and of course the US mainland.

Yeah, even without FSM coverage on data it'll be cheaper to go with T Mobile, don't really need BB plans per see but any data plan will help really. Already called the family to look at this and send it out as am traveling now. Will test it out in the FSM and let folks know.

Interesting and informative thread....


Excellent link!

David

I'm having a heck of a time getting T Mobile to recognize anything you reported and get five different stories everytime I check it out.

What are you asking them for? You need to get the $24.99 unlimited BIS plan, and then ask for the "Unlimited International add-on".

International Unlimited Data Plans and am told by some operators that there are "roaming charges" which is stupid when we are talking about International Unlimited Plans and then some are saying we need a voice plan and such etc... Every time I call I get a different story (but they all seem hyped up on coffee and way way way too friendly).

Am told most recently that the BIS plan is 39.99 a month then for unlimited international you add on 19.99 but it covers EMAIL only not internet when going international. So scratch that story. Will call back later and see if I get a 7th story.

I'm going to be in HNL, Seattle, MO, ARK shortly and hope to stop in a TMobile store if I can't order this and resolve this on the phone with them.

Or start over and look for another carrier. Would use any carrier and even go higher in price just would like to get an international data plan....

You're being told wrong.

Here's the deal:
1. There are roaming charges for voice usage.
2. If you have a voice plan with T-Mobile USA, BIS is $24.99. Period. Without a voice plan, it is $39.99.
3. The Unlimited International Plan is $19.99, and although they say it only covers e-mail, all data is included. I have used it, and I even tethered in emergencies whilst out of the country. They cannot easily distinguish between you sending an e-mail and you browsing the web, so if you don't abuse it, there's no problem.

I hope that answers all of your questions.

Thanks.... so could put in air card on the computer no problem then? Abuse it... define abusing it? I can go weeks without anything major internationally and at times can do massive qty.

I wouldn't put your SIM in an air card, but you can tether your BlackBerry.

I would define abuse as tethering for an hour a day and streaming redtube.com. If you need to tether your laptop to send attachments occasionally, then that is not abuse in my opinion.

Hum... OK I might abuse it 10% of the time. But for most it would be email and chat. No problem to teether it up either...

I don't understand what you just said.

I would only have an occasion to abuse the plan (over 1 hour) few time and could mostly use hotel wifi or internet during those times. So I think this woudl work and I could easily tether the BB to my computer and forget the air card.

Mostly it is email and using chat programs like yahoo / msn / gmail and such.... I do surf the net at times.

Best Carrier for Unlimited Plan is Sprint with $99.99 with everything unlimited, but coverage is more important then price. usually!

I agree with that, and did look at sprint a little but it did not meet what we needed I think. Still think I have to go with three plans for the amount of data I do. A plan for each main country...

Then you are fine.

Sprint doesn't travel.

I don't think you need to do that. I've given you everything you need to use T-Mobile successfully.

Last time I traveled internationally, which was in May, 2009 to China, I tethered my 8900 to my laptop. I have the BB unlimited and BB International Unlimited data plans. I was charged for data roaming for the data received while tethered. I was not charged for data roaming for any of the emails I received on my BB while roaming. I know this because I only tethered once during that trip, and that was the date I was charged for.

Sprint does travel with the 8830 device, but maybe not in all the locations the OP was asking for. Their unlimited international data plan is $69.99, a tad more expensive then T-Mo's.

Just spent many times with T Mobile... they tell me yes there is a 39.99 BIS unlimited plan but there is no such thing as an international unlimited plan... they could have had one before and people can be grandfathered into old classifications of services but basically right now, from 5 different calls, they all tell me they currently have squat to for Unlimited International. If you know different that is current... would love to know...

^ That's what I understand as well. Tmobile has an Unlimited International Email-only" plan. I'm surprised they don't have one for unlimited international data.