Today, Sprint announced a new, 4G international-roaming agreement it signed with Jamaican carrier Digicel and Taiwanese carrier Global Mobile. The new agreement will allow select Sprint devices — currently the Sierra Wireless 250U and Sprint U600 — to operate on the aforementioned networks while traveling abroad.
“With these agreements, Sprint is kicking down the door to 4G international roaming and taking a first step toward allowing people to enjoy 4G service wherever they are around the globe,” said Matt Carter, Sprint’s 4G chief. “We’ve taken the 4G leadership position in the U.S. and are now proud to partner with visionaries Digicel and Global Mobile to solidify our international leadership role.”
Users who want to connect to the Digicel or Global Mobile network will have to do so utilizing Sprint’s SmartView Connection Manager software. The software will provide one-click activation, GPS services, Sprint Wi-Fi network locations, and custom enterprise configurations.
Unfortunately, the “pricing and launch details of the agreements are still to be determined.” Hit the jump for the full press release.
Sprint Inks International 4G Roaming Agreements With Digicel and Global Mobile to Establish Global Ecosystem
4G Customers Traveling Abroad Will Soon be Able to Roam on 4G Networks in Jamaica and Taiwan
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced that it has signed international 4G roaming agreements with Digicel in Jamaica and Global Mobile in Taiwan, leveraging the global ecosystem for 4G services to enable travelers on the go. Select Sprint devices that operate with the Sprint SmartViewSM Connection Manager will automatically detect the Digicel and Global Mobile networks, giving customers the option to connect and roam with an unlimited 24 hour Daypass. Pricing and launch details of the agreements are still to be determined.
“The response to our Digicel 4G broadband service – launched in August this year – has been phenomenal, and customers across the island are enjoying the benefits of Jamaica’s fastest wireless broadband”
“With these agreements, Sprint is kicking down the door to 4G international roaming and taking a first step toward allowing people to enjoy 4G service wherever they are around the globe,” said Matt Carter, president-Sprint 4G. “We’ve taken the 4G leadership position in the U.S. and are now proud to partner with visionaries Digicel and Global Mobile to solidify our international leadership role.”The Sprint SmartView Connection Manager allows users to create a high-speed Internet connection for their computer anywhere on the Sprint 3G or 4G networks or on compatible international networks with a Mobile Broadband Device, such as the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem 250U by Sierra Wireless or Sprint 3G/4G U600 USB Modem. Sprint customers traveling to Jamaica and Taiwan will be able to access the Digicel and Global Mobile 4G networks for mobile downloads, video chat capabilities and turbo-charged Web browsing at 4G speeds.
Sprint SmartView features:
- One-click activation for supported devices
- GPS features and services are available at the touch of a button for GPS-capable devices
- Easy connections to Sprint Wi-Fi networks around the globe, available on a pay-as-you-go basis
- Access to Sprint support services and tools via the Application section
- Enterprise custom configuration available – business customers, please contact your Sprint account manager for details
“The response to our Digicel 4G broadband service – launched in August this year – has been phenomenal, and customers across the island are enjoying the benefits of Jamaica’s fastest wireless broadband,” said Mark Linehan, CEO of Digicel Jamaica. “We are happy to welcome Sprint’s customers to Jamaica and trust they will enjoy the roaming experience delivered by Digicel’s mobile and broadband networks as much as they enjoy all that Jamaica has to offer.”
“We are honored to be a part of this global collaboration,” said Rosemary W. Ho, CEO of Global Mobile. “This agreement represents another major milestone in asserting Global Mobile as the leading 4G broadband operator in Taiwan. I want to welcome our international roaming customers to experience the same innovative quadruple play service offering enjoyed by our customers. I look forward to expanding this partnership to other operators around the world and to making ‘Worldwide Interoperability’ a reality.”
Sprint 4G can be found in 68 markets1 across the United States, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and Washington, D.C. Sprint 4G plans to light up several new major markets, including San Francisco and Denver, by the end of this month.
Sprint is delivering the power of 4G as the majority shareholder of Clearwire, the independent company that is building the WiMAX network. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/4G.
