AT&T First to Offer 4G LTE Roaming, Starts in Canada

Last week AT&T revealed a slew of new Mobile Share plans for customers, but that wasn’t all the carrier had in store this holiday season because they just announced another major change for its customers.

Being the first to offer such a feature, AT&T and Rogers Communications in Canada have teamed up to offer AT&T customers full 4G LTE roaming speeds throughout Canada. This is the first we’ve seen a US carrier offer international 4G LTE roaming, rather than just dropping users down to HSPA+ or even slower 3G speeds, which is a welcomed change for all.

Anywhere the Canadian carrier offers 4G LTE, users on AT&T while traveling up north will be able to take advantage of the fast speeds and improved connection. However, this won’t simply be a free option for those with a data plan, and you’ll need a global package to take part in the improved mobile data speeds.

“Our agreement with Rogers affirms our commitment to deliver superior international coverage to our customers. AT&T customers already have access to the nation’s fastest, most reliable 4G LTE network while in the United States and now they can enjoy LTE speeds while roaming in Canada.” –Bill Hague, AT&T VP.

The same slightly overpriced international data charges apply from AT&T, which aren’t the cheapest, but now you’ll get faster 4G LTE speeds. At the same time users may churn through those global data plans even faster, so better watch out for overages. The same plans from earlier this year apply. Starting at 120MB per month for $30, or just under 1GB for $120. So they certainly aren’t cheap.

Be sure and grab one of the 5 Best Smartphones for AT&T, and give the latest international roaming options a try. AT&T also confirmed roughly 42% of all users now have 4G LTE devices, so offering the faster speeds internationally is logically the next step. Hopefully other carriers and regions follow suit.