AT&T signs reciprocal LTE roaming deal with Rogers

American’s second-largest wireless carrier, AT&T, announced today it has signed a reciprocal LTE roaming deal with Rogers.

While Rogers customers could already roam on AT&T’s LTE network in the States, the same wasn’t yet true for Americans travelling north. According to a press release issued today, AT&T’s deal will offer “discounted rates in Canada,” with data packages starting at $30 for 120MB, increasing to $60 for 300MB and $120 for 800MB for one month of service.

In comparison, Rogers offers a flat $7.99/50MB deal for the States, which works out to $24/150MB, less than AT&T’s entry-level plan, but at $120/750MB, slightly more expensive in the high-end. It must be said, though, that Rogers’ $7.99/50MB deal expires every 24 hours, so it doesn’t work as a monthly pass. For longer-term users, the company offers a one-month $80 package that bundles 500MB of data with 100 minutes and unlimited texts.

Most carriers, including those in Canada, have spent much of 2013 trumpeting lower roaming costs. Some international carriers, like T-Mobile in the States, have gone so far as to include free unlimited data roaming in many countries around the world, though the guaranteed speeds are in the realm of 2G.

Still, as we inch closer to next-generation wireless technologies, carriers are going to have to rely less on roaming revenue, especially in the wake of disruptive technologies like KnowRoaming, and low-cost sanctioned MVNOs like Roam Mobility.

[source]AT&T[/source]