Lately there has been some developments within the telco world that will continue to impulse the usage and adoption of smartphones anywhere around the world.

Online vs offline

As we have dwell before, there is a big argument against and for deploying mobile apps to be used offline (i.e. not using internet connection). Developers have gone great lengths into making software that can be used while being in offline mode. From our part, we decided to stick with online, which at that time, while being a limitation to use our apps, eventually -our analysis showed us- roaming charges will drop to a level that they’ll become affordable.

In case you’re not following up, let’s remember that when a person goes traveling outside of their residence country with their mobile phone, using it involves huge expenses, especially if they use the data portion of it. This situation forced many people to be wary of any connection they phone might make, going to extremes of shutting data access completely, in order to avoid big telephone bills. While doing so, many apps on the phone became useless, since they had no connection to the Internet.

A change, will do you good

Last week T-Mobile USA announced that all their subscribers will have data access while they roam outside of the USA, for free. There’s a catch of course, the speed of the connection will be limited to 128 Kbps, which is slow by current standards but better than nothing (our apps should be able to work within that limitation). Of course, if a T-Mobile USA subscriber wants more speed (outside of the USA), they can pay for it, with extra payments that start from 15$ for 1 day and 100 MB, up to 50$ for 500 MB spread on 14 days.

For its part, the big three Canadians telco companies (Rogers, Bell & Telus) are also offering similar packages when traveling to the US. However, there’s no free option like the one from T-Mobile USA.

On the Europe side, roaming charges were capped a couple of years ago, so subscribers within the Eurozone can safely used their phone without expecting a bill shock. They’re still going to be charge extra, but not as much as it was before.

All the previous measures continue to promote the usage of the cellular phone while being abroad. And that’s good news for everybody: Telco equipment vendors, operators, mobile app developers and consumers alike.

Hopefully one day the online/offline modality will be a thing of the pass.

Update (24-10-2013): T-Mobile offering 200 MB free to any tablet in the US

Thing are turning to be event better for users! Check this out:

All T-Mobile tablets. Free 4G data. All AT&T tablets. Un-free data. Any questions? http://t.co/rHnGjIu75Y pic.twitter.com/1aFmZ7l7pb

— T-Mobile (@TMobile) October 23, 2013

This means that in the USA, any 4G tablet user will just need to buy a T-Mobile SIM card for around 10$. By doing this, the person will allow his/her tablet to have LTE connectivity anywhere in the USA up to 200 MB monthly. For some people that’s more than enough. the important thing here is that an operator is offering 200 MB for free.

As we said, the more connectivity there is, the better for everybody.