Once every four years, the world comes together to share in the spectacle and sport of the Winter Olympics. Thousands of the world’s finest athletes gather to compete, and tens of thousands travel to see history made and wintertime sport at its finest.
And, this year in Sochi, they’re all Tweeting, Skyping, posting, sharing, texting, pinning (and even calling) like never before. So, it also happens to be the perfect opportunity to take a look at just how T-Mobile customers are putting Simple Global to use, in order to stay connected and share their experiences.
And, man oh man, they really ARE putting it to use!
After launching Simple Global last Fall, and including it at No Extra Charge in most post-pay Simple Choice plan, T-Mobile customers traveling to Russia immediately tripled their use of data, and doubled use of texting and calls, which was great to see. And by the way, we have seen a 50% increase in the number of T-Mobile customers traveling to Russia since the start of the Games last week…with those customers using Simple Global at the Olympics, generating ten times more data than before the launch of Simple Global!
Now, this is where it gets really interesting. If every one of the athletes and spectators in Sochi were using their phones like T-Mobile customers do back home, they’d be sending on average about 250 texts, using 500 MB of data and making about 225 minutes worth of voice calls per week. Based on those averages, each person could be going home after a week to very different bills, depending on who their carrier is.
The average AT&T customer, for example, using their smartphone as they would at home, would be returning to massive bill shock to the tune of $10,175. Yeah. You read that right. (To be fair, if they’d jumped through a few hoops, taken the time to sign up for AT&T’s special international add-on service plans, they’d come home to a bill of “only” $325.) i
The T-Mobile Simple Choice customer, on the other hand, would be looking at No Extra Charge for data and texting, and just $45 for voice calls (based on a flat rate of .20 per minute to call anywhere in the world from a Simple Global country). So, let’s see. That’s a difference of $10,130. I’d call that significant savings. Add in the fact that – with T-Mobile – you don’t have to do a darn thing for that savings. Your phone just works. Your Simple Choice plan already includes “the World” (more than 100 countries). I love that part.
Traveling should be about enjoying and sharing your once-in-a-lifetime experiences real-time, without the worry of rationing your communications or coming home to a shocker of a phone bill.
For T-Mobile Simple Choice customers in Sochi right now, it’s all about The Games, the athletes, the experience - and making amazing memories, with none of the hoops or fear of bill shock. It’s about using GPS to locate the luge runs, Tweeting photos of superhuman speed skaters and last night’s borscht, and posting about the best vodka ever to Facebook – all for No Extra Charge. It’s about texting news and updates to family and friends whenever you damn well feel like it – completely free of charge. And it means phoning a friend whenever the mood hits you. Because calls are always only .20 cents a minute, from any of the more than 100 Simple Global countries (including Russia, of course).
Our customers are really making the most of all this freedom and are able to generate significantly greater text and data usage at no additional cost, and much more affordably connect with friends and family while placing voice calls. With Simple Global, Simple Choice customers traveling to Russia are making four times more calls, texting four times as often, and their data use has surged over 15 times since last year. So, over the past few days in Sochi, you better believe our customers have been Tweeting, Skyping, posting, sharing, texting, pinning (and even calling) to their hearts’ content.
Not to mention, since launching Simple Global, Simple Choice customers traveling to more than 100 countries worldwide are making three times more calls, texting four times as often, and their data use has surged over 20 times.
T-Mobile customers know how to live. And, hey. It’s all included at No Extra Charge.
And stay tuned. Because there’s more news coming soon about Simple Global and Stateside International Talk & Text – which gives subscribers in the States the same amazing freedom and ability to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues in other countries.
Thanks for reading … and enjoy the Games!
iBased on average smartphone customer use of 225 minutes for Talk, 250 messages and 500MB of data at AT&T’s International Roaming rates while in Russia. Add-on pricing based on AT&T’s International Calling Package, Global Messaging 600 and AT&T Data Global Add-Ons for talk, text and data use.
Simple Global coverage with qual’g service & capable device. Standard speeds approx. 128 Kbps. No tethering. Not for extended international travel. See details & included countries at www.T-Mobile.com.