AT&T Offers Pay-As-You-Go International Data Packages for Laptops and Netbooks

It's still not cheap to get 3G data while traveling overseas, but at least AT&T is giving their customers a couple of new options when heading abroad. It's hard to recommend such options when they're so pricey, but if you know you'll be away from a Wi-Fi hotspot and you aren't interested in renting a MiFi or SIM, the company's new pay-as-you-go international data packages may fit the bill.

The new bundles are designed for laptops and netbooks, with the AT&T DataConnect Pass Global lineup providing data coverage in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Mexico, countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Available in 30-day session increments, packages can help travelers better manage their data usage abroad and at rates significantly lower than pay-per-use service. That's not saying that it's cheap, but just cheaper. The 20MB plan starts at $24.99, with 50MB, 100MB and 200MB packages priced at $59.99, $119.99 and $199.99.


Data sessions may be purchased at AT&T DataConnect Pass Sessions, using a credit card or a debit card.  Customers can also bill the charges to their wireless bill provided the postpaid wireless account has been active more than 90 days and has no past due charges. Set up is easy: customers create a username and password, provide their laptop or netbook SIM card and device serial numbers, complete the billing information and select the desired data package.

Once customers have bitten the bullet, customers have the flexibility to specify when they want the 30-day session to begin, based on their travel itinerary. As a helpful reminder, customers will receive a courtesy text and email when their plan is close to expiring or when they are close to depleting the amount of data available with their session.