As travelers consider Spring Break plans, &T is touting the addition of international 5G roaming in more than 35 locations around the world.
According to the carrier, its customers now have the ability to access 5G roaming in places including Canada, limited areas of Mexico, China, South Korea, Brazil, Austria, the Dominican Republic, Greece, Italy, Israel, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Japan, among others.
“We were excited to be the first carrier to enable 5G roaming for U.S. customers in Japan back in 2020,” said Jenifer Robertson, executive vice president and general manager of AT&T Mobility. “With international travel ramping up, having reliable connectivity while abroad is more critical than ever. We want our customers to enjoy rich, unforgettable experiences while traveling – that’s why we’re thrilled to bring 5G access to 35+ destinations around the globe with more coming soon.”
The carrier said in a release that the ability to access high-speed data while abroad has “grown exponentially”, because travelers may have to work remotely or need access to the most up-to-date information about changes in local rules regarding Covid-19 restrictions and requirements.
AT&T also noted that it is using millimeter-wave 5G (which it refers to as 5G+) to cover gate and concession areas at major U.S. airports and that it plans to have deployments at more than 20 airports by the end of the year.
AT&T deployed its first 5G+ at an airport, Tampa International, in January of this year. The carrier previously announced plans to expand mmWave 5G to 25 domestic airports by the end of next year, in partnership with Boingo Wireless. The specific airports that the carrier mentioned in its initial plans include New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports, as well as Chicago O’Hare International and Midway International airports, Dallas Love Field Airport, Los Angeles Airport and Denver International Airport.
Being able to access 5G roaming internationally does require some prep beforehand to make sure it works — users have to make sure that they already have a 5G-compatible device and plan, with AT&T’s International Day Pass feature enabled, which costs $10 per day for the first 10 days of use. And, the carrier makes note in the fine print, “5G not available everywhere.”
