Since Digicel announced it was reducing its roaming rates (see related story below) at the beginning of October by almost 70% LIME has been silent on the matter until now.

Now LIME has announced plans to cut data roaming costs for its customers travelling to the USA with new rates down to 15 cents per MB with ‘My Roaming’ which will enable customers to opt in or out when traveling or at home. Bill McCabe’s new CEO said the plans would “significantly” reduce the price of roaming.

“Since I arrived in Cayman earlier this month,” he said, “customers have been telling me that they need better pricing for roaming to the US so from 1^st November, we introduce our new ‘MyRoaming’ plans which will bring the price down significantly and enable customers to roam without breaking the bank,

“The new plans, which allow customers to easily attach a US roaming plan to their contracts, provide incredible value and significant savings.  The ‘MyRoaming’ plans offer to change the way many of us use roaming and provide much greater value. Customers simply add a roaming base plan which costs just $19.95 per month. They can opt in or out depending on their travel schedule so for months they don’t travel they don’t need to take the plan.”

The new plan includes a bundle of voice minutes and text messages plus a data allowance.

“Now, customers who travel can use all the services they need but without the worry of incurring unexpected fees – they get everything for one great low price,” McCabe added.

LIME’s said the new plans are designed to encourage customers to turn on their smartphones when they travel, instead of leaving them at home for fear of large roaming bills.

Related story:

Digicel roaming rates plunge

By Rebecca Zuill, From Royal Gazette

Digicel Bermuda have announced two new products, which the communications provider says will see their prepaid and post paid customers: “benefit from Bermuda’s best roaming value by far and no opt-in fee when roaming in the Caribbean.”

The products, Digicel USA Roaming Pass and Digicel Caribbean One Rate Roaming, will officially be available starting October 4.

Digicel explained their customers have the option to make calls, e-mail, browse the internet and send text messages overseas without the risk of returning home to “huge” mobile bills.

Digicel explained that the new Digicel USA Roaming Pass will allow Digicel customers to subscribe to, and benefit from, reduced voice, SMS and data rates when roaming on AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the USA.

Digicel Caribbean One Rate Roaming will mean all Digicel customers will automatically switch to new low rates when roaming on the Digicel network in the Caribbean, except Guyana.

And Bermuda customers roaming in other Digicel markets across the Caribbean, with the exception of Guyana, will not have to pay an activation fee for Digicel Caribbean One Rate Roaming. “However, for roamers travelling to the USA, the low rates included in a Digicel USA Roaming Pass (which) comes with an activation fee of $20 for a 14 day prepaid subscription period and $30 for a postpaid subscription period of 30 days.

“It is estimated that roaming costs for Digicel customers using a USA Roaming Pass could drop by 70 to 90 percent.”

Wayne Caines, Digicel Bermuda’s chief executive officer, is quoted as saying: “We’ve performed extensive research across the globe and what we are offering with these roaming products is quite simply the best roaming plan in the world, as it gives customers the freedom to use their phones abroad without having to worry about high costs.”

He continued: “We are thrilled to be revolutionising the world of roaming in rolling this out across the region. In doing so, we are ensuring that our customers can use their Digicel phones while roaming without being afraid of high charges.”

Digicel also quoted Shane McDonnell, sales director of Digicel Bermuda as saying: “We are excited to be the only wireless network on island to offer such low roaming rates for customers travelling in the US and Caribbean.

“We have no doubt that once those customers who travel often use the product, they will quickly agree that the savings associated with a Digicel USA Roaming Pass are well worth its minimal cost of $30 for a 30 day period. As the leading wireless service provider to corporate Bermuda we are also pleased to make these products available to business travellers.”

With a Digicel USA Roaming Pass active, customers will pay substantially lower roaming charges of $0.25 per minute for calls, $0.25 per outgoing text message and $0.50 per megabyte of data. These new rates mean that customers can expect to pay at least 70 percent less in roaming costs when roaming with Digicel.

Useful websites: www.digicelgroup.com and www.digicelbermuda.com

For more on this story go to:

http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20131003/BUSINESS/131009877