Singaporean integrated fixed and mobile operator StarHub will be able to offer its customers improved data roaming rates, thanks to a new partnership agreement with Vodafone. Under the deal, StarHub says its customers will be able to take advantage of more affordable rates when roaming to major European countries, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. The preferred rates cost SGD25 (USD20) for the first 20MB of international data (in a given 24-hour period), plus SGD3 per 1MB of additional roaming data once that daily cap has been reached. StarHub says the improved data roaming rates are offered to travellers whilst in Albania, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Only last week, StarHub chief executive Neil Montefiore slammed the high cost of mobile data rates and called for a reduction. The CEO said that four out of five StarHub mobile users currently disable data when overseas, due to the exorbitant charges, and bemoaned the fact that too many operators refuse to cut their rates as they make so much money from international data roaming. Montefiore says that the situation needs to change and that the mobile industry needs to see the wider opportunity presented here.