Apple Thoughts: The International iPhone Traveler Versus AT&T

"The iPhone seems like it should be the perfect companion for the international traveler. Not only can it make phone calls in pretty much any country, it can also help keep you entertained on long flights. You can even use it to hold your flight itinerary and other important info like hotel and car reservations."

The problem the author came up against was using his legally unlocked (in New Zealand) iPhone in the USA on a recent trip. He didn't want to pay AT&T $2.42 USD per minute for phone calls, nor did he want to pay the data rate of $19.00 USD per megabyte, and I can't say I blame him. What he found out, however, is that it wasn't as simple as buying a prepaid plan and a sim card. On June 11th of this year AT&T discontinued data service for pre-paid customers, and they put a flag in their system to prevent new customers from activating an iPhone on any pre-paid plan. So international travelers that own an iPhone, unlocked legally in their country, have to pay international rates to use the iPhone for anything other than an iPod.

At least that is what he ran up against, and as you will find out, the article does point out some alternatives to his story, so there is hope for you international travelers coming to the good old US of A.