Smart introduces int’l roaming service at sea

Smart Communications subscribers will no longer have to wait till they dock from cruise ships and luxury liners to use their cellphones to call or text friends and family back home.

With Coastline Roaming, they can now roam on their Smart mobile phones while on a cruise on board luxury liners in a number of major destinations. The service benefits Smart’s international roaming subscribers who previously resigned themselves to limited or no communication access while at sea.

Smart recently tied up with AT&T (Cingular), USA; Telecom Italia (TIM), Italy; Manx Maritime, Isle of Man and Maritime Communications Partner (MCP), Norway to offer mobile roaming connectivity on board cruise ships and luxury ferries worldwide. OceanCell of Iceland is another upcoming partner.

The leading wireless services provider is the first in the country to offer international roaming on board cruise ships and other coastline-traversing vessels.

Coastline Roaming allows postpaid and prepaid Smart subscribers to send and receive calls and text messages on select cruise ships and liners, using their own cell phone, phone number and subscription.

“With Coastline Roaming, we are extending the reach of our international roaming service to the luxury liner and cruise ship, to offer our subscribers the same roaming benefits they enjoy when on land,” said Danilo J. Mojica, head of Smart’s wireless consumer division.

The partnerships forged with the four maritime roaming agencies ensure coastline connectivity for Smart subscribers. 

AT & T serves cruise line ships under Carnival, Celebrity, Disney, Island, Norwegian, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn, Semester at Sea and Windstar  which sail to destinations that include Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada and New England, Carribean, Europe, Galapagos, Hawaii, Mexico Pacific Northwest, Panama Canal, South America and Transatlantic countries.