AT&T today announced expanded wireless international service offerings to help keep customers connected to home and work around the world.

Many people will be traveling to China for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing, so AT&T's news will be much appreciated.

Besides having the best global footprint and the most world phones, AT&T's new global offerings include:

• New international data discount plans for smartphone and LaptopConnect users.
• Increased global voice and data coverage:
• International data roaming coverage in more than 150 countries, up from 145.
• More countries where discounted data packages apply -- up from 41 to 67.
• International roaming coverage on more major cruise ships -- up from 75 to 120.
• New global GPS navigation with turn-by-turn GPS directions in the six Olympic cities in China, as well as Western Europe and North America.

AT&T is also launching a series of new advertisements as part of its multimillion-dollar campaign to educate customers about traveling abroad with wireless devices.

According to an Omnibus survey of 1,000 U.S. customers, many of the customers didn't know if their devices would work outside the country, and many didn't know that international roaming is an additional cost. Whew, they really need to know about that international roaming. A sudden skyrocketing in their bill would be a nasty surprise.

AT&T offers a variety of resources to help travelers stay connected and manage their wireless costs. With AT&T's Travel Guide, customers can create an itinerary with rate information for up to 10 international destinations as well as review discounted voice and data packages.

More Data in More Countries

Starting today, smartphone and LaptopConnect users will have new options for using data abroad at discounted rates. AT&T has also increased the number of countries, from 41 to 67, in which it offers discounted data rates.

AT&T says that with more customers increasingly using more data when traveling abroad, they're offering two new plans with even larger "buckets":

• 50 MB of data in 67 countries for an additional $59.99 a month for smartphone users
• 5 GB of data in the U.S. plus 200 MB in 67 countries for $229.99 a month for LaptopConnect users

These new plans are in addition to a variety of existing plans, which range from 20 MB to 100 MB.

More Global Voice and Data Coverage in More Places and More World Phones

AT&T has the largest global footprint of any wireless provider. I didn't know that and I'm an AT&T customer. Of course I've never traveled outside the United States. Sure would be nice though! Only AT&T customers can make and receive calls in more than 200 countries and send e-mail and browse the Web inmore than 150 countries, including more than 60 countries with high speed third-generation (3G) coverage. AT&T has also expanded its voice and data coverage on major cruise ships to 120 from 75. Neat!

AT&T today offers five phones -- iPhone 3G, BlackJack II, Sony Ericsson z750, AT&T Tilt and Palm Treo 750 -- and several PC cards that operate in Japan and South Korea.

Sounds like AT&T has really got the international wireless scene covered! Some of my husband's co-workers will traveling to Beijing on business soon, and I'm sure they'll be happy to know about AT&T's expanded international offerings.

You can read the full press release at CNNMoney.com.

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