AT&T’s (News - Alert) goal of combining the mobility of wireless phones with the low wireline calling rates of landlines has resulted in a new AT&T Unity Worldwide Calling plan.

 

For $4.99-a-month, international long distance calling rates are available to more than 220 countries around the globe, regardless if the customer is using a house or mobile phone. Key countries covered are Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and Mexico.

 

Available in all AT&T Stores and AT&T Call Centers, interested subscribers must have an AT&T Wireless as well as AT&T local and long distance wireline plan. Moreover, a combined bill must also be presented prior to approval.

 

"With Unity Worldwide Calling, international callers no longer have to worry about whether they're calling from home or on the road or whether they're getting competitive calling rates. We've created a plan that makes it easy and affordable to keep connected with friends and family around the world -- with one rate on both phones," said AT&T group president Ralph de la Vega, in a statement to the press.

 

This is not the first time that AT&T combined the benefits of wired and wireless service. Earlier this year, it launched AT&T Unity Plans, a set of wireless plans offering unlimited calls to and from AT&T Wireless phones.  It also includes unlimited mobile to mobile calls and does not charge for long distance or roaming services. To date, this is the largest calling community with more 120 million wired and wireless phone numbers around the country.

 

"Today's busy, on-the-go telecommunications customers are looking for a simple, seamless, affordable communications experience -- whether it be from a landline phone or a wireless device. Service providers that are able to deliver on the promise of convergence and successfully introduce true, integrated portfolios of wired and wireless services will quickly grab consumer mindshare, stated Yankee Group (News - Alert) senior analyst Patrick Monaghan, in a press release.