Verizon to provide global GSM roaming on certain handsets

Verizon has announced that it will be enabling global GSM roaming on some of its devices.

The first phones to get this update include the Motorola DROID 4, DROID RAZR, DROID RAXR MAXXand the HTC Rezound. Verizon will be pushing a software update to these phones, which will enable this functionality.

The radio units found within the SoCs of these phones were capable of GSM and CDMA connectivity all along, so it is no surprise that these phone can also work on GSM network. It's just surprising that it took Verizon this long to enable this functionality.

It remains to be seen what roaming rates Verizon will be charging for these phones. Unfortunately, they are never cheap, which is why a lot of people just prefer to use an inexpensive temporary GSM phone with the local carrier's SIM while roaming.