International Travelling Sim

carmenes82

Thanks for the reply- I still think having to use your credit within 3 months from first use is unfair as it makes it almost impossible to avoid wasted credit at the end of each trip. For example, I visited Spain in April and again in August. I top-up with 50 euros in April and only use 35 euros worth (after all, it's hard to predict call usage accurately). When I visit again in August I want to be able to use the 15 euros which is rightly mine, but it will have expired as 3 months will have elapsed. The same will apply to my August trip when I visit Spain again next year. Overall, the company makes a lot of money on people not using all their credit within 3 months and it seems like a commercial strategy more suited to the established mobile operators and not a start-up service trying to champion the consumer cause. Hidden charges drive me mad!!

Given my experience with Orange and Simply-fone, I would have though the mobile operators would stamp on anybody trying to use call diversion to avoid roaming charges.

Car.

andy88_2

Now I'm confused; you mean your Spanish SIM credit expires in 3, or believe this one may do? I'm convinced about 9 months.

Call diversion - yes, it's a pity that Orange Everyphone has stopped; now they charge for diverted calls, whereas it was possible to divert for free to a landline or Orange mobile. That would not apply in this case though, as it will be a different call charge.

The unnamed service would allow you to divert your UK mobile to a London number that diverts your call to your international mobile. This appears to be one of their difficulties though; as someone told me it is technically quite difficult, relying on extra information about calling IDs that is not sent by all providers; it needs the caller ID, your UK and foreign numbers, etc. And anyway they charge more for incoming roaming calls.

carmenes82

My Spanish SIM expires after 9 months. If I bought a sim4travel SIM it would expire (or at least the credit on it would) in 3 months:

http://www.sim4travel.com/basket/

I suppose the call diversion to a London geographic number would come out of free minutes so that wouldn't be too much of a problem. But I can imagine that sending it on from there must be pretty difficult, both technically and to ensure good quality. I personally wouldn't mind paying a bit for incoming calls, so long as it's cheaper than roaming and the quality is good, since I can split my calls into: a) people who I don't want to know where I am, who can continue to phone my UK number at my expense or b) people who I can tell I'm abroad who can call me using a cheap calls provider (this split would probably represent business contacts in the a) category, friends and family in the b)).

And presumably, this call diversion would end up going to a local SIM so I've got the advantage of people at my destination (ie. in Spain) being able to call me on a local mobile number.

Do keep me posted with any developments- I'll do the same.

Cheers,

Car.

andy88_2

This 3 months expiry of credit is very odd. I'll check tomorrow, but as I say, it should be that it must be used within 9 months; I don't believe the credit runs out.

But I think for your case the Spanish SIM is the best anyway.

I don't think diverted calls come from included minutes; it's something I've discussed with Orange CS since the end of the Everyphone service. I'll have to write to them. But in any case as I said that other company's service is not working; a pity because it would have a gateway number in several countries, but it would go to their own SIM; not much point in diverting the Spanish one to it, and it won't go to the Spanish one

For SIMs like this one though, still 2 other ideas though for call diversion for your method a. One won't happen yet, but I'm hoping they'll introduce call diversion. And check your tariff for 0871 calls.

And for b that is possible, via 2 or 3 other routes as well, though some are at your cost. My favourite one just stopped though (not S-F)

Fry_2

There has much discussion on using a service by http://www.0044.co.uk/ on this forum. This service provides a SIM card specific to the country you are travelling to.

http://www.sim4travel.com/ seems to allow you to get cheaper roaming in a large range of countries, many with no charge for receiving calls.

It is a pre-pay account and lasts for 9 months before it becomes deactivated (i.e. just send a text from it now and again to keep it going).

You get a '00423' number for use.

Making a call (from the help and Advice page on the website) is a bit different
"Calling from your Travel SIM is a slightly different experience to a normal mobile phone call.

1. Dial the number including the 0044 UK dialling code as per normal
2. You will see a Please wait message. The phone will then disconnect
3. You will receive a call
4. Answer the call - wait for a few seconds
5. You will be connected to the person you are calling"


I am tempted to use when I go to several counties in Africa.

Has anyone have experience of this service (i.e. network availablity and money saving)?

How much does it cost for people to ring/text you?

Thanks!

andy88_2

Martin already posted a thread on the subject, as I have.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=49607

I assume you've looked at the range of countries. I can't tell you about Africa, except that someone used it in Tunisia. In some countries it roams on all networks; in others fewer. 4 UK, 3 French, 3 Belgian, 3 Dutch (not Vodafone or T-mobile), 2 German (vodafone and T-mobile). A friend has mine (bought from a different supplier) in Slovakia at the moment, so I'll hear more next week.

The cost to call you depends on the provider used. Cheap calls providers do not all cover Liechtenstein mobiles, and even some of those that say they do can not. 10 pence is the best rate available from a landline. See that 2nd thread for more info

MSE_Martin

Just started a thread about a new provider http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=571931#post571931

andy88_2

carmenes82 wrote:

My Spanish SIM expires after 9 months. If I bought a sim4travel SIM it would expire (or at least the credit on it would) in 3 months:

This is untrue. My Riiing SIMcard has not expired in over 4 months.

In the light of our present knowledge of your interests, I suggest you retract this comment that is intended to damage a rival to your own product.

andy88_2

carmenes82 wrote:

I suppose the call diversion to a London geographic number would come out of free minutes so that wouldn't be too much of a problem. But I can imagine that sending it on from there must be pretty difficult, both technically and to ensure good quality.

Please expand on these remarks. Is it equally difficult for your company?

iceburn

Actually Orange allow call diversion to international numbers but it cost a bomb, it go over the advantage of getting a local simcard / international roaming card. At one time you could "EVERYPHONE" your number to a 0870/0871 number which in turn direct the call to your roaming mobile u are using. But everyphone is now defunt. So that is a no go.