I'm a bit more sceptical

As for how soon or what is coming, read all the hype about worldwide free calls to and from mobiles, from well over a year ago (June); read that one blogger responsible for promoting that idea subsequently (January) describes the company as a client.

I don't understand why so many journalists just read PR hype without moderating it by adding any of their own knowledge. This seems to characterise the spoon-feeding that this firm's fans lap up.

From that article, he's done a deal with Pirelli about phones ...

Quote:

... and has struck a deal with Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli to manufacture the devices; one a Wi-Fi-based device and the other a Windows Mobile GSM phone.

Actually, one of those Pirelli handsets (dual-mode wi-fi and GSM) has been around for about a year [to my knowledge, perhaps longer]. There is another discontinued, and a third, a dual-mode wi-fi VoIP and quad-band GSM Windows smartphone one, will be available from November, quite possibly [I would speculate] without any licence fees accruing to Mr Phelan.


It will be interesting to see and hear what this new SIM card deal consists of - which network the roaming deal comes from, how well the call forwarding works and at what tariffs, and so on. It may well indeed include the prospect of diverting calls to be received while on a wi-fi network; he didn't invent that idea though, so will he come up with anything that hasn't been done yet? A good way to start selling it would be to have some tariffs listed for incoming and outgoing calls.

He did seem to find some investors to invest in the company. but most of these guys invest in 10 companies and if 1 or 2 become a succes this makes up for the loss in the other 8-9 investments.

Nothing really new on what I read about this company. There have been so many stories now and promomises but most of them are never heard from again or it turns out to be different when they do introduce their service.

Two words...

Yackie Mobile

or perhaps one word:

Ryanair

MaxRoam is Free or Not
 

Roaming with MaxRoam is free or not , like freeglobalsim , which in certain countries you roam for free .

The company seems more stable than that, but it certainly isn't clear what it's done yet to merit the walk-on-water predictions of some of its fans.

As the website has reverted to a nearly blank page that says coming soon, there's no way to judge at the moment

MaxRoam is live since 11.26

The rates I checked are better than what Yackie offers.

They charge €1 for sending it by regular mail, €2 by registered mail, €20 by courier (48 hours).

It's a pity that the company's marketing is still rather hyperbolic and seems unable to resist sly and untruthful digs at its competitors, such as

• MAXroam is €29.99 (includes €5 initial calling credit). Most comparable products are 2 or 3 times more expensive!

Typical sales prices of other SIM products we've seen are €20 to €50, many with more credit included.

And most of the incoming call divert charges are just above or below roaming with the new Eurotariff. The hype was about call charges in single figures, even free, but it doesn't seem to have stepped ahead of products we've already seen. Perhaps they intend to add a VoIP and wi-fi capability ...

I think they refer to Yackie? Since that's a comparable product (with local numbers not seen on other probucts I mean).

Pat spoke about mobile Data, that's all I know... So let's wait... and see.

Too bad incoming in EU countries are not free.

Well, don't forget that this is inclusive of call forwarding from a landline DID, so that's hardly to be expected. Effectively, it's reversing the caller pays theme, but someone still has to.

Of course, other SIMs at least give you the chance to set up a cheaper route for yourself, if you can find one.