Hello,

I am currently in Madrid with my GT-SIM. Outgoing calls work fine. I don't use my GT-SIM for incoming calls.

SMS sending is working fine, too. I do send a lot of SMS. I hope, the price of 9 cent each is true, as SMS did not appear in my bill yet. And I already sent a lot of SMS since beginning of November... Don't like this. Either they bill, or they don't bill. I don't want to pay 1000 SMS somewhen next year February...

Bill of November (got it in beginning of December) did not contain any SMS and did not contain GPRS WAP-traffic.

GPRS WAP does work fine with Movistar.

Regards,
Klaus

Now that Kall8 is charging 92?/min. to call Riiing - just wanted to verify a few facts after reading this long thread.

1. Incoming calls are 38?/min. (Got this off their web site tonite.)
2. Outgoing to landline is 26 and cel is 38?. Does this mean to a landline/cel anywhere in the world INCLUDING the U.S.? (I know there is a surcharge when using the SIM when in the U.S.)
3. Even though I am in the U.S. I could declare my "home" country as being anywhere they have service? Say I go to France a lot, could I declare France as my home country and get incoming calls free when there?
4. Are calls made to a +44 7 number billed the same as calls to any UK mobile? That is roughly 20 to 30? from the U.S. Kall8 charges 29.
This would mean incoming would cost me 38+29 for a total of 67?. Not cheap, but w. Riings large termination charge that most LD carriers are passing on, it is better.

There haven't been any recent posts. Is VM working? I may be dense, but why are so many of you interested in having Call Forwarding working?

Thanks.

...mike

It is not necessary to find another sim to get forwarding to your riiing number. You can open up a call back account with enlinea (you may already have one) and they will provide you with a US 800 number to ring to your riiing card (pun intended) at no extra charge and since enlinea does not charge to sign up nor a monthly maintenance fee, it is an ideal situation and seems to be working at the moment (but that is always subject to change given the variable nature of internet services) and the charge is still enlinea's 12?/minute timed in 6 second intervals. Connection time is pretty good also as kall8 was no great shakes in that regard.

Incidentally it is a straight 800 number not a net2pin like cbw but you have to request it be set up by e mail, you can't set it up or change the ring to number as you can through the web site as you can with cbw.

Remember these are euro cents, not US$. For calls to numbers in the US, they do charge them all at the landline rate (no easy way to tell it's a cellphone of course).

Don't know. If you ordered it for a French address while in France it would work.

Yes. I've seen one or two US companies that charge UK mobiles at a couple of different rates (a little lower for the main carriers, more for "others") although I can't find one right now. But in 99% of cases, rates for all numbers starting +44 7 are the same.

So the call cost is the same as to any UK mobile, with one exception: if you are calling from a UK mobile from within in the UK. In that case, it's considered an international call, usually a similar rate to calling Ireland.

I initially tried it while I was in the Isle of Man and Ireland, but I'm now in the US (where it's too expensive, and I have alternatives) and Mexico (where there is no coverage). So it's gone into my sim box until I get back to Europe.

Which is why call forwarding would be handy, to be able to give the gt-sim number out as a contact number (especially as it's actually local to my home base!), but call forward to another number when I'm in the US/Mex.

Voicemail was mostly working but not 100% reliable, the SMS notifications were especially random. Haven't tried it for a while.

Sounds like GT coould be a better deal than Riiing under a few circumstances. (Although I was just told in a forum at HoFo that Riiing's VM has been truly functional a/o Dec. 1.)
While incoming w. Riiing is "free", you can be paying a lot to call them. I doubt that Enlinea will keep their 14? rate. Like others, i had run into call delivery problems w. Kall8 to Riiing.
Since Kall8 charges 29? to a UK cel number (like GT) and GT charges about 44?US to recv. a call - the total would be just over 70?US where ever you are.
I would require a service like Kall8 or Enlinea. If Enlinea raises its rates to Riiing, that would leave no other option to use Riiing.


Not going anywhere intl. til Feb. Decisions, decisions.

Thanks for the input.

...mike

One error in your last post...enlinea rate to riiing from US is not 14?/minute...it's 12?/minute (timed in 6 second intervals BTW) and unlike cbw pin2dest 800 service, you get yourown dedicated 800 number. Hasn't changed in well over a year.

This was in a post of yours a month ago. Do you know what is meant by having a "US phone number attached.....?

I think that you'll simply get a number like +1AAABBBBBBB and all incoming calls to this number will be forwarded to +44 7624 ..... In this way the person calling you from the US will pay a national rate and you'll pay for forwarding to your mobile phone with the UK (in fact Isle of Man) number.

I had guessed that's what "attached" meant, but wasn't sure. I guess the key is - how much will that add to the cost of the call? If it's over 29? (Kall8's charge to a UK cel phone), it wouldn't pay.
I emailed a couple of questions to their support desk almost a week ago. (Questions about whether they have working VM and the question about an "attached" number.) Haven't had a reply.

...mike

That's a good question. Maybe they are able to make a kind of "shortcut" so that it won't be necessary to transfer each call twice over Atlantic :).
Or they are just going to create "dual number" SIMs. I mean that each SIM will have both a +1 number (maybe it will be technically just a number of a US MVNO) and a +44 Manx number for worldwide use. In this way, it could make it possible to avoid "regular" transatlantic call forwarding (and its costs, of course).
But this is only what I guess/suppose - no real knowledge behind! :)

Would be nice with dual numbers, but I can't see it being possible without a surcharge (as there is no large termination fee to pay for call to a US number).

One problem with the gt-sim that has made it less useful for me: as mentioned before, it picks up an incoming call before locating me. In other words, the caller is charged as soon as it says "trying to connect you", so if I don't answer they're charged.

I thought this didn't matter (not me paying the bill) but it breaks multi-phone forwarding. For example, Skype (and some voip services) can forward to multiple numbers at the same time - I can set it to forward to a local landline phone and a couple of mobiles, and they all ring at the same time - I just answer the one I'm nearest to.

BUT, if gt-sim is one of the phones, the "trying to connect you" picks up the line, so the forwarding service, thinking it's got through, stops ringing the other phones. Makes gt-sim unusable in that combination.

Ever tried this in thr last days?
It's not picking up the incoming calls anymore ...

No, I didn't know that, I haven't used the gt-sim for a few weeks. That's good news.

Does the call forwarding work yet?

I can't do outgoing calls from 3 weeks... the first time that i noticed this trouble I was in Bruxelles, but I can't call in Italy too. I have to contact them...

I've just checked and my gt-sim is still working fine for incoming and outgoing calls, in the US.

Also, call forwarding now works - the 102+nnn command does promptly forward the call. This means that if you are in a country with no coverage you can (before you get there!) forward the calls to an alternate number (i.e. I can set it to forward to my Iceland 09 number before I get to Mexico). I can also forward calls to a US number to avoid the US surcharge when in the US.

Still a few faults though: the voicemail accepted a message (and the message was there when I checked), but hasn't notified me of it, and the online billing has slowed down (no record of recent calls yet).

From what I gather from the forum everone is in favor of the GT-sim. I would like a sim with VM, SMS, and with a UK number. As you all know I have used HOP and had no problems with it. I would love VM, and to be able to send SMS with HOP. The way Hop has been I don't think they will ever improve the service. Just MPO. Living here in the US at .60 euro is still cheaper than the $.90 that hop charges. When I get ready to go back to Europe I will buy the sim. I was really thinking about an UK orange or Vodaphone just to get a UK number. I would think that the roaming charges would put a large hole in my cell phone account. :(. If anyone has anything more to say I would be glad to hear it. Thanks for all your help.

The 60c for the US is a surcharge, not the total cost, so a call to a landline (anywhere) from the US is EUR 86c (US 103c). But the US isn't really where you'd want to use it.

There's no surcharge when the call is diverted - diverted calls are billed at the incoming rate (38c) (so in the US divert the incoming calls, if any, to a landline or local cell).

Currently, calls to check voicemail are not being charged for, even from the US, which makes up for the lack of voicemail notifies.

One other thing (that has been mentioned here before) - although it's a UK-style number, people calling the number from a UK mobile in the UK will get charged at a higher rate than calling a real UK mobile.

As it's in a number range that is technically "pagers" (for historical reasons) a very few international long distance companies will charge it at a rate different from UK mobiles. But that also means some charge it at UK landline rates. :D :D

Hi all, new to the forum

RTuesday, Isle of Man mobile numbers are charged in my bundled minutes on Orange and as far as I am aware on O2 too. It seems to be the other networks that charge it differently, especially 3 who seem to think it is an international call!

Thanks Alex, they must be treated as UK "other network" numbers more often now, they certainly used to be "international" on Orange a while back.

However I've just found (by trying) that some IOM mobile numbers can't be reached from 02 while roaming (and also can't be reached from one of the UK VOIP companies), 07624 10xxxx is still a very new number range.

It's really hard to tell from the UK mobile networks websites how they treat calls to IOM mobiles, with the exception of Virgin Mobile who do state clearly they are the same as UK mobiles.

from vm website

Calls to other UK networks?
35p per minute

? Includes calls and texts to Guernsey, Jersey & Isle of Man


so it would cost you a packet !!



btw if you want to test this if you could pm me your number, i can call you from o2 and orange and well find out.. you want have to talk :whistle:

Yes, expensive, but that's exactly the same as calling Orange, 02 etc from Virgin Mobile. UK mobiles sometimes make international sims look cheap!

The gt-sim is packed away while I'm in the US - way too expensive to use here. The gt-sim helpdesk is in the same number range: +44 7624 102 410.

Does the starter set for 40 Euros come with a balance or not?

New Media Nord is selling 5 of these on Ebay.de for 34.95 + shipping (max 3 Euros to Germany, unknown to US or other desitinations). Ad says BUY a 20 Euro refill card IN ADVANCE with the PREPAID option versus the 30 Euro / month charge on the business tarif (post paid).

Stan

Any link for details? Especially postpaid offer w/o exact T&C would be strange :unsure:

Here is the link on ebay.de

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...58968%26fvi%3D1

Damn...can't read it as it's in German and German is certainly not one of my best languages!

It is bascially a rehash of what is on the website in English.

You have a PREPAID rate at the right with NO monthly charges. In the left column you have the business post paid rate with a monthly charge of 29.95. I see nothing new OTHER than the distinction between those two rate classes, private and business.

Inbound FREE only in the home country; normal surcharges in US & India; inbound charges in other countries; outbound charges to fixed (land lines) and mobiles as before; GPRS rates as well as SMS (free inbound, of course).

Still waiting for some announcement from them on REDUCED US inbound rates.

Stan

OK I am at a loss here. On the GT-SIM website there is no montly charge ONLY for the calls you make. Why is this vendor on e-bay charging a line rental for postpaid business tarif. There is no mention of this tarif on the GT-sim site. Is this vendor trying to get monthly charges if you buy his postpaid plan??? If so what a rip-off. :ranting2:

I think this is the NEW dual track plan to be introduced shortly. I started another discussion thread on this recently.

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=904

Most post paid (contract) plans charge a monthly fee. In addition to the rather stiff monthly fee, you also have per minute charges on the new business plan.

Yes, it seems that there will be two tariff plans which are likely to be branded as Globalsim Holiday and Globalsim Business (when sold from Globalsim.net).

My questions about the postpaid "business" plan are:

1) "eingehende Gespr?che2* 0,00 EUR
* Bis auf einige au?ereurop?ische L?nder + Russland, in denen Extra-Roaminggeb?hren erhoben werden (bitte anfragen). "

Does this mean free incoming at least in some countries?

2) 29.95 ?/month - is it a fee paid "for nothing" (or for free incoming calls in some countries) and all fees are charged on top of it or is it just a "minimum usage fee"?

Contrary to the earlier speculation (4 cents less outbound), it appears that the ONLY difference is FREE inbound in selected countries. So, after a quick division, if you anticipate more than 78 or so minutes per month of INBOUND calls in countries where inbound are FREE, then the business plan will save you money.

It is not clear which non-European countries apart Russia would be involved. I suspect USA, Canada and Inida will still be surcharge but there are probably a few more.

If anyone is interested, they should write the seller. He does say Anfragen -- which means to ask.

Stan

So let me get this stright. We are talking about Global sim not GT-sim. Is this correct

The card in the ebay ad is certainly the GT-sim, but the tariffs/fees are different from those offered direct by gt-sim.

The ebay prepaid plan seems identical to gt-sim postpaid (apart from being prepaid of course!).

In return for the monthly fee on the postpaid, you get free incoming in more countries.

There's no mention of global sim holiday or business anywhere, although those could be another name for this elsewhere.

A few DAYS ago I wrote via the website to ask if the SIM card comes with any balance. This in regard to the Ebay.de auction which says the same thing. Now, if you TRY the BUY feature on the gt-sim website, the last time I tried, it said "comes with 5 Euro to start".

As you see, if you read German, that is NOT the case.

PERSONALLY, there is just too much confusion about this offer to be trustworthy even if it does work. It is true that SHIPPING is FREE, but why they don't include a minimal balance to start is beyond me.


From: GT-SIM
To: snaimon@juno.com
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 13:12:46 +0100

Dear Stanley Naimon,

Wir liefern den GT-SIM per DHL weltweit frei Haus.
Es ist kein Start-Guthaben auf der Karte.

With best regards
Markus Hauschild
Global Termination Holdings HK Limited
1601-1603 Kinwick Centre - 38 Hollywood Road
Central - Hong Kong (SAR )
<https://secure.global-termination.com/PRESS2CALL/onlineservice/OnlineService.php?CustID=1000447&KeyCode=313953502 1> <https://secure.global-termination.com/PRESS2CALL/onlineservice/OnlineService.php?CustID=1000447&KeyCode=313953502 1>
P : +4476 2410 2410
F : +852 301 50780
E-mail: helpdesk@global-termination.com <mailto:markus_hauschild@global-termination.com>
Web: gt-sim.com <http://gt-sim.com> (homepage)
Web: gt-sim.com <http://212.227.87.187/websites/gt_sim/roaming_information/roaming.php?lang=eng> (GT-SIM roaming countries)
Web: gt-sim.com <http://212.227.87.187/websites/gt_sim/roaming_information/roaming_partners.htm> (GT-SIM roaming partners)
Web: <http://gt-sim.de/>gt-sim.com <http://212.227.87.187/websites/gt_sim/download/MobilePhoneCompatibility_eng.pdf> (mobile phones tested with the GT-SIM)
Web: gt-sim.com <http://212.227.87.187/websites/gt_sim/faq_information/faq_detail.php?lang=eng> (FAQ frequent ask questions)

************************************************** *****************
This communication contains information from Global Termination Holdings HK Limited that may be confidential. Except for the personal use by the intended recipient, or as expressly authorised by the sender, any person who receives this information is prohibited from disclosing, copying, distributing, and/or using it. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately delete it and all copies, and promptly notify the sender. Nothing in this communication is intended to operate as an electronic signature under applicable law.
************************************************** *****************

As I said, both offers on the ebay use a picture of a physical gt-sim, and show similar per-min rates, but have different terms, i.e. they seem to have negotiated a different deal (or simply don't understand what they are trying to sell).

The real gt-sim (where you got your email reply from) of course doesn't have a starter balance, because it is postpaid. They take the money once a month from the credit card (which has worked fine for me so far).

I don't see any reason to buy from the ebay offer unless you really want prepaid (where it's not clear where you can get refills from) or want to pay 30 eur a month every month just to get free incoming in more countries (United Mobile and 09 are probably more suitable).

On the contrary, the website clearly shows a STARTER set on the front page in the STARTER PACK Setup Fee & GSM SIM in the star on the right. Once you select your number you go to another screen:


YOUR GT-SIM NO. IS >> +44 7624 103012

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please select a PrePaid amount to start with.

The billing will be 60/60 which means you are charged by the minute. You are also able to look at your calling history online at any time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please select Post Paid Service

( PostPaid Service )


Click PostPaid Service and you do not have to pay for a prepaid amount. You only pay for the calls you have conducted. They will be charged at the end of each month to your credit card in a postpaid way. The billing will be 60/60 which means you are charged by the minute. You are also able to look at your calling history online at any time.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So it DOES allow prepaid and you can select from 25, 50 or 100 Euros.

Of course on the next screen it says:

Address Information .........................

In order to generate your monthly invoice, we need you to fill out the information below.

Name Address

Zip Code Town

Country Email Address

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So if I have a prepaid amount, why are they generating a monthly invoice?

I did not enter my info. As I noted, this looks very curious and confusing to me. I SWEAR I recently say a page where the Starter Pack had a 5 Euro balance, but I cannot find that page anymore.

I agree that paying 30 Euros per month for FREE INCOMING is probably not the right choice for most casual travellers. Businessmen and the like who are ALWAYS on the go in various countries might be able to take advantage of that. I cannot at this point and with my limited travel from USA.

Stan

I have emailed the Ebay.de seller asking where such refills could be purchased. I shall post any answer.

It is not clear WHERE on the gt-sim website one would purchase ONLY the refill as has been noted.

Stan

Here the answer:

Item: NEU: Internationale SIM-Card | einsetzbar in 78 L?ndern ( 6478258968)
This message was sent while the listing was active.
kanne_mv42 is the seller.

Hallo snaimon,

die Auflade-PIN sind direkt bei mir erh?ltlich, Bestellungen nehme ich telefonisch, per E-Mail, per Fax oder in K?rze ?ber meinen WebShop entgegen.
Sie werden die Auflade-PIN weder jetzt noch sp?ter hier bei eBay finden, daf?r sind die Margen zu gering und die ebay-Geb?hren zu hoch (erst Recht ab 22.Februar).

Mit freundlichen Gr??en
Ralf Karnowsky - new media nord -

==================

Basically, he has them directly and they can be orderd by email, telephone or fax and in his web shop. ebay charges are getting prohibitive and the margin is very small so they may be on ebay, too.

Sorry, you're right, they now do do prepaid. That wasn't available whn I brought mine, and I've had no reason to be so far through the order process since to see that.

Maybe the "invoicing" information is gathered just to get the identity of users, for prepaid (or perhaps they do send an invoice, marked as paid with the remaining balance).

The 5 Eur balance you're thinking of might be the 0044.co.uk card, which is also an IOM number but very different rates.

Thanks for all the info & exchanges. Yes, that must be it. 0044.

Their DIRECT outbound rates are fairly stiff, aren't they? The rate using CALLBACKWORLD from a UK mobile to the US is 40.4 US cents, 40.6 to UK land line and 72.9 to a UK cell. Doubt THOSE are bargain prices v 26 e-cents to a landline and 38 e-cents to a mobile.

Of course the big selling points of GT-SIM or 0044 over Riiing/Umited Mobile would be:

1. the reachability v Liechtenstein cells
2. NO .25 e-cents setup fee
3. cheaper SMS send
4. data

TRUE, +423663 is an oddball. I use CALLBACKWORLD, where the rate is STILL 14 cents / minute which takes care of 1 and 2. Also, I have another calling card which AT THE MOMENT says its rate to a Liechtenstein cell is 10.1 cents -- I have not tested this rate or even whether calls witll complete. And my ultimate fallback is ONESUITE @ about 25 cents per minute. As for the SMS send price, I can CALL for almost 4 minutes using CBW for the price of an SMS.

Nonetheless, I might at a later date, as our trip to Europe approaches, be interested in another international card. I wrote to kanne_mv42 that I might buy one when we are in Duesseldorf for free incoming there. They also have local German calling cards and I will probably buy one or more of those from them unless I find something better.

Stan

FYI. He had 5 for sale and had no bidders.

I might be interested in one of these down the road as it comes closer to my arrival date in Germany. Why rush? There may be better offers coming any day, right?