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-   -   Ekit's US SIMple Calling Plus Service no longer does Canada (https://prepaid.mondo3.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7373)

rfranzq 08-09-2012 22:02

Ekit's US SIMple Calling Plus Service no longer does Canada
 
Ekit's US SIMple Calling Plus Service no longer does Canada. The service they sell no longer claims it works in Canada. In April, when I bought the SIM it said it worked in Canada on 3G only [Bell Mobility & Telus]. No more, apparently.

If anyone is in Canada with any of the ekit SIMple Calling SIMs, I would be curious if they still work there?

fsotirop 08-09-2012 22:11

I never trusted ekit, most of their international simcards have very high rates.

RTuesday 09-09-2012 22:49

Ekit US+Canada (one I've had for years) worked OK for an outbound call today in British Columbia, using Telus 3G. Call was billed and listed on the billing record as being made from the US, not Canada.

The online account still lists rates for Canada, so it doesn't seem to have been officially withdrawn (yet!).

It no longer registers on Rogers 3G (like it did 6 weeks ago), and as before no longer registers on anything on 2G. Clearly it's on the way out, so I'll be using up the balance when I can. T-Mobile US is the better option for a prepaid sim that covers both countries (plus others).

rfranzq 10-09-2012 09:39

Well, here is my report
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by RTuesday (Post 40655)
The online account still lists rates for Canada, so it doesn't seem to have been officially withdrawn (yet!).

Well, here goes, I have 6 ekit SIMple Calling SIMs of various vintages from both the US and UK ebay sellers.

I have one each of the original US/Canada only from US & UK.
They both still show the Canada information.

I have 3 [2 US & 1 UK] of their dual phone number SIM that do the whole world. These 3 no longer show Canadian rates with the US rates. The Canadian rates are still the same as before, though.

The last and most recent SIM is one I bought in April. It now shows as US only. When I bought it it showed it did Canada also on 3G--this was mentioned in more than one thread here.

Stu 10-09-2012 16:13

What do people think is going on? This is strange.

rfranzq 10-09-2012 18:42

My Guess:: Tweaking the product.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu (Post 40661)
What do people think is going on? This is strange.

I would guess that they are tweaking the product offerings for whatever reason they think they need to.

The eBay listings for both the US and UK sellers still have [as of today 9/10/2012] Canada listed as in the past. Both Bell Mobility and Telus are listed as the 3G [& only 3G] networks for Canada. Perhaps I noticed this change before they got around to updating the eBay listings.

Other than the newest SIM, they all show Canadian rates. It would be interesting to know if the very oldest US phone number only SIMple Calling SIMs work only on 3G or not in Canada or work at all.

RTuesday 11-09-2012 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfranzq (Post 40663)
It would be interesting to know if the very oldest US phone number only SIMple Calling SIMs work only on 3G or not in Canada or work at all.

I've just checked and my SIM (US phone number only, in area code 323) dates from 6 Apr 2009. I thought it was older than that, seem like more years! That's the one that now works on Telus 3G only (in this area of BC). Was working on 2G in Canada at the start of the summer, not now.

GadgetKen 16-09-2012 08:04

I will also be using up my ekit simple calling card. Have only about US$33 left. Canada roaming sounds less friendly with ekit now, although I haven't gone north of the border recently. Now that AT&T Gophone, T-Mobile Prepaid, and PagePlus/Verizon all have Canada and Mexico roaming, there are several alternatives for trips to Canada.

More important to me, the rates for many countries in the non-US Caribbean are up to $1.49/minute/zone 3 to call back to the US. I paid only 49 cents per minute back in Dec/Jan for an extended trip to the Cayman Islands. At the new rate, I might as well use my Digicel Bermuda sim chip (it roams at cheaper rates), my Iridium satphone or Skype. Also I invariably had to use the *126*number# dial around and callbacks occasionally failed.

fsotirop 16-09-2012 16:04

at the moment, for Canada roaming piranhamobile is the best choice , offering US numbers as a standard too.
call back to US costs only $0.22
CALL RATES
roaming data to Canada only $0.40 per mb
receiving calls in Canada $0.13/min.

rfranzq 16-09-2012 17:14

Thanks for the report.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by RTuesday (Post 40674)
I've just checked and my SIM (US phone number only, in area code 323) dates from 6 Apr 2009.

Thanks for the report. I also have an area code 323 one [received in October 2008]. The 323 is actually good for me because it is next to the area code I reside in---less than a mile away.

aguzmanekit 19-09-2012 16:17

Update from Ekit Inc
 
Unfortunately our agreement with Rogers in Canada has been terminated. At the moment our Canada service works on the Bell Mobility and Telus networks, which have 3G frequencies of 850 and 1900 MHz. Phones that have these frequencies include: iPhone (5, 4S, 4, 3GS, 3G), Samsung Galaxy SIII, SII and Note, Nokia N8, and any Smartphones purchased from AT&T in the United States.

For those who are unsure on how to look up the frequency of the phones, customer service can look this up for you.

Please update the forum if you have any further questions about Ekit coverage in Canada.

rfranzq 23-10-2012 22:11

Update on Canada///\\\Mexico is now included
 
I missed the above post of 9/19/2012:::
Quote:

Originally Posted by aguzmanekit (Post 40733)
Unfortunately our agreement with Rogers in Canada has been terminated. At the moment our Canada service works on the Bell Mobility and Telus networks, which have 3G frequencies of 850 and 1900 MHz. Phones that have these frequencies include: iPhone (5, 4S, 4, 3GS, 3G), Samsung Galaxy SIII, SII and Note, Nokia N8, and any Smartphones purchased from AT&T in the United States.

But looking now it says for the US SIMple Calling Plus Service:::
Quote:

Using our service in Canada
Our Canada Service works on the Bell Mobility and Telus networks, which have 3G frequencies of 850 and 1900MHz. Phones that have these frequencies include: iPhone (5, 4S, 4, 3GS, 3G), Samsung Galaxy SIII, SII and Note, Nokia N8, and any Smartphones purchased from AT&T in the United States. If your phone is not one of these, it most likely will not work in Canada.
The big news is that Mexico is now included. No details are presented [which networks?] but rates are and they are the same rates as Canada for calls and texts. So folks might want to check them to see if the rates and terms meet their needs.

rfranzq 23-10-2012 22:27

a further observation
 
The US SIMple Calling Plus SIM/Service has gone through a lot of iterations.

I notice from the URL that my SIM from April 2012 is called: ekusplus_grey.

The current SIM on the ekit website is ekusplus_yellow.

The yellow seems to be the one they are selling on ebay.

Red, blue, purple, also exist. [Who knows what other colors there might be.] This named card has had a lot of variations.


I probably should ask: Anyone have any current reports/comments about ekit in Canada?

dennism3 20-02-2013 06:25

I had a problem when it stopped working on Rogers and I was using a basic phone, so lost Canada and I'm a Canadian. They switched me over to "passport"(I believe) which gives me service in Canada and the USA. Sent me sim card.
I now use a T-Mobile unlocked gsm phone even though they seem to indicate only unlocked AT&T work.
Noticed on ebay the connection fee is stated at .49, then .09 a minute but then .48 is mentioned for the cost of the first minute which would mean a .39 connection fee, which is what I have experienced.


____________________________
" A USD 49c connection fee applies to each call made or received on your US number when in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

* The cost of calling a cell phone in the United States and Canada is the same as calling a landline.
** A per minute surcharge applies to call some non-key countries.

¶ It is FREE to receive calls and text messages on your Global number in the USA. In Mexico and Canada it costs 19c per minute to receive call on your Global number

Example: The cost of a call from the US to a landline in Australia is US$0.48 for the first minute and then US$0.09 per subsequent minute.
Example: The cost to receive a call when you are in the USA is US$0.48 on your US number for the first minute and then US$0.09 per subsequent minute of that call."


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