Truphone SIM replacement heads up!
 

Apparently, Truphone is replacing everyone's SIM cards.
Some people have received unrequested replacement SIMs in the mail. Others after talking to Truphone CS. Supposedly the replacement SIM works 'better'. It is Version 5.00.
I just received one today. You need to call Truphone CS to do the change, not the web site.

Both AT&T and T-Mobile networks still work. The replacement SIM is a mini with a micro residing in it and can be pushed out.

How they are communicating it to customers is unclear. I got mine in the mail 3 days after talking to CS.

I received an unsolicited one.

same here, unsolicited, and then takes a few mins on the phone and a magnifying glass to activate it, give them the serial and PUK numbers.

I wonder what it takes to get one unsolicited?
 

I wonder what it takes to get one unsolicited?

I received one unsolicited as well. I have not used their sim in while. Their rates are too high for the countries I am likely to visit.

I haven't received anyting, yet, though I'm a customer since 2010 :D

Not really new news
 

This SIM is not really new news. Here is a mention of it on June 15, 2012:
(Updated) Truphone to Release a Brand New Tru SIM Card Soon? | TruTower

Perhaps someone who uses 'the Facebook' could provide a link to the mentioned item.

Another thing:
 

I got my first Truphone SIM May 2010. I got a bunch at the start of 2011 when Truphone branded SIMs and packaged phones were being sold on eBay and another auction site.

Reading through the Terms & Conditions it says that SIMs should be activated within 14 or 30 days from receipt depending on from whom you got it.

I have this week activated two SIMs from back then and have one more to go.
I encourage anyone who has any unactivated Truphone SIMs to do it soon.

I plan to then request the new blue SIMs in a few weeks or so to replace the 'old' ones.

That they may become unactivatible would be unfortunate and a hassle.

Truphone's 'upgrade' seems to involve a loss of key functionality...
got an email today with this:

"If you have additional mobile numbers associated with your account and you would like to keep these you need to enable auto-renew within your Truphone account or you will lose the number permanently. To do this, simply log into ‘My Account’ via the Truphone website (Truphone), select ‘Manage Upgrades’ and ensure ‘Auto Renew’ is set to on."

For me, an important feature was the ability to switch on a UK (or Australian) number for just a month when I travel for $8, and then turn off auto-renew again. Now we'll lose the UK number, unless we pay EVERY month. I suppose we can live with a different number each time we travel, if that is possible, but it makes Piranha look more enticing.

Not something I envision using, but thanks for the warning.


So you kept getting the same phone number every time you turned it back on? Was this something they documented or was that just he the way things worked? Perhaps they need to conserve their numbers more than in the past.............or just wanted to enhance revenue per month.

yep, I have a fixed UK number on each Truphone sim card (one for the wife!), and we'd just turn them on and pay $8 each for the 1-2 trips back to the old country each year. Not sure if it costs them a lot to maintain a bunch of numbers that are only used for a small part of the year.

I saw the fuller letter at HoFo. One way to optimistically interpret it is that it needs to be on autorenew when the transition happens or all is lost.
Perhaps, after the transition, it will be back to the old ways?
I am perhaps being too optimistic?

OK, here is the deal----maybe.
 

This morning I called Truphone to request 4 blue SIM cards. The agent was in the UK. I asked about the 'transition' and the autorenew of the additional phone numbers. He understood what I was asking and talked to his supervisor.
He said that the auto renew needed to be on inorder for the phone number to transition to the new system. The transition will be done in batches. After the transition autorenew will be automatically turned off. And things will be like before where you will get the same number when you turn it back on. I believe that this is what the plan is. Whether it will really happen that way is an issue.

I strongly suggest that you call Truphone CS and see if they say the same thing to you. Perhaps during the day when you will probably get a UK CS person who can ask a supervisor who might know what is going on.

$8 to keep a phone number through the transition might be worth it to you.

OK, thanks, going to be there (UK) anyway next month, so might try that. unclear when the actual "transition" takes place, I've already activated 2 new tru sims.

It sounds like throughout June until they are finished. And do not expect both of your SIMs to be transitioned at the same time [unless, perhaps, they are in some kind of consecutive order.]


As I said to the CS guy this morning.

Further update.
 

I have now activated by phone call 8 blue Truphone SIMs.
One of my phones seems to have an issue of constantly rebooting with the new SIM. Otherwise, everything seems to be OK.