Adieu Cherry
 

Email received this morning:

"This is notice that services supplied by Cherry Mobile will cease at midday on Monday 26th January 2009.

You will be able to top up your Sim card until Midday Monday 12th January 2009, but after this time no further top ups will be possible. The balance on your SIM card will remain valid and useable until the credit balance has been run down to zero. Your sim card will not be barred or disconnected.

All support offered by Cherry Mobile by either phone/email/website will also cease at midday on Monday 26th January 2009. If you wish to transfer your SIM card to United Mobile you can do so by contacting them directly through United Mobile - Low rates for calls and internet abroad

We would like to say thank you for your custom and trust that you will have made savings on your international calls from use of your roaming SIM card.

Cherry Mobile ."

There seems to be a pattern emerging here, don't you think.

Specifically....
 

Are you SPECIFICALLY suggesting that the globals have been and ARE losing any traction or advantage they may have had? And, as a result, they are either closing their operations or raising their prices to remain viable?

I believe that would be a shame. But it may be inevitable.

At one time there was some talk of UM offering German numbers instead of IOM and FL. I believe the foreign numbers have been a strong deterrent to expanding their market share in Germany and probably in other countries. Have seen nothing about it lately.

The national carriers at least in Germany and UK offer plenty of low cost "come-on" TRY ME throw-away-the-SIM-card offers. But someone who travels internationally does not want to have to tell his/her(? - do we have any ladies around the forum) business associates, friends and family to use "this new FL, IOM, ESTONIAN, etc. #" to reach me THIS trip. And next trip the number changes.

Stan