PrePaidGSM.net Forum (Archived) - new UM card with +1/+44 dual number soon

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new UM card with +1/+44 dual number soon

It was reported on the GSM World fair in Barcelona that UM will start a dual IMSI SIM-card soon which carries a +44 and a +1 number.
In the US you can choose which number will be shown for outgoing calls, outside USA always the +44 number will be shown.
Inbound calls in the US will be 19ct/min, the tariffs will be similar than on the UM+ card.
More details in german here: teltarif.de News: +44/+1: United Mobile kombiniert zwei Rufnummern auf einer SIM

Chris

Quote:

Originally Posted by dg7feq (Post 25338)

Chris, if they can do that, that will put them a step up on everybody...unfortunately I cannot understand a word of German...any mention in the article of a time frame...

If this is all true, they could make a mint...it would in effect be a prepaid mobile in the USA (and Canada too which also uses country code 1??) and would prices be the same when roaming say in Europe????

If it is what it seems, I might swallow my anger at the 0,19€ set up fee to receive calls!

Let me just add I'm a bit cynical and you'll have to forgive me as Mr. Yackie Mobile who used to post here used to say that a Yackie Mobile +1 card was imminent and coming soon...but then again so is Christmas.

The timeframe mentioned is 1-2 months. So they seem to be pretty far with the preparations. And yes, it seems too good to be true - same tariff for US and EU...

Chris

edit: Henning, the author of the article used the card already on the UM booth. It had a (+44 7937) and a +1-570 number and seemed to work well

Here's a quick translation

Quote:

+44/+1: United Mobile combines two numbers on one SIM

Optional availability at British or American number

The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is the heartland for roaming customers. Allthough EU-commissioner Viviane Reding rendered tariffs for calls within the EU more affordable, subscribers can still save a lot with the right roaming-SIM-card while keeping a worldwide valid number for the long term. In contrast a local SIM can lose validity and so its number quite quickly (e.g. French ones).

The roaming-SIM-pioneer United Mobile could be found in Barcelona in hall 2, where they showed first samples of their new SIM-card with two numbers, technically called "Dual IMSI". The highlight: subscribers are simultaneously available at two different numbers, in this case a British number from the Isle of Jersey and a US-American number, in our test one with the area code +1-570 (Pennsylvania Area)
Availability at the US-number was granted immediately after inserting the SIM card in Spain, for outgoing calls the Britsh "part" of the SIM-card had first to be activated by customer care. Outgoing calls outside of the USA can be placed through the British number only. Whereas in the USA subscribers can chose through SIM-Toolkit-menu whether to place calls as "British" or "American".

+44/+1: tariffs like with UM+

"+44/+1" is primarily targeted to British and Americans, who travel worldwide. But also German globetrotters can get an advantage from the US-number, e.g. to be available for American friends at national rates, since international calls are relatively expensive in the USA.
In terms of pricing +44/+1 is orientated by the UM+-tariffs: For all calls, like recently introduced by United Mobile, a connection fee of 19 cents applies, also for incoming calls.
When being called at the British number while staying in the USA, no further costs apply. Incoming calls at the US-number are charged with 19 cents per minute. That is still cheap for the USA, where incoming calls on mobile phones are always charged. The dual-IMSI-SIM shall be available in one to two months and will be distributed online and by special retailers.

United-Mobile-SIM with German number planned, still not realized

If and when the already planned SIM-card with German number will be realized, is unclear. As teltarif learned from insiders, contracts with a German network operator have been signed, however it is not sure if they plans will be put into operation.
United Mobile also plans to offer data service for the Jersey SIM-cards, but currently this is not possible yet. However data service is already offered for the Liechtenstein-based service from United Mobile. To the detriment of United Mobile call-setup for their so called UM-423-SIM-card is relatively expensive, because calls are triggered by SMS (the alternative USSD-method is not offered by the involved operator "Mobilkom Liechtenstein"). In wholesale business a short message costs 30 cents, which customers are not directly charged but are settled by the income of established calls.
Insiders presume, that United Mobile is on the horns of a dilemma here. They would like to switch to a unified platform, but the Liechtenstein numbers are still very popular not only in Switzerland (from where Liechtenstein is reachable at national rates due to historic reasons). A new number is inacceptable for many customers, who would rather change operators.

United Mobile restructuring

After the spectacular bankruptcy of skype-founder Morton Lund, who also invested in United Mobile, and because of the consequences of the economic crisis United Mobile was forced to restructure. Former CEO Chalres Fränkl (formerly working for Swisscom, Vodafone, E-Plus and AOL) has left the company already last autumn and company founder Sven Donhuysen returned as CEO. To save costs the number of personnel was adapted. After several competitors like is09 from Island had to resign, United Mobile now see great chances to be successful with their combined product +44/+1.

Really seems too good to be true but....

If it is true, as noted at the end, UM would jump far ahead of most of the other international cards!

One of their targets is definitely US customers since tmobile and AT&T roaming charges are quite high. The lower EU rates have forced them to look for other options. They also target EU customers that pay high roaming rates in the US. They will definitely compete with maxroam and yackie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossman (Post 25344)

Isn't Yackie currently inactive with the demise of O9?

Yes. Yackie is currently inactive. I mentioned them only because they promised to come back. Of course, nothing is guaranteed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MATHA531 (Post 25345)

Isn't Yackie currently inactive with the demise of O9?

Wouldn't this compete with what Celtrek is offering?