I've finally got a 09 sim (sent from Orate in the UK, who took weeks and still sent it "small packet" rate to save themselves a few pennies - avoid them if you can).

For me, the key selling point is the rate in Mexico. The inbound cost (zero) beats even the local sims, and the outbound isn't too bad (plus, with callback I could get the rate to the UK from Mexico down to US$0.15/min). The US rates though are obscene, have to make sure I turn it off near the border!

But, first impressions are not good. Although it can receive a test call (roaming in US, so I didn't pick up!), it doesn't make a call on either of the two networks nor two phones I tried, not even the "check balance" number. So I'm now testing the online support...

A test sms from US Cingular to the 09 didn't work either, and message sending (anywhere) simply fails.

Does anybody else have one of these? They seem very unclear about which phones they support, but my phones work fine with other global sims.

Hi again RT,

Hmm. Maybe I've spoken too soon about how grateful I am for advice received. On the basis of things I read, I decided to go with 09 Mobile. They passed me to Orate, with whom I have had very pleasant e-mail correspondence and nice promises that they can get me the SIM in time for mt departure. We'll see if they deliver; and we'll see what 09 Mobile delivers in terms of reception and service.

I should note that ordering the 09 SIM for delivery to the States brought Orate's charge for the starter package back to 09 Mobile's base price of 43 euro because no VAT was charged.

When I receive the SIM and get to try it, I'll report back.

Marc

Hi Marc,

I'm physically in the States (AZ) at the moment, so that's where the card was delivered to.

My initial ordering problems were mentioned in the 09 thread - ordered from 09 on early Nov, order passed to Orate on Nov 30th. The update: Email back/forth to Orate confirming they were available, active, and in stock for immediate despatch, order paid (paypal) on 1st dec, despatched ten days later (didn't respond to my email query before that), received 9 days after that.

They sent it the "small packet" rate (saves them about 60p), which requires a customs declaration to be attached to the envelope, which they didn't do, so that probably slowed it down for extra customs processing (has an LAX sticker on it).

I really hate dealing with mail order companies in the UK, no idea of customer service. Which is why I tried ordering it direct from Iceland.

No response from the 09 online customer service after one full business day at their location.

I'm still waiting for Orate to reply to 2 emails forwarded from United Mobile a year ago, and another from a few weeks ago about the 09 SIM.

By "this" do you mean ordering the sim, or have you now got one and are having the same problems as me?

Just tried it on the Mexico networks (by walking over to a nearby hill, which is within sight of Mexico).

Roams on Telcel, but not Movistar. But still the same: the 092 "check balance" doesn't work, can't make any calls, can receive. So in theory I could trigger a callback (CBW etc) from another phone, as there is free incoming in Mexico, although I've no way to check the incoming is not charged. I'll set this up and try it next time I'm in Mexico proper.

I had no reply to my email to 09, so I called them - the support number is a landline number, they answer in Icelandic (I assume...) but are happy to speak English. He took the details and will pass it on to techs, but I can't see it being resolved this year.

no, I just made an interested enquiry about the SIM, and sent a bit more info about things I'd said in the earlier phone call - no email reply

My experiences with the Icelandic SIM have been similarly bad and I own several of them unfortunately. I can receive calls in the States. I will be in Southern Mexico next week and will report back. I will report next month on Amsterdam, the UAE, and Oman. I have a Riiing SIM which I like, but the Icelandic SIM is "free incoming" throughout the Middle East.

O9 started working again. It seems the problem was that most Icelandic phone numbers (including country and area code) are 10 digits (like the number 09 gives for their support center) while the 09 Mobile has 12 digits. Some international operators did not accept the 12 digits numbers for Iceland and the CallBack did not passthrough.

It seems 09 sorted the issue and callbacks started reaching me. I have operated it succesfully in Israel and I recieved a call from another 09 user who is currently in Saudi Arabia.

If it were true about those 12-digit numbers, incoming calls couldn't be successful either.
OTOH, if routings for incoming calls and callbacks initiating the outgoing calls were different, you might be right....

12 digits is outside the ITU recommendations for international numbering, but only by one digit. The recommendations were dispensed with in 2001 (if memory serves) so my guess is that it's a routing code omission somewhere along the line.

Steve :)