Looks like Telestial put up a new international SIM card called Explorer for $39 US plus postage. Telestial Explorer Has some countries I don't commonly see on a world sim like the British Virgin Islands, New Zealand, Tokelau, etc. Some prices are very good (Bermuda at .45 US$ outgoing and free incoming is very cheap and might be because Cingular Bermuda sold out to Digicel). Others like the British Virgin Islands at $3 US outgoing are very pricey(but I think this is on par with what T-Mobile USA charges their postpaid customers).

Looking up the +372 country code they say the sim has for incoming, the SIM card appears to be based in Estonia.

If the Bermuda rate is correct, I might order it just for that country alone!

It looks exactly like Travelsim, which has free incoming calls in the US Virgin Islands.

You are correct, it appears to be a rebranded TravelSim(same rates and countries). Telestial must have bought a lot of cards because the TravelSim online manual says "1.3. Branding With orders of more than 1000 TravelSIM start packages it is possible to replace the standard layout of the TravelSIM with an on corporate identity (own logo and other advertising messages can be branded on the TravelSIM), thus further enhancing marketing potential.."

Yes, exactly the same sky-high rates for Argentina and Mexico - I'm not aware of any more expensive way to make mobile calls from those countries!

Leave it to Teleistal to try to make as much money as they can from uninformed travelers. They have now stop selling HOP. Please let me pay 3 times as much for a simcard. :thumbdown:

Callbackworld is US .22/min to Estonia +372. It is the cheapest I have found... anyone else? kall8 is .55 and enlinea is .27

I know some of their markups were/are high. HOWEVER, need to give them credit - ordered an Argentina card from them for a phone i "gave" my brother who was going there on business this past month. Price was very reasonable. Shipping was 2 days.

...mike

I "smell" Nextel roaming :).

I remember that Nextel roaming rates in Argetina were once the highest among roaming rates of Polish operators.
Just started checking the current rates and already found some which are higher.
Tomorrow I can give more details.

Notice also the Travelsim incoming rate for Peru....

Plus GSM postpaid roaming on Nextel networks (at exchange rate 3.82 PLN/EUR, 22% VAT included).


Argentina
incoming calls - 4.87 EUR + Polish national rate (tariff-dependent about 0.18-0.19 EUR)
international calls 5.82 EUR
national calls 2.87 EUR

Mexico
incoming calls - 4.37 EUR + Polish national rate (tariff-dependent about 0.18-0.19 EUR)
international calls 3.61-4.85 EUR
national calls 2.53-2.37 EUR