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snaimon (Offline)
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Default partial "naimon" translation - 10-01-2009, 19:02

Google translations are unintelligible.

Try this for a partial:

Rate change at UM: 19 cents setup fee on every call.

Incoming fees applied for a short time even if the phone was off
...
Problems in transitioning rates
...
UM423: Balance inquiry remains free
...
Possible background for price increases

The reason for the price hike could come from among others UM's extremely low rates for roaming. Incoming calls were free even though the rates offered (for outbound-inbound mix) was only marginally more than the outbound-inbound mix calculation. Connections to Jersey cards were available at prices similar to landlines. The best call-by-call operator is asking 1 cent rates to British landlines and 10 cents to British mobiles. The rate UM pays for that internconnect is unknown. If a call is routed to the voicemail, which is being hosted by Materna in Dortmund, Germany, additional costs are incurred by UM. UM must factor these into its own cost structure. UM customers who only received calls or used external callbacks were hardly profitable for UM.

Calls to FL at the high premium rate paid to Telcom FL make the calculation much easier. Until now the income was high enough to cover a call to China at no extra charge; since Jan 1 that rate increased to 69 cents per minute and require the 19 cent sutup fee.

Afficionados were struck to learn that UM+ customers in EU Belgium were no longer in the "free" incoming zone. It is entirely possible that providers are using targeted price increases to put the brakes on UM's attractive roaming tarifs. UM423 customers are not being charged a per minute fee in Belgium, although they must pay the 19 cent setup fee.

UM roaming conditions markedly worsen
.....
One difficulty is that UM423 SIMs are only registering on E-plus....
There were times with UM423 cards would register on all networks in Germany. We guess that German operators would like to keep the unwelcome competition from UM off their backs and have either terminated their roaming agreements or they find UM roaming rates they have to pay too high [and refuse to allow SIMs to register].


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