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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.
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