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Originally Posted by DRNewcomb
The problem is that it is already drying up. The competition is on and travelers are finding ways around sky-high roaming costs. The question is, "Do the carriers want to keep a small profit and keep the roaming business or give the entire business to companies like UM & 09?"
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DR, I am mot sure I agree ENTIRELY.
Certainly some people are obviously looking for and finding other alternatives. There is an international SIM card swap thread on telfon-treff.de. There was a recent post, now mysteriously GONE on the same site. Someone (probably German -- at least German-speaking) going to Congo and Gabon with UN or German Army (he used the term BLUE HAT which would be UN). He was looking for GSM service there and had obviously not heard of UM, 09 or any of the other international cards. The first advice given to him was to contact the German foreign office for advice. My first advice is always
www.prepaidgsm.net and reference to international providers combined with calling cards.
Teltarif recently (last week) ran an article about CDU/CSU members of Parliament speaking out against high EU roaming rates. Even Teltarif did not mention this site or any of the standard international providers. I wrote a feedback email to them, but have not heard anything. If you look at the teltarif linked info on roaming, you will not find any mention of the international providers. You will see info on them in the discussions forum, however, although not much. I cannot figure out why the German/European mobile-users seem oblivious to these options. Perhaps UM and the others should advertise more?
Stan