Maxroam review

bbob · **Maxroam review -** 29-10-2007, 14:56

Maxroam review

After testing the Yackiemobile Sim, next was the Maxroam Sim.

I received the sim as a normal letter, which for sending a sim is not a secure option. I don’t know if this is standard or if they are doing this only for free sims like mine.

On the website you have to activate the sim. You can choose from a English, French, USA or Irish number.

I selected UK but could not see which number I would get. Sent a mail to Pat and he mailed me the local number which was a +44-1412 number. I called the number and the cell phone also rang, so no problem with forwarding the call.

I sent an SMS from the phone and I worked. As ID it showed a +97254number. I could also sent an sms to that number which came through.
Calling the number resulted in a message, this number is not connected.

I also made a call using the cell phone and that also worked. Only problem was that the cell phone did not show any caller ID when calling someone. Also I noticed a delay in the voice coming through, which means the signal does travel some way.

What’s my opinion?

I compare maxroam now to yackie as these are the last 2 new services and they seem to offer similar systems.

To start with the webinterface for customers is very simplistic, not to many option. I can see a log of calls made or received. Only showing my number I added under personal details, but can’t change these details.

What I don’t like is that to start with you can only choose from a uk, usa, French or irish number, I could not even select a local area code. Yackie does give you an option to choose from many more countries to start with. You can add more countries but to start with it does not show what the cost for buying an extra did number is.
Also I like the yackie solution to combine the did number with voip so you can also have it ring on your voipaccount.

Rates. Incoming rates vary from country to country and I would prefer a fixed rate for the roamfree destinations. Comapred to yackie the incoming cost are also higher.
Outgoing rates, SMS is normally around euro 0,22 where yackie is $0.49/euro0.35.
Outgoing call rates:
Maxroam, Canada to France 0,79 euro, Local Cal 0,62
Yackie Canada to France $1.49 Local Call $ 1.49 = euro 1,06
Maxroam UK to USA 0,45 euro Local Call 0,40
Yackie UK to USA $ 0.69 Local Call 0.69 = euro 0.49
Maxroam, Hungary to Iceland 0,56 euro Local Call 0,35
Yackie Hungary to Iceland $0.59 (0.42 euro) Local Call $ 0.49 (0.35 euro)
Maxroam Ireland to Italy 0,36 euro Local Call 0,31 euro
Yackie Ireland to Italy $0.69 (0.49 euro mobile)/0.59( fixed) Local Call $0.59 (0.42 euro)

For outgoing rates it looks like maxroam beat yackie for many destinations. Also for sms maxroam is cheaper than yackie. For incoming rates yackie has better rates.

Some more remarks on the website.

The rates don’t clearly show how you bill, per minute, second?
Nowhere does it say how much it cost’s to connect to customer support and I have not seen any normal customer support number.
Please improve the webinterface so customers have more information, like called numbers and received calls. Shoe what extra DID numbers cost before ordering one. I selected Australia but got a message that it was not possible to get a number from there.

Maroam

Positive:

- low sms rate
- reasonable call out rates

Negative

- Web interface simplistic, not many options.
- Only 4 countries available when selecting the first DID number
- SIM number can’t be called directly.
- No Caller ID on outgoing calls
- No SIM password possible, no PUK code provided. If someone steals your phone you have no password on the SIM
- Incoming DID number can’t be connected to a voip account.

Would I use it.

I have mixed feelings about maxroam. Compared to Yackie their whole webinterface and information for the customers is really simplistic and not many options are possible. Why not give the customer the option to choose from more countries for incoming DID number to start with.
As I want to use the SIm also for my own callback, this is not possible, the number can’t be called directly and there is no outgoing caller ID. Yackie complained about possible misuse of people using their own callback solution, Maxroam has found a solution for this.
The incoming rates are higher compared to Yackie and I don’t know if they can do something about this.
The outgoing rates are reasonable and for most destinations cheaper than the yackie solutions. Some examples like Canada maxroam is really cheaper.

This is the reason I have mixed feelings about the product. The basis seems OK but they have more things to do to get a good solution to compete with Yackie.

	(#1)
bbob (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 499 Join Date: 20 Feb 2007 Country:	Maxroam review - 29-10-2007, 14:56 Maxroam review After testing the Yackiemobile Sim, next was the Maxroam Sim. I received the sim as a normal letter, which for sending a sim is not a secure option. I don’t know if this is standard or if they are doing this only for free sims like mine. On the website you have to activate the sim. You can choose from a English, French, USA or Irish number. I selected UK but could not see which number I would get. Sent a mail to Pat and he mailed me the local number which was a +44-1412 number. I called the number and the cell phone also rang, so no problem with forwarding the call. I sent an SMS from the phone and I worked. As ID it showed a +97254number. I could also sent an sms to that number which came through. Calling the number resulted in a message, this number is not connected. I also made a call using the cell phone and that also worked. Only problem was that the cell phone did not show any caller ID when calling someone. Also I noticed a delay in the voice coming through, which means the signal does travel some way. What’s my opinion? I compare maxroam now to yackie as these are the last 2 new services and they seem to offer similar systems. To start with the webinterface for customers is very simplistic, not to many option. I can see a log of calls made or received. Only showing my number I added under personal details, but can’t change these details. What I don’t like is that to start with you can only choose from a uk, usa, French or irish number, I could not even select a local area code. Yackie does give you an option to choose from many more countries to start with. You can add more countries but to start with it does not show what the cost for buying an extra did number is. Also I like the yackie solution to combine the did number with voip so you can also have it ring on your voipaccount. Rates. Incoming rates vary from country to country and I would prefer a fixed rate for the roamfree destinations. Comapred to yackie the incoming cost are also higher. Outgoing rates, SMS is normally around euro 0,22 where yackie is $0.49/euro0.35. Outgoing call rates: Maxroam, Canada to France 0,79 euro, Local Cal 0,62 Yackie Canada to France $1.49 Local Call $ 1.49 = euro 1,06 Maxroam UK to USA 0,45 euro Local Call 0,40 Yackie UK to USA $ 0.69 Local Call 0.69 = euro 0.49 Maxroam, Hungary to Iceland 0,56 euro Local Call 0,35 Yackie Hungary to Iceland $0.59 (0.42 euro) Local Call $ 0.49 (0.35 euro) Maxroam Ireland to Italy 0,36 euro Local Call 0,31 euro Yackie Ireland to Italy $0.69 (0.49 euro mobile)/0.59( fixed) Local Call $0.59 (0.42 euro) For outgoing rates it looks like maxroam beat yackie for many destinations. Also for sms maxroam is cheaper than yackie. For incoming rates yackie has better rates. Some more remarks on the website. The rates don’t clearly show how you bill, per minute, second? Nowhere does it say how much it cost’s to connect to customer support and I have not seen any normal customer support number. Please improve the webinterface so customers have more information, like called numbers and received calls. Shoe what extra DID numbers cost before ordering one. I selected Australia but got a message that it was not possible to get a number from there. Maroam Positive: - low sms rate - reasonable call out rates Negative - Web interface simplistic, not many options. - Only 4 countries available when selecting the first DID number - SIM number can’t be called directly. - No Caller ID on outgoing calls - No SIM password possible, no PUK code provided. If someone steals your phone you have no password on the SIM - Incoming DID number can’t be connected to a voip account. Would I use it. I have mixed feelings about maxroam. Compared to Yackie their whole webinterface and information for the customers is really simplistic and not many options are possible. Why not give the customer the option to choose from more countries for incoming DID number to start with. As I want to use the SIm also for my own callback, this is not possible, the number can’t be called directly and there is no outgoing caller ID. Yackie complained about possible misuse of people using their own callback solution, Maxroam has found a solution for this. The incoming rates are higher compared to Yackie and I don’t know if they can do something about this. The outgoing rates are reasonable and for most destinations cheaper than the yackie solutions. Some examples like Canada maxroam is really cheaper. This is the reason I have mixed feelings about the product. The basis seems OK but they have more things to do to get a good solution to compete with Yackie.