Review of Truphone

[gkeeper]

Originally Posted by Stu

That is my gripe about Truphone. They claim that we get local rates when we visit the other country but they find ways to ding us.

If I take my Truphone SIM to France explain why I don't get EU minimum rates (which any British prepaid SIM will give me) or EU Minimum rates + say eight cents a minute to cover the fact that the US doesn't have surcharged mobile rates.

Tru is cheaper on phone data than Piranha, but Piranha seems better in most respects.

I am starting to understand how this works now, with my Piranha i get 2 numbers free one US one UK, if i want another number on my Truphone, say a US number, I have to pay an extra £5.00 per month, which seems very steep. As for Data Rates it depends where you are traveling, in Europe the Piranha rates are much cheaper than Truphones, £0.35 per mb to Truphones £0.60 per mb, outside of the EU some countries covered by Piranha are very cheap, but most are silly prices and i would definitely leave data off if i travelled to those countries. On the whole the voice prices inside and out of Europe are much cheaper on Piranha. Anyways thank you both for your explanations, you have opened my eyes and made my mind up for me.

[rfranzq]

Most of the 'old pros' seem to always have at least two different SIMs with them when they travel. One will have a better rate. [My motto for digital photography is "Take two photos---one will be better." Of course one will be better, not necessarily good, but better than the bad one.]

Also, and more crucially, sometimes one will not work at all. For many various reasons.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by gkeeper

I am starting to understand how this works now, with my Piranha i get 2 numbers free one US one UK, if i want another number on my Truphone, say a US number, I have to pay an extra £5.00 per month, which seems very steep. As for Data Rates it depends where you are traveling, in Europe the Piranha rates are much cheaper than Truphones, £0.35 per mb to Truphones £0.60 per mb, outside of the EU some countries covered by Piranha are very cheap, but most are silly prices and i would definitely leave data off if i travelled to those countries. On the whole the voice prices inside and out of Europe are much cheaper on Piranha. Anyways thank you both for your explanations, you have opened my eyes and made my mind up for me.

My comment about Truphone's data rates was focusing on Truphone 3.5 countries -- The US, UK, Australia, and Netherlands.

Piranha also throws in their VOIP service and you need to sign up for a seperate service with TruPhone with a seperate account from Tuphone. I subscribe to more than one roaming carrier right now, but am thinking of ditching Truphone. Earlier this year I gave away my Maxroam SIM, and am will probably cancel Telna. I may substitute an Air Baltic card (or the variant of it -- can't remember the name -- which gives you a US number tied to it).

An interesting data service for folks interested in the Truphone group of countries is:

Globalgig

[Bossman]

Same here - for the countries that I need these roaming sims for, maxroam is insanely expensive. So, I used up my credit and moved on a year ago or so. Same thing with truphone. Telna is just too unreliable for me, so I stopped using that too. I now just have Piranha, and Ekit. Have not traveled with piranha yet, but ekit has served me well. When I am in UK/France, I just use my UK sim card.

Originally Posted by Stu

I subscribe to more than one roaming carrier right now, but am thinking of ditching Truphone. Earlier this year I gave away my Maxroam SIM, and am will probably cancel Telna. I may substitute an Air Baltic card (or the variant of it -- can't remember the name -- which gives you a US number tied to it).

[Stu]

Originally Posted by gkeeper

I am starting to understand how this works now, with my Piranha i get 2 numbers free one US one UK, if i want another number on my Truphone, say a US number, I have to pay an extra £5.00 per month, which seems very steep. As for Data Rates it depends where you are traveling, in Europe the Piranha rates are much cheaper than Truphones, £0.35 per mb to Truphones £0.60 per mb, outside of the EU some countries covered by Piranha are very cheap, but most are silly prices and i would definitely leave data off if i travelled to those countries. On the whole the voice prices inside and out of Europe are much cheaper on Piranha. Anyways thank you both for your explanations, you have opened my eyes and made my mind up for me.

My comment about Truphone's data rates was focusing on Truphone 3.5 countries -- The US, UK, Australia, and Netherlands.

Piranha also throws in their VOIP service and you need to sign up for a seperate service with TruPhone with a seperate account from Tuphone. I subscribe to more than one roaming carrier right now, but am thinking of ditching Truphone. Earlier this year I gave away my Maxroam SIM, and am will probably cancel Telna. I may substitute an Air Baltic card (or the variant of it -- can't remember the name -- which gives you a US number tied to it).

An interesting data service for folks interested in the Truphone group of countries is:

Globalgig

For the moment, my ATT phone is still grandfathered on their unlimited international plan. For US$64.99 a month, I get unlimited on phone data everywhere in the world which has changed my focus somewhat. For example, in Panama I was able to make hour long VOIP Over 3g calls using my unlimited US VOIP plan. I could also use it to trigger callbacks. This SIM has also changed the balance for me on short trips in favor of roaming SIMs. I can set inbound calls to first (or simultaneously ring VOIP and then to the roaming SIM). If ATT pulls the plug on this plan, I will have to rethink things. Right now I am carrying an iPhone 4S and a Nokia Asha 311 quadband GSM/Pentaband HSPA phone with a Piranha SIM in it.

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by Stu

Right now I am carrying an iPhone 4S and a Nokia Asha 311 quadband GSM/Pentaband HSPA phone with a Piranha SIM in it.

I really appreciate your insights as you seem to keep moving around and 'testing' a lot of different things. Thanks, also, for bringing Globalgig to our attention.

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by gkeeper

if i am reading this right you are saying, there is one rate for US citizens and one for UK citizens, this all seems a little confusing and if they are defining cost on which country you come from a bit disturbing. I take the same applies in reverse......

It's not who you know, but what you have. The two SIMs have different 'home country' phone numbers. UK & US. I am going to be charitable and say that the costs _are_ different for these SIMs. If the cost are different, it seems wise to me to charge differently. The main issue then seemsto me is the inability to buy the 'other' SIM that we really, really want.

Originally Posted by Stu

That is my gripe about Truphone. They claim that we get local rates when we visit the other country but they find ways to ding us.
If I take my Truphone SIM to France explain why I don't get EU minimum rates (which any British prepaid SIM will give me) or EU Minimum rates + say eight cents a minute to cover the fact that the US doesn't have surcharged mobile rates.

but they find ways to ding us.

I think this overarching system of price differences is more than just dinging us. Its the way their system works. I think long term survival of their system requires them to do it.

[Effendi]

I moved the posts talking about Piranha Mobile into Piranha Mobile thread.
Please here talk about truphone.
Thanks.

[tux]

Originally Posted by Effendi

I moved the posts talking about Piranha Mobile into Piranha Mobile thread.
Please here talk about truphone.
Thanks.

Effendi, just a note about International Cards: Truphone issues true UK numbers, not Jersey/IoM/etc. numbers

[gkeeper]

Originally Posted by tux

Effendi, just a note about International Cards: Truphone issues true UK numbers, not Jersey/IoM/etc. numbers

you are correct Tru and Piranha do issue true UK numbers (if anyone knows of any others please add to thread), which is a big plus for UK customers as they come within bundled UK contracts, however if we are still allowed to compare Sims for the benefit of all, Piranhas outgoing calls/data in the EU are much cheaper via call-back versus direct and incoming rates are lower in many countries in and outside of the EU. I would have to say both companies seem to be the most competitive on the market at present. I do use my Piranha more but this is only due to some of the very high costs Tru charge outside of the EU.