Maxroam (aka Roam4Free V2) - Page 5

Bossman · 28-09-2007, 00:22

I think the reason for that is so that most people that call us do not have to fiddle with dialing an international number. A lot of folks on this end get confused when they see they have to dial so many numbers. Most have never even dialed an international number. So, IMHO, having a US number for forwarding or aa sim with a US number is very attractive. Hence, the reason why most of us jumped on the yackie bandwagon in the beggining. Or look for a US DID number/VOIP that can forward internationally.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Przemolog

OK, I used wrong words. RPP is a side-effect, not your target, of course

.
My general impression from posts on this forum regarding the use of mobile phones abroad is that you, the US people, for some reasons are "obsessed" about being accessible on US phone numbers. That's why SIMs that provide US DID numbers with relatively low-cost forwarding to "real" SIM numbers are what you need. All this results in RPP payment model....

Przemolog · 30-09-2007, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossman

I think the reason for that is so that most people that call us do not have to fiddle with dialing an international number. A lot of folks on this end get confused when they see they have to dial so many numbers. Most have never even dialed an international number. So, IMHO, having a US number for forwarding or aa sim with a US number is very attractive. Hence, the reason why most of us jumped on the yackie bandwagon in the beggining. Or look for a US DID number/VOIP that can forward internationally.

After Stu reported my post of 28-09-2007, 00:30 http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/show...7694#post17694 I'm feeling a little 'guilty' about my opinions

.

First of all, it wasn't my intention to offend the Americans or anyone else.

As to the reasons given by Bossman.

1) People don't know how to dial an international number.
AFAIK the international dialing code in the US is 011. So, if you give to someone a number like 011 44..., 011 423..., 011 375... et. what is the difficulty with dialing such number???
2) People are confused when they have to dial so many digits.
That's in fact a problem. If saying "I'm abroad - it's a foreign number" doesn't help, i don't know what to do

The most important issue, IMHO, is the rates. Of course, international rates to mobile phones in CPP countries can't be very low. However, I haven't realised that US operators may rip off so much on international calling

. $3.49 per min from Verizon to Jersey mobile - an example sent by Stu - was a little shock to me. Now I understand that leaving people with international numbers may result in two alternatives: either they will check the rates and they won't call at all or they will pay horrible bills...

From my point of view another issue is confusing about SIMs like MaxRoam - the SMS number is different from the voice number. Doesn't it matter?

akraus88 · **Important condition for Maxroam sim cards -** 01-10-2007, 01:28

Does the MAXroam service expire if I don’t use it?

Yes it does. What we do is charge you a minimal monthly amount EUR 1 if you do not use your MAXroam service during a particular month.

This might sound unfair but it is common industry practice for pre-paid type services. Specifically the reason for doing this is because of accounting. When we have prepaid credits for our customers on our books they show up as a liability. If these credits are never consumed, or never expired, we would have a very difficult accounting problem.

Cubic Telecom is a different kind of communications provider. We want to explain why we do everything we do. We will never rip you off or mislead you.

If you would like to know anymore about this please feel free to contact us and we will provide all the gory details from our accountants.

snaimon · **Not everyone in US is obsessed...... -** 28-09-2007, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Przemolog

My general impression from posts on this forum regarding the use of mobile phones abroad is that you, the US people, for some reasons are "obsessed" about being accessible on US phone numbers. That's why SIMs that provide US DID numbers with relatively low-cost forwarding to "real" SIM numbers are what you need. All this results in RPP payment model....

Beg to differ -- ever so slightly.

I am not obsessed. That is one. Several work colleagues have gone and taken either my UM SIM or an unlocked phone and bought local SIM. As you see, I have not taken the US # plunge (YET). I travel abroad maybe once a year on vacation. Probably not needed at this time. Might be different if I traveled more and needed to be reached for WORK/business.

A work colleague, actually a supervisor, is off to the UK next Tuesday and he did not even want a cell phone that I offered him. He has VERIZON and does not CARE that he will have no connectivity. Just the way he wants it. Staying with friends and doing hiking in countryside.

TRUE: is nice to tell your family friends to dial a US number to reach you anywhere in the world. Easier for pampered 'murikuns not accustomed to wearing out their fingers pushing maybe 4 or 5 extra digits. Poor, pampered Americans.

Both sons did use calling cards to reach us this summer from the US while we were in Germany. It can be done.

Cheers.

Stan

andy · 27-09-2007, 23:24

http://www.cubictelecom.com/faq/

Quote:

Using his Cubic Mobile on GSM: Roaming connection: $0.29 per minute; International connection to USA: US $0.42; Total cost: US ($0.29 + $0.42 * 12) = US $9.23 (€6.25)

compare, from Australia

http://www.maxroam.com/how-much-does-it-cost.asp

Apart from the dodgy maths, which is correct, 71 or 77 US cents, or 33 eurocents?

MATHA531 · 28-09-2007, 14:13

Actually this obsession started several years ago when my mobile phone company T Mobile US abruptly took away something I had grown accostomed to namely the ability to forward calls to my local sim card while in Europe (and at that time international cards were not necessarily available for a reasonable or what I considered a reasonable) price and if I was doing a London, Paris, Holland thing, it was easier to simply program the call forwarding then to give them all the local numbers (this was cheaper for me then of course doing international roaming either on the US side or with any of the local sims)

Along came riiing (UM) but T Mobile withdrew this. Luckily for me, I may have one of the few landline lines that allow remote call forwarding to international numbers that is from a remote location I can change the number so now, it doesn't matter where in the world I am and what sim card I am using, I can program my landline to ring to it.....allows me to keep in touch with friends and business associates wherever I am and they only have to dial my home number...if I didn't have that ability, then I would probably have gone for voicestick (I got it anyway but it was free) or something like that to accomplish the same thing.

bbob · 29-09-2007, 09:00

nice webpage but i am not really amazed by the pricing.

Incoming calls in europe are between 0,21 and 0,33 cents per minute. Not really a lot lower than the rates the EU has set for incoming calls.

Having a did number is nice but not really new.

Systems like they offering can be setup at lower rates. I have given the example of free interent pbx at for example www.pbxes.com which is free.
You can install 1,2 o3 or more did numbers. som did numbers are free from some countries other cost money.
You can than forward the call to you roaming free mobile.
Written here many time by using companies like betamax forwarding cost no more than 10 cents per minute.
This means that in any of the roaming free countries you can receive a call for 10 cents per minute. This is at least half of what maxroam is offering.

For 10 euro per month you can get the pro version at pbxes an can setup your own callback system. This means you can a preset number. You get a busy tone. You will get a callback on your roaming free mobile (callback cost you 10 cents per minute) than you get the dialtone of the internetpbx and can dial the number you want. You can dial at low voip cost which vary between1 cents (to fixed lines in most countries) to say 20 cents (for mobile calls to many countries) So you are than paying only 11 tot 31 cents per minute.

What is strange about maxroam is the calling cost to a mobile and fixed number are the same in most countries. Take calls to a dutch fixed line and mobile are the same altough in reallity the cost is at least 9 cents per minute different.

So when cost to mobile number are the same and fixed line I feel that you are paying to much to call to fixed line.

The idea is nice of maxroam but pricing is still to high compared to a do it youself solution like I pointed out above.

Receiving calls on your did number in roaming free countries should cost no more than 15 eurocents per minute. Call to fixed line to european countries no more than 20 cents and to mobiles no more than 30 cents.

andy · 29-09-2007, 12:44

If roaming in a Thuraya phone, all incoming and outgoing calls are €3.70 a minute

prion · 29-09-2007, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy

If roaming in a Thuraya phone, all incoming and outgoing calls are €3.70 a minute

Yes, but If roaming in a Greek mobile network (or a Uk mobile) I can dial satelite networks dirty cheap!
Cheaper than all other options. That is what I meant.

ViJu · 30-09-2007, 08:23

My question is :
1. what is maxroam sms number ? Maybe the same Estonian +372 (EE) number ? I didn't find any information about it on website. Is it the same number , or we will get two numbers - one for calls and one for sms ?
2. Billing ? Is it 60/60 , or 30/6 like Geodesa ?

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	(#3)
akraus88 (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 51 Join Date: 26 Oct 2006 Country:	Important condition for Maxroam sim cards - 01-10-2007, 01:28 Does the MAXroam service expire if I don’t use it? Yes it does. What we do is charge you a minimal monthly amount EUR 1 if you do not use your MAXroam service during a particular month. This might sound unfair but it is common industry practice for pre-paid type services. Specifically the reason for doing this is because of accounting. When we have prepaid credits for our customers on our books they show up as a liability. If these credits are never consumed, or never expired, we would have a very difficult accounting problem. Cubic Telecom is a different kind of communications provider. We want to explain why we do everything we do. We will never rip you off or mislead you. If you would like to know anymore about this please feel free to contact us and we will provide all the gory details from our accountants.

	(#6)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	28-09-2007, 14:13 Actually this obsession started several years ago when my mobile phone company T Mobile US abruptly took away something I had grown accostomed to namely the ability to forward calls to my local sim card while in Europe (and at that time international cards were not necessarily available for a reasonable or what I considered a reasonable) price and if I was doing a London, Paris, Holland thing, it was easier to simply program the call forwarding then to give them all the local numbers (this was cheaper for me then of course doing international roaming either on the US side or with any of the local sims) Along came riiing (UM) but T Mobile withdrew this. Luckily for me, I may have one of the few landline lines that allow remote call forwarding to international numbers that is from a remote location I can change the number so now, it doesn't matter where in the world I am and what sim card I am using, I can program my landline to ring to it.....allows me to keep in touch with friends and business associates wherever I am and they only have to dial my home number...if I didn't have that ability, then I would probably have gone for voicestick (I got it anyway but it was free) or something like that to accomplish the same thing.

	(#7)
bbob (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 499 Join Date: 20 Feb 2007 Country:	29-09-2007, 09:00 nice webpage but i am not really amazed by the pricing. Incoming calls in europe are between 0,21 and 0,33 cents per minute. Not really a lot lower than the rates the EU has set for incoming calls. Having a did number is nice but not really new. Systems like they offering can be setup at lower rates. I have given the example of free interent pbx at for example www.pbxes.com which is free. You can install 1,2 o3 or more did numbers. som did numbers are free from some countries other cost money. You can than forward the call to you roaming free mobile. Written here many time by using companies like betamax forwarding cost no more than 10 cents per minute. This means that in any of the roaming free countries you can receive a call for 10 cents per minute. This is at least half of what maxroam is offering. For 10 euro per month you can get the pro version at pbxes an can setup your own callback system. This means you can a preset number. You get a busy tone. You will get a callback on your roaming free mobile (callback cost you 10 cents per minute) than you get the dialtone of the internetpbx and can dial the number you want. You can dial at low voip cost which vary between1 cents (to fixed lines in most countries) to say 20 cents (for mobile calls to many countries) So you are than paying only 11 tot 31 cents per minute. What is strange about maxroam is the calling cost to a mobile and fixed number are the same in most countries. Take calls to a dutch fixed line and mobile are the same altough in reallity the cost is at least 9 cents per minute different. So when cost to mobile number are the same and fixed line I feel that you are paying to much to call to fixed line. The idea is nice of maxroam but pricing is still to high compared to a do it youself solution like I pointed out above. Receiving calls on your did number in roaming free countries should cost no more than 15 eurocents per minute. Call to fixed line to european countries no more than 20 cents and to mobiles no more than 30 cents. Last edited by bbob; 29-09-2007 at 09:23..

	(#8)
andy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,128 Join Date: 10 Dec 2004 Country:	29-09-2007, 12:44 If roaming in a Thuraya phone, all incoming and outgoing calls are €3.70 a minute

	(#10)
ViJu (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 16 Join Date: 06 Jun 2007 Country:	30-09-2007, 08:23 My question is : 1. what is maxroam sms number ? Maybe the same Estonian +372 (EE) number ? I didn't find any information about it on website. Is it the same number , or we will get two numbers - one for calls and one for sms ? 2. Billing ? Is it 60/60 , or 30/6 like Geodesa ?