International sim with USA number

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by ygeffens

I'm surprised why USA companies aren't offering anything. Almost every company is EU based.

The US predominantly uses CDMA-based technologies (IS-95, 1xRTT, EvDO) that are incompatible with GSM. Only two major providers (T-Mobile and Cingular) use GSM at all. A few regional providers do as well.

Also, my impression is that Americans are less interested in international roaming products because relative to people from other parts of the world, they leave the country relatively little. Most Americans to whom I have spoken have never been to Canada, let alone Europe or Asia. Conversely, someone from Switzerland might go to France for lunch, because it might only be 40 km away, and Germany is only 70 km.

I think it would be great to get a more North American-based international SIM product, but to be frank, those of us here don't really need it - we already have affordable rates here. It's you guys who need it. And do you come much?

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

Also, my impression is that Americans are less interested in international roaming products because relative to people from other parts of the world, they leave the country relatively little. Most Americans to whom I have spoken have never been to Canada, let alone Europe or Asia. Conversely, someone from Switzerland might go to France for lunch, because it might only be 40 km away, and Germany is only 70 km.

Yes, it's also about geography . In Europe we have about 50 countries or country-like territories with their own GSM networks, thousands of kilometres of (often fancy-shaped) borders and free travel zone in most of them. It doesn't result only in possibilities of having lunch abroad but also cross-border commuting or domestic travelling across the territory of other country (e.g. about 10 direct trains a day from Vienna to Innsbruck via southern Germany).

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

I think it would be great to get a more North American-based international SIM product, but to be frank, those of us here don't really need it - we already have affordable rates here. It's you guys who need it. And do you come much?

You mean "affordable rates" for national USAge, right ? As to international roaming, I think that you are ripped off by your operators just like we are .