Bermuda

[Bossman]

Not that I am suggesting it, but yackie mobile lists Bermuda as $0.49 and $0.29 outgoing and incoming respectively. But, all yackie services are temporarily suspended. The sim is pretty much dead!

[GadgetKen]

Originally Posted by Bossman

Not that I am suggesting it, but yackie mobile lists Bermuda as $0.49 and $0.29 outgoing and incoming respectively. But, all yackie services are temporarily suspended. The sim is pretty much dead!

Wonder if temporarily suspended will wind up being permanently closed....

Think a $10 or $20 calling card from a Bermudian vending machine or a supermarket used at a payphone is the easiest and most reliable solution. Plus they usually have nice pictures on them that make good souvenirs. Last time I was there I think I made two brief United Mobile calls when I got in (one because of a torrential downpour that I didn't want to venture out for a calling card for in), and one Iridium satphone call. Everything else was on a $10 prepaid calling card I bought at a vending machine at the mall by the Royal Naval Dockyards. Worked like a charm at payphones and lasted the whole week. Granted a payphone isn't as trendy as a mobile phone

Might buy a Digicel prepaid sim card for a trip to Grenada and the Grenadines later this year that I might use on a future trip to Bermuda (since usable anywhere within the Digicel network). Not really an international prepaid sim card because Digicel prepaid roaming is more restrictive than their postpaid plans, but think good for travel in Caribbean/Bermuda and has bells and whistles like optional GPRS.

[GadgetKen]

OK, I actually found the Bermuda DigicelFLEX prepaid GSM brochure at home. Andy, I also found it odd that they won't post their prepaid rates on the Digicel Bermuda website....most other Digicel countries do post their tariffs online.

Assuming rates are still valid (brochure was obtained first week of July, 2006):
Prepaid cards available in denominations of $10, $20, $50, $100 (US Dollars and Bermudian Dollars trade on par and are both accepted at most establishments although change for US currency may be given in Bermudian, and most, but not all, vending machines do not accept US coins or currency). Card expires 60 days after recharge or when balance reaches $0. After expiration, you must purchase and recharge a new card within 120 days in order to continue using your account.
Incoming & outgoing calls:
7AM-7PM: 35 cents/minute
7PM-7AM: 25 cents/minute
SMS Text messages:
Local outgoing: 10 cents
International outgoing: 25 cents
Roaming outgoing: 50 cents
Incoming: Free
International long distance (flat rate except to satphones): 75 cents/minute
Roaming(local airtime)
USA: $1.49/minute
Caribbean: varies by country
Free voicemail retrieval ( dial #98 )
Free emergency calls to 911
Incoming voicemail left by caller: 35 cents/minute
Directory assistance: 99 cents surcharge per call
Includes Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voicemail and Text Messaging
Brochure also has a lot of information on how to check the balance, set up and retrieve voicemail from a regular phone or mobile phone and how to contact customer service; you can get a copy with the sim card if you decide to get one.

[Bossman]

I will not be surprised at all if that's the case.

I actually emailed them to see when they plan to be back in service. I was surprised to get a response back. But, the person that responded to me said they have no Idea when service will be back.

Originally Posted by GadgetKen

Wonder if temporarily suspended will wind up being permanently closed....

[GadgetKen]

Originally Posted by Bossman

I will not be surprised at all if that's the case.

I actually emailed them to see when they plan to be back in service. I was surprised to get a response back. But, the person that responded to me said they have no Idea when service will be back.

Hope if that occurs you don't lose that much of a balance...

Plenty of other international callback cards you can use if that occurs.

[Bossman]

Not at all. I only have about $9 on it. I was actually going to their website to try to topup, as I had planned to test it out (by forwarding my cingular mobile to it) on a southern caribbean cruise that I will be taking in a couple of months. Yep! I have UM and freeGlobalSim to use if it so happens yackie is no more.

Originally Posted by GadgetKen

Hope if that occurs you don't lose that much of a balance...

Plenty of other international callback cards you can use if that occurs.

[GadgetKen]

Another thought on inexpensive calling from Bermuda to other countries, the international call back sim Hop Mobile could be used with Callback World or other callback service to trigger a callback. Cost would be the outbound trigger call or SMS plus 35 cents a minute inbound from Hop for the return call plus the callback service cost per minute. Hop is pretty expensive for outbound at 95 cents a minute, so this would likely be the most logical solution with them.
A local sim (Telecom Bermuda or Digicel)and/or local prepaid calling card would likely be the easiest and cheapest, but just a thought on another wireless solution....