Maxroam (aka Roam4Free V2) - Page 8

bbob · 02-10-2007, 12:22

new rates, higher rates that make it even less attractive.

I agree setting out your own system is more complicated and more errors are possible. On the other side the price difference between the do it yourself solution and the rates maxroam is offering now are to big !!!

As for the quality. When they as ygeffens said have direct sim without number. Still they will have incoming did numbers through the internet connect to their system, that they would have to connect to the sim on whichever network.
In case of say a USA did number the call goes through the interent fro the USA to their server, than their server connect to the server of the sim providers that routes the call to the network on which the sim is logged in.
I don't really see a difference here with the pbxes solution.
USA DID connects to pbxes sever, pbxes calls the number and gets connected.

As said before nice service but the rates are just to high !!

ygeffens · 02-10-2007, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbob

As for the quality. When they as ygeffens said have direct sim without number. Still they will have incoming did numbers through the internet connect to their system, that they would have to connect to the sim on whichever network.
In case of say a USA did number the call goes through the interent fro the USA to their server, than their server connect to the server of the sim providers that routes the call to the network on which the sim is logged in.
I don't really see a difference here with the pbxes solution.
USA DID connects to pbxes sever, pbxes calls the number and gets connected.

MAXroam
Call USA DID -> internet (from USA LEX to MAXroam-servers) -> SIM

PBXes
Call USA DID -> internet (from USA LEX to pbxes.org) -> use VSP (over internet) to forward to UK Cellphone number (eg UM+) = SIM

MAXroam's call travels over the internet once, the other example twice. Right? Correct me if I'm wrong.

PBXes has a different setup. It has a failover system, but then it becomes very slow. When something goes wrong with the uplink that MAXroam is using their ISP will automatically switch to another route, without changing anything in the configuration of the servers. That way the chance that a DID becomes unavailable is rather small, and the speed of the server is not affected (unlike what happens with PBXes because all users are transferred from one server to another).

Anyway. Every system has it's pro's and it's con's.
Professionally, I'll use MAXroam, for other things I might use PBXes (or it's equivalents).
I'm saying this without knowing MAXroams call quality, so actually I'm talking about the setup, not the specific service (MAXroam in this example).

bbob · 02-10-2007, 16:40

Sounds nice direct to maxroam servers and than to sim.

If this is the case than maxroam must have the status of a network provider like manx telecom, jersey telecom or any other cellphone operator. The situation we see now with the manx card for example is that manx telecom is the network provider and callkey handles everything.

If what you are saying is right than maxroam must be a true provider having their own network directly connected to the gsm phone network.

I don't think that this is the case as you just don't become a cellphone provider like that.

Knowing this the signal still has to travel from their servers to the server of the provider. In this case maxroam must be something like callkey.

I agree that their route should be a bit shorter and safer.

But again I keep telling this over and over again, their rates are just to high. Why would a lesser service like the pbx route be cheaper than a directer route maxroam says having. With cheaper it's a lot cheaper not just a few eurocents.

ygeffens · 02-10-2007, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbob

But again I keep telling this over and over again, their rates are just to high. Why would a lesser service like the pbx route be cheaper than a directer route maxroam says having. With cheaper it's a lot cheaper not just a few eurocents.

Right, at the moment, they may not have the best rates, but I think that changing the rates will be something they will handle first, then they will eventually introduce new features. I'm very curious what their data-offer will be. Calling without a callback-system sounds nice. With some cards I'm having a problem receiving the callback, something that can be avoided when elimination the callback.

Let's wait and see. I think some people are to negative for a company that just has started. Agreed, it would be more 'pro' to come up with a finished product, but then again UM created UM+. UM was there for a long time, and they too had difficulties starting up (but they had their rates correct from day one

).

Grampa · 02-10-2007, 19:11

I can forgive a simple mistake on the rate sheet, but this is getting ridiculous. The rates get more confusing (and higher) with each iteration.

I originally was attracted to this card because it appeared somewhat better than the next best card for my particular needs. I have an upcoming trip to France, so I wanted reasonable rates for calls to and from the phone within France and between France and the USA. I also wanted reasonable rates for the handful of other countries I'm likely to travel to over the next year so that I can actually use the minutes I purchase.

The UM+ card offered 29 eurocents to most destinations, more to mobile phones, plus a 25 eurocent connection fee. Incoming is free, but my callers would pay quite a bit, and my own voip carrier charges about 22 eurocents. Rates from countries other than Europe are only fair, with many countries in Central and South America unavailable altogether.

The Maxroam card appeared to offer 30 eurocents to ALL destinations, including mobile phones, with no connection fee. Incoming is not free, but I could get an incoming number with my own area code, and either give out that number or forward from my landline. Rates from countries I'm likely to visit over the next year are generally better than those from UM.

Then came this morning's rate sheet. Assuming it's gone back to Euros (they've dropped the reference to USD$), rates from France to the USA have gone from 30 to 38 eurocents; rates are now higher to other destinations and to mobile phones. Rates from the UK and other European countries are higher still. Plus it's impossible to determine the rate WITHIN a country. Enter the same country in the "roaming in" and "calling to" fields, and you get incomprehensible results: calls to "local" landline and cellular phones are priced differently from "outgoing" calls to landline and cellular phones in the same country.

I'm not trying to pick nits here. But I'm also not that interested in what this service will be like six months or a year from now. I'm buying a SIM card, not making a long term investment in the company. And right now, there is no way to tell how this card will work for me compared to the competition.

bbob · 03-10-2007, 08:41

Grampa,

You are right and this is the problem with most roaming free card. Everything works fine for some month's and than something happend.

UM lichtensteinnumber was very good untill all carriers increased the rates calling to lichtenstein mobile to very unattractive rates.
UM+ is nice and now a few month's later voicemail seems to come online.
IOM cards were ok but the system is offline now.
Maxroam is a lot of marketing and does not seem very seriously by changing their rates several times in almost 1 week. Also the don't give to much background information on their system so how long will it work ?

My only conclusion is to setup your own system and yes it is more complicated but whenever 1 providers fials you just switch to another one.
You have your own did number and forward id the the provider you want. The cost for doing this forward are only 10 cents. So in every romaing free country calls are forwarded for just 10 cents, which is a lot lower than what other companies are offering. This was all discussed in this thread and some feel that it is to complicated and lesser quality and maxroam is better. Sure maxroam for now is just marketing and it looks like dialy rates chaninging and these rates are 2-4 times higher compared to a do it yourself system.

Grampa · 03-10-2007, 15:27

bbob,

I read your earlier post about pbxes, but this is all somewhat new to me, and perhaps I did not understand it. I understood that the free version of pbxes will save money only on incoming calls. How does that help when outgoing rates change? It seems to me that when you pay 30 Euros for a card, and the company subsequently raises its rates, your choice is to pay those higher rates or stop using the card, which is the same thing since the cost of the card is then spread over fewer minutes. How will it help to switch to a different provider?

To me, the whole concept of "prepaid GSM" is beginning to look like a scam. What have you bought if the company can raise the price of minutes you have already purchased?

PhotoJim · 03-10-2007, 19:06

Prepaid SIM operators require no loyalty of us as customers. In exchange, they have no obligation of loyalty to us.

Prepaid operators that do not act fairly and consistently will not attract as many customers. Those that are fair and reasonable will attract more customers.

As with any product, vote with your dollars (or euros or pounds) and choose products in context with all the competitive options.

I hear the word "scam" bandied about as if every business in operation intends to defraud its customers. While a handful clearly do, most are honest. Changes in rates are due to economic necessity or market forces.

To avoid rate increases, use your minutes up. If you don't use many, use a provider that forces you to buy fewer prepaid minutes so that your risk is less. (Expect to pay more per minute, however.)

Grampa · 04-10-2007, 05:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

Prepaid SIM operators require no loyalty of us as customers. In exchange, they have no obligation of loyalty to us.

Prepaid operators that do not act fairly and consistently will not attract as many customers. Those that are fair and reasonable will attract more customers.

As with any product, vote with your dollars (or euros or pounds) and choose products in context with all the competitive options.

I hear the word "scam" bandied about as if every business in operation intends to defraud its customers. While a handful clearly do, most are honest. Changes in rates are due to economic necessity or market forces.

To avoid rate increases, use your minutes up. If you don't use many, use a provider that forces you to buy fewer prepaid minutes so that your risk is less. (Expect to pay more per minute, however.)

Fair enough, "scam" is too harsh. I can't speak about the intentions of these companies. However, I've been reading the comments in this forum, and there is very here little to inspire confidence in them. Many providers appear to be thinly capitalized, running on a shoestring, and operating from jurisdictions such as Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Jersey, Iceland or Monaco. Do they make their profit by taking advantage of some temporary regulatory anomaly available in those places? I don't claim to understand their business models, but their ability to operate seems extraordinarily subject to changes outside their control, witness the IoM providers or UM's +423 plan.

In this context, we are asked to "prepay" for a service the price of which can change without notice. I can't avoid rate increases by using my minutes up if the rate increases take place before the card even arrives in the mail. It's like paying in advance for ten pounds of potatoes, but then getting only seven because the price went up between the time of payment and the time of delivery. I'm not asking for loyalty; I'd just like to get what I paid for.

andy · 04-10-2007, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grampa

... and operating from jurisdictions such as Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Jersey, Iceland or Monaco. Do they make their profit by taking advantage of some temporary regulatory anomaly available in those places?

Why assume there could be regulatory anomalies in these places?

No, the territories are small and finite, which means their companies might be more disposed to listen to certain ideas to expand their markets, but which might not earn much attention in large companies with networks in many countries. Thus some of these have coverage on ferries aircraft and global SIMs, while Vodafone sells or buys a network in Sweden or India

	(#1)
bbob (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 499 Join Date: 20 Feb 2007 Country:	02-10-2007, 12:22 new rates, higher rates that make it even less attractive. I agree setting out your own system is more complicated and more errors are possible. On the other side the price difference between the do it yourself solution and the rates maxroam is offering now are to big !!! As for the quality. When they as ygeffens said have direct sim without number. Still they will have incoming did numbers through the internet connect to their system, that they would have to connect to the sim on whichever network. In case of say a USA did number the call goes through the interent fro the USA to their server, than their server connect to the server of the sim providers that routes the call to the network on which the sim is logged in. I don't really see a difference here with the pbxes solution. USA DID connects to pbxes sever, pbxes calls the number and gets connected. As said before nice service but the rates are just to high !!

	(#3)
bbob (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 499 Join Date: 20 Feb 2007 Country:	02-10-2007, 16:40 Sounds nice direct to maxroam servers and than to sim. If this is the case than maxroam must have the status of a network provider like manx telecom, jersey telecom or any other cellphone operator. The situation we see now with the manx card for example is that manx telecom is the network provider and callkey handles everything. If what you are saying is right than maxroam must be a true provider having their own network directly connected to the gsm phone network. I don't think that this is the case as you just don't become a cellphone provider like that. Knowing this the signal still has to travel from their servers to the server of the provider. In this case maxroam must be something like callkey. I agree that their route should be a bit shorter and safer. But again I keep telling this over and over again, their rates are just to high. Why would a lesser service like the pbx route be cheaper than a directer route maxroam says having. With cheaper it's a lot cheaper not just a few eurocents.

	(#5)
Grampa (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 97 Join Date: 01 Oct 2007 Country:	02-10-2007, 19:11 I can forgive a simple mistake on the rate sheet, but this is getting ridiculous. The rates get more confusing (and higher) with each iteration. I originally was attracted to this card because it appeared somewhat better than the next best card for my particular needs. I have an upcoming trip to France, so I wanted reasonable rates for calls to and from the phone within France and between France and the USA. I also wanted reasonable rates for the handful of other countries I'm likely to travel to over the next year so that I can actually use the minutes I purchase. The UM+ card offered 29 eurocents to most destinations, more to mobile phones, plus a 25 eurocent connection fee. Incoming is free, but my callers would pay quite a bit, and my own voip carrier charges about 22 eurocents. Rates from countries other than Europe are only fair, with many countries in Central and South America unavailable altogether. The Maxroam card appeared to offer 30 eurocents to ALL destinations, including mobile phones, with no connection fee. Incoming is not free, but I could get an incoming number with my own area code, and either give out that number or forward from my landline. Rates from countries I'm likely to visit over the next year are generally better than those from UM. Then came this morning's rate sheet. Assuming it's gone back to Euros (they've dropped the reference to USD$), rates from France to the USA have gone from 30 to 38 eurocents; rates are now higher to other destinations and to mobile phones. Rates from the UK and other European countries are higher still. Plus it's impossible to determine the rate WITHIN a country. Enter the same country in the "roaming in" and "calling to" fields, and you get incomprehensible results: calls to "local" landline and cellular phones are priced differently from "outgoing" calls to landline and cellular phones in the same country. I'm not trying to pick nits here. But I'm also not that interested in what this service will be like six months or a year from now. I'm buying a SIM card, not making a long term investment in the company. And right now, there is no way to tell how this card will work for me compared to the competition.

	(#6)
bbob (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 499 Join Date: 20 Feb 2007 Country:	03-10-2007, 08:41 Grampa, You are right and this is the problem with most roaming free card. Everything works fine for some month's and than something happend. UM lichtensteinnumber was very good untill all carriers increased the rates calling to lichtenstein mobile to very unattractive rates. UM+ is nice and now a few month's later voicemail seems to come online. IOM cards were ok but the system is offline now. Maxroam is a lot of marketing and does not seem very seriously by changing their rates several times in almost 1 week. Also the don't give to much background information on their system so how long will it work ? My only conclusion is to setup your own system and yes it is more complicated but whenever 1 providers fials you just switch to another one. You have your own did number and forward id the the provider you want. The cost for doing this forward are only 10 cents. So in every romaing free country calls are forwarded for just 10 cents, which is a lot lower than what other companies are offering. This was all discussed in this thread and some feel that it is to complicated and lesser quality and maxroam is better. Sure maxroam for now is just marketing and it looks like dialy rates chaninging and these rates are 2-4 times higher compared to a do it yourself system.

	(#7)
Grampa (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 97 Join Date: 01 Oct 2007 Country:	03-10-2007, 15:27 bbob, I read your earlier post about pbxes, but this is all somewhat new to me, and perhaps I did not understand it. I understood that the free version of pbxes will save money only on incoming calls. How does that help when outgoing rates change? It seems to me that when you pay 30 Euros for a card, and the company subsequently raises its rates, your choice is to pay those higher rates or stop using the card, which is the same thing since the cost of the card is then spread over fewer minutes. How will it help to switch to a different provider? To me, the whole concept of "prepaid GSM" is beginning to look like a scam. What have you bought if the company can raise the price of minutes you have already purchased?

	(#8)
PhotoJim (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 389 Join Date: 10 Dec 2006 Location: Regina, SK, CA Country:	03-10-2007, 19:06 Prepaid SIM operators require no loyalty of us as customers. In exchange, they have no obligation of loyalty to us. Prepaid operators that do not act fairly and consistently will not attract as many customers. Those that are fair and reasonable will attract more customers. As with any product, vote with your dollars (or euros or pounds) and choose products in context with all the competitive options. I hear the word "scam" bandied about as if every business in operation intends to defraud its customers. While a handful clearly do, most are honest. Changes in rates are due to economic necessity or market forces. To avoid rate increases, use your minutes up. If you don't use many, use a provider that forces you to buy fewer prepaid minutes so that your risk is less. (Expect to pay more per minute, however.) CA: SaskTel, Wind postpaid; Rogers, Bell postpaid iPad flex plans; US: T-Mobile postpaid data, prepaid voice; PureTalk (AT&T MVNO) prepaid voice/data; AT&T prepaid iPad plan Hardware: Too much but notably iPhone 5, iPad Mini Retina LTE, Moto G LTE (N.A. version), iPhone 4. All unlocked.