Prepaid Sims

[thejinx0r]

So, I'll probably add the int'l bundle and use it for a few days then switch to YCW.

But can you also confirm that DialNow would still be considered like a "local" call?

Thanks

P.S.
Can I add that bundle while i'm in Canada by texting?
And is there a way to check my balance for free?
Is there a way to top up in Canada?

P.S. #2
How do I check how much it costs to use Enlinea?
Like for the country calling from, do I put where I am going to be? Or do I put the country code for the sim I'm using like UK for UM and Iceland for o9 / Yackie Mobile?
Cause if it's the country code, than I might just go for o9 + Enlinea if it's the actual country code as it appears to be the best solution right now.

[FBlack_111]

How does Dialnow work? I have a UK SIM. If I call the US with Dialnow, will it ring back and I have to pay the rate my SIM provider charges for incoming calls? Calls out cost me about 50 cents a minute. How is there a savings? Or do I need a special new SIM?

[petkow]

Originally Posted by FBlack_111

How does Dialnow work? I have a UK SIM. If I call the US with Dialnow, will it ring back and I have to pay the rate my SIM provider charges for incoming calls? Calls out cost me about 50 cents a minute. How is there a savings? Or do I need a special new SIM?

This has left me a bit confused... but I'll try...

Dialnow is not a callback service. You do not need a special SIM. It is just an account based callthrough provider. Think of it like a calling card. You buy some credit with them, dial a local access number (and get charged) to access their switch then dial your destination number. You will therefore pay 2 parties. Firstly your local airtime provider to access the Dialnow access number, and then secondly to Dialnow for placing the call to your destination.

OK.. you have a UK SIM. Who knows what it is, but lets assume you have some cheap deal to call local UK numbers whilst in the UK (let's just say 10p/min... or put it into euros that is about €0.14/min). You therefore dial the UK access number starting 0161. Let's say you want to call US. You then dial the US number. Dialnow charges you €0.05/min+19%tax for this destination. The total cost of the call is therefore around 15 euro cents/min.

Unfortunately I don't know who you pay 50cents a minute to and what cents those are (US cents, Euro cents?)?? Unfortunately I have no idea where you are calling from at that rate. I tust however you can figure it all out and figure out if you make savings.

[andy]

cross-posted, but I'll leave it

Originally Posted by FBlack_111

How does Dialnow work? I have a UK SIM. If I call the US with Dialnow, will it ring back and I have to pay the rate my SIM provider charges for incoming calls? Calls out cost me about 50 cents a minute. How is there a savings? Or do I need a special new SIM?

No, DialNow is a callthrough service, not callback at all (though there is a separate way to use it for that).

To call the USA from the UK, broadly speaking you'd have two options:

There are several mvno providers with cheap direct-dialled international calls, and the main networks also have some SIM options that are equivalent to these, either add-ons or separately branded. Rates are from 4 pence a minute upwards.

The other option is to use a callthrough access just like a calling card, so a local number then the destination will be dialled. Nowadays this isn't as likely to be worthwhile in the UK, as you'd pay for the local landline call at perhaps higher rates than the direct-dialled options in the first category.

An exception to this generalised callthrough description is the Yourcallworld arrangement with T-mobile, where the call comes off the SIM balance at the YCW tariff, and no separate account is needed. Although it's callthrough, it's more like the first group on tariff grounds