United Mobile--coming back?

[hrgajek]

Hello,

the majority shares of UM have been sold to an experienced company in this scene. At the moment there are running a lot of negotioations between all involved parties and suppliers. A concrete schedule for a restart of the service cannot be given at this time.

As of 1st July roaming charges in the European Union are reduced again dramatically, you have to calculate very exactly, if your "normal" home-SIM-card couldn't attractive, while being abroad, too.

Since Vodafone UK shows, that its possible to offer incoming free calls in the complete EU for british Vodafone UK Prepaid-Customers, it can be foreseen, that incumbent players are willing to wipe out all these small Roaming-SIM-Companies from the Game.

[MATHA531]

Originally Posted by hrgajek

Hello,

the majority shares of UM have been sold to an experienced company in this scene. At the moment there are running a lot of negotioations between all involved parties and suppliers. A concrete schedule for a restart of the service cannot be given at this time.

As of 1st July roaming charges in the European Union are reduced again dramatically, you have to calculate very exactly, if your "normal" home-SIM-card couldn't attractive, while being abroad, too.

Since Vodafone UK shows, that its possible to offer incoming free calls in the complete EU for british Vodafone UK Prepaid-Customers, it can be foreseen, that incumbent players are willing to wipe out all these small Roaming-SIM-Companies from the Game.

If and when roaming costs in the eu become what they should be, namely something close to what vodafone uk is offering this summer, that will most likely spell pretty much adieu to efforts by these international sim carriers. Or am I missing something?

[Stu]

Don't you think that is why everyone is rolling out dual-IMSI phones and that reasonable rates in the US and Canada have finally arrived. There are certainly a number of non-EU spots where they can compete (particularly with a UK number). Dubai has tons of British tourists, as does Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Thailand. Carribean and Mexican rates can help as well. Then there is the rest of South East Asia.

[hkr]

Well, EU-roaming is not getting cheaper for everybody. Actually, In Hungary, it is just getting more expensive...

There are two factors: Hungary increases VAT from 20% to 25%, plus the EUR/HUF rate was awful on the day when the commission made the decision. So the overall effect is that we will have to pay more than what we are paying now. The only thing that makes it somewhat cheaper is the 1 second billing.

By the way, I do not think it is fair that roaming prices are to be declared using a specified date's currency exchange rates... Okay-okay, we have also benefited from this during this period coming to an end now. Now reduced roaming charges will mean increased prices. Hungarian fate, we never do what others do...

[inquisitor]

Originally Posted by hkr

Hungarian fate, we never do what others do...

That's the fate of every nation, that elects a bunch of communist liars to govern their country, who then screw up €uro-adoption, arrest domestic demand by a VAT-increase and so set back the economic development by a decade or so. That's like letting a monkey drive your car. But obviously there are serveral nations in Eastern Europe that like the idea of apes being chauffeurs.
You'll need to wait for relief in spring 2010, when Fidesz will hopefully gain the majority in parliament and then can start removing the communist destruction.

[bbob]

Originally Posted by Stu

Don't you think that is why everyone is rolling out dual-IMSI phones and that reasonable rates in the US and Canada have finally arrived. There are certainly a number of non-EU spots where they can compete (particularly with a UK number). Dubai has tons of British tourists, as does Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Thailand. Carribean and Mexican rates can help as well. Then there is the rest of South East Asia.

This is true but is major eu carrier offer free eu roaming or at very low cost this would mean that a big market for the current roaming sims will be gone. This would mean that they will loose income and it's the question if the other destinations that you refer to will be enough to keep them going.

That said. The Vodaphone offer is only for the UK and would carriers really lower their roaming rates as this still brings them nice money ?

[LBarouf]

Originally Posted by Stu

Don't you think that is why everyone is rolling out dual-IMSI phones and [...]

You probably meant Dual IMSI SIMs, not phones. Unless you meant DUAL SIM phones.....

[hkr]

inquisitor: you are right. But things are not so simple, Fidesz has done quite some harm when they were in power, no wonder people voted the commies back. Hungary should be annexed to Austria to get things right

Anyway, let's not discuss politics here, apart from what concerns telecoms. BTW: this morning I sent an e-mail to Ms Reding asking for her opinion in the issue of increasing roaming charges, whether the increase felt by the end-user is in-line with the Commission's intentions.

[hrgajek]

Good morning.

As you can read at Neuer Eigentümer bei United Mobile: Lage für Kunden weiter unklar - teltarif.de News (in German language) United-Mobile was sold to Cubic Telecom from Dublin, Ireland.

You know Cubic as the supplier of the Maxroam Roaming SIM card, based on a BASE-Belgium SIM. BASE Belgium belongs to the dutch KPN Group, which is also the Mother of the German E-Plus-Group. United-Mobile (Germany) has/had an IN-Roaming-Agreement for issuing germany-based Mobile-Numbers in the E-Plus-Numbers-Range. Now think about the possible products out from this deal

At the moment it's unclear when and how the issued UM-Liechtenstein oder UM-Jersey SIM-cards will come back.

Its not known at this moment, if the well known United-Mobile Brand will remain or if the Customers will be served under the Cubic / Maxroam Brand in the future..

At the moment the're negotiations between Cubic and Jersey Telecoms, Liechtenstein Mobilkom and some other mostly unknown in-between-suppliers. Nobody knows (or says) at this time, if and when their service will come back in detail.

UM-Outage is now for 2 months. Compared with Globalsim/Isle-of-Man, which needed round about 6 months for their comeback, they've still a little time, but most old loyal customers could be lost, then, I think.

My personal advice: If you're interested in your UM SIM-Cards and Numbers, keep them in a safe place, and register on the UM website.

[inquisitor]

I think UM should be given a new lease on life after those new investors have replaced the fragile financial structure and removed that parvenu from the board, who has spend only two years at university (persumably ungraduated) and who's main interests are boating and sports cars among other little boys' dreams.