Where do I turn for international sim card

[moyaroo]

To all of you. Thank you. I am twice burned in a year on this having lost about $100 to United Mobile and now about $50 to Global Roaming. I have used these cards in the past to help clients have a phone while abroad and for my own use as well. I will think about Ekit and truphone, though I fear that they will be like restaurants that my wife and I like, not open long enough!

[Bossman]

Just do not put too much money on these sim cards. May be just enough to get you through the next trip. Same here, I was burnt UM, Global Roaming, Yackie (they are still trying to come back since about a year...what a joke!). Consider these things disposable and just buy the best one for your current trip and use the thing up.

For example, for my trip to Jaimaca next week, I bought an Ekit Simple sim on Ebay, since they offer good rates there for incoming calls, which is the only thing I will use it for. I also have Telna mobile, if you do not use it, it will not cost you anything besides the $19/year fee.

You better read the Truphone TOS very well. I believe they have a monthly fee or may be it's a monthly non-use fee, in addition to the 90-day non-use fee. And Truphone is very expensive everywhere else besides US and UK.

Originally Posted by moyaroo

To all of you. Thank you. I am twice burned in a year on this having lost about $100 to United Mobile and now about $50 to Global Roaming. I have used these cards in the past to help clients have a phone while abroad and for my own use as well. I will think about Ekit and truphone, though I fear that they will be like restaurants that my wife and I like, not open long enough!

[Sophia]

Originally Posted by Bossman

You better read the Truphone TOS very well. I believe they have a monthly fee or may be it's a monthly non-use fee, in addition to the 90-day non-use fee. And Truphone is very expensive everywhere else besides US and UK.

You're right, they are expensive except for their data roaming really, $3/mb is not bad here in Canada. (at least I think that is pretty good? am I wrong?)
Actually they don't have a monthly fee unless you buy a local number, but indeed they reserve the right to charge a non-use fee. Though they are pretty vague about that and not sure if they'd enforce it, they don't even say how much they would charge.

Ekit sounds good too, though I find their website a bit frightening, and what really put me off for now is their stern warning that if you forget to press a key combination before you phone somebody, you get a heck of a high rate Who knows I might try them one day soon though, when I get brave enough

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by Sophia

Ekit sounds good too, though I find their website a bit frightening, and what really put me off for now is their stern warning that if you forget to press a key combination before you phone somebody, you get a heck of a high rate Who knows I might try them one day soon though, when I get brave enough

What actually happens is when you turn on the phone it asks for a PIN number. [lets say xyzz] If you are in the US or Canada you key in 2xyzz and if you are not in US or Canada enter xyzz or 1xyzz. If your phone allows two lines for the network name it will say the network name on the top line and whether it is 'global' or the 'US' like thus:
T-Mobile
Global
or
T-Mobile
US.

So you can know if you are OK or not.

[adam917]

Originally Posted by rfranzq

What actually happens is when you turn on the phone it asks for a PIN number. [lets say xyzz] If you are in the US or Canada you key in 2xyzz and if you are not in US or Canada enter xyzz or 1xyzz. If your phone allows two lines for the network name it will say the network name on the top line and whether it is 'global' or the 'US' like thus:
T-Mobile
Global
or
T-Mobile
US.

So you can know if you are OK or not.

Also, one of them (the US IMSI) won't work outside the US or Canada anyway so you're usually in the clear, especially outside North America.