Questions, questions...

[Schlips1]

Something else:
To 1: Except of the new Apple stuff mentioned almost all GSM-phones are using the same kind of Sim-cards. So these Sims fit in all phones. So there is almost never a problem. But you have to check which bands are needed in the country / in the countries you want to visit. Most networks are using the 900 MHz band and the 1800 MHz band (Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa) but in the Americas you will find (almost only) 850 MHz and 1900 MHz band networks. And there are a few UMTS-networks like "3" (UK, At, Dk, Se, Au..) and "Melita" (Mt) which do not use GSM but UMTS. The best thing is to have a quad-band phone (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz band) which will work almost everywhere.
To 2: As mentioned, usually you top up your account with a value of money. "Time" does not matter, because in most countries you do not pay for incoming calls while being on your home network. Because calls to mobiles are more expensive then to landlines, in most countries the terminating fee is higher on mobiles ("Calling party pays").
To 3: Not every provider is allowing roaming for prepaid customers, or only limited (T-Mobile US prepaid does not roam in an other T-Mobile country!). To keep your number alive, you should have the possibility to use the Sim!

[raywright1]

I must admit, even though I am an experienced traveler, I too am confused about how these PAYG plans work. For example, I have a SIM from Vodafone Romania purchased 7/14/10. I have a permanent local address and the ability to top up locally or abroad. I have registered the SIM with the website, which tells me that I have 9,78 euro credit, valid until 11/11/10. It offers me the ability to top-up (4 euro valid 30 days, 10 euro valid 60 days, etc etc). I have roaming enabled, can use the SIM abroad, and APN settings let me use data as well.

Help me process this info clearly and please correct my misunderstandings...

1. If I do nothing, after 11/11/10 my SIM will not be capable of making outgoing calls, but will receive calls? If so, until when?
2. If I do nothing, after 11/11/10 my credit is lost? If so, now to recover?
3. If I top up prior to 11/11/10, the SIM is extended for just the newly purchased lifetime, or does the SIM itself get extended 10 months but the ability to initiate calls extends only 30 days, 60 days, etc? this relates to the National Operators web page which uses notation like "4+10 months", which I don't understand.
4. Is topping up considered an activity which gives life to the SIM, or must there be a billable event like a phone call or text message?

ultimately, what must I do prior to 11/11/10 in order for me to keep the same number until I return in the summer of 2011?

Thanks!

[weekilter]

Originally Posted by raywright1

I must admit, even though I am an experienced traveler, I too am confused about how these PAYG plans work. For example, I have a SIM from Vodafone Romania purchased 7/14/10. I have a permanent local address and the ability to top up locally or abroad. I have registered the SIM with the website, which tells me that I have 9,78 euro credit, valid until 11/11/10. It offers me the ability to top-up (4 euro valid 30 days, 10 euro valid 60 days, etc etc). I have roaming enabled, can use the SIM abroad, and APN settings let me use data as well.

Help me process this info clearly and please correct my misunderstandings...

1. If I do nothing, after 11/11/10 my SIM will not be capable of making outgoing calls, but will receive calls? If so, until when?
2. If I do nothing, after 11/11/10 my credit is lost? If so, now to recover?
3. If I top up prior to 11/11/10, the SIM is extended for just the newly purchased lifetime, or does the SIM itself get extended 10 months but the ability to initiate calls extends only 30 days, 60 days, etc? this relates to the National Operators web page which uses notation like "4+10 months", which I don't understand.
4. Is topping up considered an activity which gives life to the SIM, or must there be a billable event like a phone call or text message?

ultimately, what must I do prior to 11/11/10 in order for me to keep the same number until I return in the summer of 2011?

Thanks!

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but with prepaid any balance of money in your account will remain as long as you refill with additional funds or for some carriers you need to make something billable (such as a call or a SMS) to extend the account further. As to your question number 4 I'm not sure whether topping up is considered an action, but my guess is that it does. I'd contact the carrier to be sure, but I'd think that the action of topping up would be sufficient.