Best practice international GSM setup

[MBK]

Originally Posted by rfranzq

OK, I can't help myself. I almost started a new thread but decided not to. I am curious about the SIMs on the 'Travelsim platform'.
TravelSim
airbalticcard
xxsim.com
OneSimCard
Is this all of them?

I think, yes.

Originally Posted by rfranzq

OK. What are the differences? Only Onesimcard is in US dollars[& based in the US], everything else in Euros?

Yes.

XXSIM is based in Switzerland, but charges in Euros.

Validity:

• Travelsim: no credit expiry, active 2 years after last recharge
• Airbaltic: no credit expiry, active 2 years after last recharge
• Onesimcard: credit expires if not recharged after 10 months, the SIM remains active for 2 years even if not recharged. Accepts incoming calls for free even with 0 credit.
• XXSIM: expires 12 months after last reload (credit and number is lost).

So, the worst regarding validity seems to be XXSIM.


There are several other differences (too many to list?). Example:

• I think XXSIM is the only one of the bunch to offer a 0800 toll free access number in Switzerland.
• onesimcard is the only one with US based support.
• email-to-SMS is onesimcard only (You can send SMS for free to a onsimcard by email at 372xxxx@sms.onesimcard.com)
• XXSIM offers the US PEN for free (the others charge a yearly fee, not sure if Travelsim and airbalic charge for it or not)
• Onesimcard offers 3 android/iphone apps (VOIP, etc...). Travelsim does too (they are the ones that make them in the 1st place). Not sure about airbaltic and XXSIM.
• Travelsim as the backend sets the new rates and new free incoming countries first. Onsimcard is the 2nd to get them right behind (usually on the same day as Travelsim as they announce them in advance). XXSIM and airbaltic are slower to activate new rates / free countires.
• Travelsim has worldwide WIFI support (charged from SIM credit)

This is what I can remember right now, there's probably more...

Originally Posted by rfranzq

They all seem to have a way to get decent US rates.
Do all use both AT&T and T-Mobile for US networks?

I think yes, as they are using the same backend.

Originally Posted by rfranzq

What have been your experience if you are a user?

My worldwide roaming experience has been excellent with onesimcard ( Europe, Asia, Middle East). Network roaming switching is seamless when crossing borders (compared to EKIT which can sometimes take 30 minutes) and stable (compared to EKIT which sometimes loses the signal on the same networks using the same phone - this was also tested driving on highways with the 2 SIMs side by side in a dual-sim phone).

Originally Posted by rfranzq

Any one that should be avoided at all cost??--what happened?

Other than the above differences, I think you should expect the same network quality from all of them, considering they are all using the same backend.

Originally Posted by rfranzq

How well do they work in Europe?

Excellent seamless roaming for 2 years now.

Originally Posted by rfranzq

Where do they not work?

travelsim.com/cost-and-coverage/

Click on the continents to see where they don't have coverage.

Roaming in Europe, Asia and the Middle East I never had any issues with the Onesimcard (It works a lot better than EKIT). Network stability is as good as the local SIMs (I have local SIMs next to the Onesimcard in a dual-SIM phone), with the added benefit of complete seamless roaming / network switching.

Actually, with the Onesimcard I have better availability than the local SIMs, as it is most of the time roaming on several of the networks that are available within a given country (vs the local SIMs only having access to 1 network).