Koko Mobile / Naka

[GadgetKen]

In answer to @kctopitz in the Piranha thread, the Koko mobile sim I have uses JT (Jersey Telecom) as the background provider. Number begins with +44-7937 which is a Jersey mobile number.

Currently just using the Jersey number since most calls with this sim will be outgoing and adding a USA number would increase the USA incoming/outgoing voice call cost when the USA number is used (quoted as .09 CHF for the Jersey number and .16 CHF for a US number).

A local USA prepaid sim card I have (the AT&T MVNO called H2O) is normally used domestically at cheaper rates per minute for a domestic call (.09 CHF for Koko versus .05 USD for H2O). But since the local sim is USA only, I need Koko for international travel.

Koko did ship my sim quickly. I put it in my dual sim phone and it is working normally in the USA as a 4G voice/text sim on AT&T. Calls are direct dial in the US but according to the Koko website may be via callback in some countries. A manual network search will show AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon but only connects to AT&T (which is fine for me). Not using it for data since I normally use one of three mifi data devices in a small belt pouch.

Will be in Bermuda for a week starting tomorrow and will report on how Koko works there. The two cellular carriers there are Digicel and CellOne.

[bourbonkiller]

I swapped my Koko SIM card now to my iPhone to replace my Toggle SIM card. Network comes up automatically (which was not the case with my old Toggle Sim). There is a special profile for Switzerland in Koko-Mobile and when looking into the the "info" pane of iOS it list under provider "Partner Israel 32.1".

[kctopitz]

Originally Posted by bourbonkiller

It seems, that all Brands of NAKA give you the possibility to book additional country numbers, with Koko mobile, the first additional number is free of charge. In my case I have opted for a German mobile number. At the moment you can choose from the following countries: Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Switzerland (DID) and US.

Originally Posted by GadgetKen

Currently just using the Jersey number since most calls with this sim will be outgoing and adding a USA number would increase the USA incoming/outgoing voice call cost when the USA number is used (quoted as .09 CHF for the Jersey number and .16 CHF for a US number).

That it comes with an additional free number, which can be a US number, makes it more interesting, especially if incoming SMS are free on the US number, as there are very few prepaid SIMs available that have a US number with free incoming SMS: Truphone, Piranha which is in limbo right now, Toggle which changes your US # each month unless you pay, and LycaMobile US, which has very high international roaming rates.

GadgetKen, if you feel like testing out a US number, maybe you can confirm whether incoming SMS to it are in fact free while you're on your travels.

I'm kind of surprised that there's no mention of the free additional number on their website. it's a pretty big oversight by them.