Best practice international GSM setup - Page 10

hwa · 15-01-2014, 19:03

I have and plan to use an iPhone4. Although it doesn't seem to support seamless callback all providers give you the USSD to use to make a call. It's a pain but something I can live with. Maybe there's an APP that will take a number from my phonebook and prepend and append the necessary strings to the number to be dialed. I know there are options to make an iPhone take a dual sim but that's too much for my use case.

fsotirop · 15-01-2014, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwa

I have and plan to use an iPhone4. Although it doesn't seem to support seamless callback all providers give you the USSD to use to make a call. It's a pain but something I can live with. Maybe there's an APP that will take a number from my phonebook and prepend and append the necessary strings to the number to be dialed. I know there are options to make an iPhone take a dual sim but that's too much for my use case.

the best callback voip provider at the moment is: http://www.callimax.com/
great rates with per second billing

manual callback works great. tested for several months.
android app not working, haven't used iphone app to comment

hwa · 16-01-2014, 17:53

Thank you both. I appreciate your opinions, recommendations and information.

gkeeper · 17-01-2014, 19:46

Hi hwa, not sure of what your travel plans are, if its to the Winter Olympics Piranha have just posted on there F&Qs. Rates look good. Anybody know if you are allowed to buy local.

" Piranha adds new network, (Rostelecom) which covers the Sochi area of Russia. Direct dial with very competitive roaming Data and SMS rates."

snidely · 23-01-2014, 02:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwa

Thank you both. I appreciate your opinions, recommendations and information.

Don't forget, since you are a U.S. person, if you get T-Mobile service- unlimited texts and data (at about Edge speeds) and 20¢ calling (in and out) in 100+ countries.

Stu · 18-01-2014, 19:21

There are two camps you see on this forum with respect to incoming calling rates. The first group wouldn't care if the roaming SIM provider gave you a country code 8816 prefix (iridium satellite phone) if the calls were free to them. "If you want to call me when I am out of the country, that's your problem."

The second camp, wants to absorb the cost that the caller would pay and is looking for the cheapest way to make the roaming call a local call for their caller. Those folks assume they will be paying something to forward the calls.

Many of us have also had several roaming SIMs go belly up in the past and are sensitive of pricing structures that are "too good to be true." While we are cost aware, we shy away from the operating who offers free incoming calls on cruise ships. They simply won't be around very long. If I am going on a trip and looking for a solution for only that trip, I'd probably gamble, but I am also prepared to spend a little bit more roaming for a little more stability.

I sent a friend on a trip with one of my SIMs and the carrier ceased operations while she was out of the country. Trust me this was the least technical friend I have. Bad idea!

rfranzq · 18-01-2014, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu

There are two camps you see on this forum with respect to incoming calling rates.

Good observation and synthesis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu

Many of us have also had several roaming SIMs go belly up in the past and are sensitive of pricing structures that are "too good to be true."

Outside this forum are more camps.
1. Those who don't know international SIM cards exist.
2. Those who see one advertisement for an international SIM card and buy it.
3. Other states of confusion.

gkeeper · 20-04-2015, 14:22

After many searchers have have not found any cheaper especially outside of the EU, and i see they have improved Data rates in Kuwait, Macau, Panama and Qatar, thats according to their last facebook ad. On another tact I am visiting the US in June, if there is anyone out there with a piranha Sim can they test the Data speeds in the US for me, as i intend to use it quite a bit. Thanks in advance.

rfranzq · **Data advice for USA -** 21-04-2015, 07:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkeeper

On another tact I am visiting the US in June, if there is anyone out there with a piranha Sim can they test the Data speeds in the US for me, as i intend to use it quite a bit.

I don't do data so I can not test speeds.
BUT make sure you understand how to choose which network you will want to use. T-Mobile and AT&T have different data rates and coverage.
Know where you will be and how the coverage will or will not work for you.

As far as I know, the only place you can choose which network to use in the USA is from the website. Know before you go. Choose before you lose [choice of coverage and rates].

snidely · 21-04-2015, 15:15

TMobile rates seem to be a lot lower than ATT. My carrier in the U.S. IS TM. I have used TM all over the U.S. and, unless you will be in rural areas a lot, coverage should be fine. ATT has somewhat broader coverage. IF you are going to be in metropolitan areas, TM works very well.
Can't test data speed for you as I no longer have need for an intl. SIM. TMobile, U.S. has had "free" intl. roaming in 100+ countries for 18 months. (Data and text free, voice 20¢/min.)

	(#1)
hwa (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 8 Join Date: 13 Jan 2014 Country:	15-01-2014, 19:03 I have and plan to use an iPhone4. Although it doesn't seem to support seamless callback all providers give you the USSD to use to make a call. It's a pain but something I can live with. Maybe there's an APP that will take a number from my phonebook and prepend and append the necessary strings to the number to be dialed. I know there are options to make an iPhone take a dual sim but that's too much for my use case.

	(#3)
hwa (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 8 Join Date: 13 Jan 2014 Country:	16-01-2014, 17:53 Thank you both. I appreciate your opinions, recommendations and information.

	(#4)
gkeeper (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 112 Join Date: 27 Sep 2012 Country:	17-01-2014, 19:46 Hi hwa, not sure of what your travel plans are, if its to the Winter Olympics Piranha have just posted on there F&Qs. Rates look good. Anybody know if you are allowed to buy local. " Piranha adds new network, (Rostelecom) which covers the Sochi area of Russia. Direct dial with very competitive roaming Data and SMS rates."

	(#6)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	18-01-2014, 19:21 There are two camps you see on this forum with respect to incoming calling rates. The first group wouldn't care if the roaming SIM provider gave you a country code 8816 prefix (iridium satellite phone) if the calls were free to them. "If you want to call me when I am out of the country, that's your problem." The second camp, wants to absorb the cost that the caller would pay and is looking for the cheapest way to make the roaming call a local call for their caller. Those folks assume they will be paying something to forward the calls. Many of us have also had several roaming SIMs go belly up in the past and are sensitive of pricing structures that are "too good to be true." While we are cost aware, we shy away from the operating who offers free incoming calls on cruise ships. They simply won't be around very long. If I am going on a trip and looking for a solution for only that trip, I'd probably gamble, but I am also prepared to spend a little bit more roaming for a little more stability. I sent a friend on a trip with one of my SIMs and the carrier ceased operations while she was out of the country. Trust me this was the least technical friend I have. Bad idea!

	(#8)
gkeeper (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 112 Join Date: 27 Sep 2012 Country:	20-04-2015, 14:22 After many searchers have have not found any cheaper especially outside of the EU, and i see they have improved Data rates in Kuwait, Macau, Panama and Qatar, thats according to their last facebook ad. On another tact I am visiting the US in June, if there is anyone out there with a piranha Sim can they test the Data speeds in the US for me, as i intend to use it quite a bit. Thanks in advance.

	(#10)
snidely (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 451 Join Date: 09 May 2005 Location: Berkeley, California and Miami Country:	21-04-2015, 15:15 TMobile rates seem to be a lot lower than ATT. My carrier in the U.S. IS TM. I have used TM all over the U.S. and, unless you will be in rural areas a lot, coverage should be fine. ATT has somewhat broader coverage. IF you are going to be in metropolitan areas, TM works very well. Can't test data speed for you as I no longer have need for an intl. SIM. TMobile, U.S. has had "free" intl. roaming in 100+ countries for 18 months. (Data and text free, voice 20¢/min.) Make use of T-M's UMA/wifi free calling from any place in the world with access to wifi. I use an LG G6, wife an S7) A/o Oct 20, 2013 no need for intl prepaid as T-Mobile U.S. includes voice roaming at 20¢/min (in and out)., unlimited text (in and out), and unlimited data in 140+ countries. My Plan -[6 lines] U.S. T-Mobile unlimited minutes (incoming and outgoing), unlimited text, fast data on each line. that $145/mo. total! . (In U.S. no surcharge for calling a cell.) If a line exceeds 2G of data in a month, pay $10 more for that line. [That only happens a couple times/year.