Best practice international GSM setup

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by HappyCamp

You can find that out on Windows from the command prompt with 'nslookup'


On Linux systems you can use 'nslookup', 'dig' or 'host' to find it.

Here is an example on Linux:
$ nslookup hotvoip.com
Server: 10.16.36.29
Address: 10.16.36.29#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: hotvoip.com
Address: 77.72.174.52

That is one of many IP adresses. All the betamax/finera clones use the same server park and have multiple IP adresses that are routed by load using the DNS names.
e.g. right now it returns 77.72.169.131 and not 77.72.174.52

Chris

[mingelli]

Hi

Can you explain in more details what you are doing exactly here?

Originally Posted by ckh

Hi MKB,

Just wanted to let you know I've combined hotvoip and telbo with my Anveo and xxsim account! Thanks for all your information as this is both a robust and cheap setup. My setup is now.

- 1 US number (at Anveo capable of receiving call and sms)
- 2 XXsim mobile numbers with extra US number attached
- 2 VOIP accounts and mobileVOIP app

For call:
- Incoming calls are transfered via one hotvoip account (7cmp) and to one included US number of xxsim directly
- The hotvoip account forwards to the other xxsim number directly.
- In this way I have both the hotvoip price and the security of a direct connection with our second phone.
- Outgoing I can use mobileVOIP with callback to xxsim directly or xxsim, depending of the availabilty of a dataconnection. In this way I can even dial out and use the calledID of my main account.

For sms:
- Incoming sms messages are posted to my own sms-message gateway script * which uses a telbo account and if that fails the anveo account.
- In this way I have both the telbo price and the security of a robust backup connection with anveo

* Build this using a free mailgun-account and some hours of php programming. Not only to process incoming sms messages but also to process incoming notifications of new voice messages and so.

Conclusion: I'm setup to leave for our trip One minor improvement point is to select a backup sim provider in case our xxsims gets stolen or don't work.

[mingelli]

Have yiu triedto use hotvoip also to Latvia Camel mobile?

Originally Posted by fsotirop

I obtained a callcentric US number forwarded it to hotvoip.com sip address and through hotvoip windows app forwarded it to the +372 . it works for just 0.07eur.per minute.
not sure if and when betamax will reblock these 372 numbers as many times since the last 5years.
Because bear in mind that termination net rate to travelsim 372 numbers is 0.15eur per minute...excl.vat

[HappyCamp]

For my trip to Europe I ended up getting a Toggle Mobile card, which seemed like the best deal for this trip. It has free incoming calls in 20 countries and in 16 additional countries there is a 19 pence connection charge but free per minute on incoming calls. The default UK number +45 74385-XXXXX is expensive to call. But I got a Denmark based # +45-7156-XXXX (free for 30 days or get it for a year for 5 pounds) . Localphone.com will forward to the Denmark # at a cost of 2.9 cents/minute. Localphone.com charged $3.00 to setup a USA incoming # and then $0.99 per month to maintain it.

My trip takes me through or in to these countries (Toggle Mobile "local number" countries are in bold):
Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, France, and Spain.

Toggle Mobile: Free incoming calls in over 20 countries link

Toggle Mobile free incoming countries (countries I will be traveling in or through in bold):
Australia Austria Belgium Cyprus Denmark France Germany Greece Hong Kong India Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Singapore Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom United States

Toggle Mobile free incoming calls with a 19 pence connection charge countries (countries I will be traveling in or through in bold):
Cambodia Czech Republic Dominican Republic Hungary Indonesia Kenya Latvia Lithuania Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Nigeria Romania Slovenia Thailand Vietnam

Toggle Mobile "local number" countries (countries I will be traveling in or through in bold):
Australia Denmark France Germany Ireland Netherlands Norway Poland Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom

Rates for the "local number" countries to calls to any of the 20 free incoming countries seem to be:
Landline: 3p/min, Mobile: 9p/min, SMS: 9p/sms, Data: 15p/mb. Incoming calls and texts are free.
Toggle Mobile Tariffs & coverage link

I also have a Truphone SIM and a Piranha Mobile SIM in a cheap $28 Dual SIM Quad Band phone (Samsung GT-E1182L) that I will also carry with me. And additionally I have a Hotvoip.com account if I need it. And of course Skype

And I'm leaving open the option of buying a local SIM for extra data coverage. I am traveling with a total of three phones (two Android phones and one dual SIM voice/text only phone). Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Toggle Mobile SIM), Samsung GT-E1182L (Truphone and Piranha SIMs), and a LG Nexus 4 (local country SIM if desired). Seems like overkill when looking at it

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by HappyCamp

Seems like overkill when looking at it

Not if your third or fourth option is what works when you need it.

[netterchef]

Originally Posted by ckh

Hi MKB,

Just wanted to let you know I've combined hotvoip and telbo with my Anveo and xxsim account! Thanks for all your information as this is both a robust and cheap setup. My setup is now.

- 1 US number (at Anveo capable of receiving call and sms)
- 2 XXsim mobile numbers with extra US number attached
- 2 VOIP accounts and mobileVOIP app

For call:
- Incoming calls are transfered via one hotvoip account (7cmp) and to one included US number of xxsim directly
- The hotvoip account forwards to the other xxsim number directly.
- In this way I have both the hotvoip price and the security of a direct connection with our second phone.
- Outgoing I can use mobileVOIP with callback to xxsim directly or xxsim, depending of the availabilty of a dataconnection. In this way I can even dial out and use the calledID of my main account.

Hotvoip rate to XXSIM is now 18 cent per minute!

[ckh]

Bummer.... luckily I both used the hotvoip solution and the normal US number of xxsim for 15 cpm. I will now quickly change the hotvoip solution for another proivider....

[talon4x4]

My wife will be travelling to Germany for 6 days and then driving to Belgium and staying for 2 days. I'm struggling to figure out the best sim for her cell phone (unlocked AT&T iPhone 5). There are just so many options. After reading through all 12 pages of this thread and doing some other research it looks like onesimcard will be the best option.

Here are my reasons:
- Will work in both countries (don't want her to worry about finding multiple sim cards)
- local USA number provided for free (so the children and I can call her for free)
- I can purchase a 1 week data package. Its small (100mb = .30/mb) but most of her time will be spent working or in a hotel where they have WiFi
- no charge for incoming sms or voice calls
- Free concierge service (could be useful as this is her first EU visit)

Things I'm not concerned with:
- How long card stays active
- Losing credits
- working anywhere but the two countries listed above



My other thought was to go with Keepgo.com. You get $10/day to spend on voice or data, unused gets rolled to next day. Incoming and outgoing calls are $.11/min and data is $.65/mb and sms is $.20/msg to send (receive free). Any day in which the full $10 isn't used gets rolled into the next day. There is no charge for the sim card. Comes with local USA number.

I would like to hear thoughts and opinions on these two services.

Thanks!!

[MBK]

Originally Posted by talon4x4

My wife will be travelling to Germany for 6 days and then driving to Belgium and staying for 2 days. I'm struggling to figure out the best sim for her cell phone (unlocked AT&T iPhone 5). There are just so many options. After reading through all 12 pages of this thread and doing some other research it looks like onesimcard will be the best option.

The Onesimcard is one of the best worldwide roaming SIMs, but for such a short trip to Europe I think Toggle Mobile would be a better option.

• Add a free US number valid for 30 days (costs 5£ to extend for 1 year if needed, which is not your case)
• Add a free German number if she needs to call locally in Germany for cheaper calls within Germany.
• You can call her on the US number and she receives the call for free in Germany and in Belgium.
• From Germany she calls you in the US for 3p/min.
• Calls within Germany 3p/min Landline, 9p/min mobile
• Germany data: 15p/MB, as she will be using WIFI it should be good enough.
• From Belgium she calls you for 1£/min, so the better option as it is only for 2 days is for her to send you an SMS for 7p and you call her back for free.
• Calls within Belgium 23p/min, good enough for 2 days.
• Belgium data: 67p/MB, so it is better to use WIFI, as it is for 2 days only she should be fine?

Added benefit: you can use this SIM's remaining credit in the US when she comes back home (3p/min US landline & mobile).

[borjeg]

Originally Posted by mingelli

Have yiu triedto use hotvoip also to Latvia Camel mobile?

Sorry. but I lost you there. Why Latvia? I don't think there is anything special about calls to Latvia.