Toggle Mobile

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

Nice! I've just successfully registered an American number which has an area code (201) from Hudson and Bergen counties, NJ. It was assigned within less than a minute and was also immediately available for voice calls and SMS.

Did you have any choice of what your area code which was assigned?

[HappyCamp]

Originally Posted by rfranzq

Did you have any choice of what your area code which was assigned?

Not when I did it. You just request a US number with no indication where it will come from.

[ronwi]

No US carriers offer free incoming calls, unless as part of an unlimited calling package.

Although the website is not specific on this, presumably incoming calls on the US number are free. I can't imagine this will last, particularly as there are also free incoming calls in many other countries - there is virtually no revenue (and perhaps negative revenue) in charging nothing for an incoming call to the US number and then allowing me to answer the call for free while roaming in France.

I will make some test calls tomorrow when I am at work where my Toggle SIM is located.

[MBK]

Originally Posted by rfranzq

Did you have any choice of what your area code which was assigned?

201 seems to be the only area code so far; there is no choice, same as the other Toggle countries.

Originally Posted by ronwi

No US carriers offer free incoming calls, unless as part of an unlimited calling package.

Although the website is not specific on this, presumably incoming calls on the US number are free. I can't imagine this will last, particularly as there are also free incoming calls in many other countries - there is virtually no revenue (and perhaps negative revenue) in charging nothing for an incoming call to the US number and then allowing me to answer the call for free while roaming in France.

It is working as advertised here in Europe. Incoming calls on the US number are received for free here.

People said the same thing about Switzerland, where 95% of the operators are charging between 25c and 50c per minute (most are at ~30c/min), even for calls to landlines... Toggle is charging 3p/min for landline and 9p/min for mobile and they are using the best (and most expensive) network in Switzerland: Swisscom. For how long has Switzerland been a Toggle country?

Originally Posted by ronwi

I will make some test calls tomorrow when I am at work where my Toggle SIM is located.

It would be nice if you could confirm if it is the same when receiving calls in the US too (although I don't have any doubts, as per the web site).

Originally Posted by Stu

I'm just waiting for the US to become a Toggle country.

The US is a Toggle country now, with the same rates as the UK (within US & US to UK & UK to US: 3p/min landline, 3p/min mobile, 9p SMS, 15p/mb data - to other Toggle countries: same rates for landline & SMS but 9p/min mobile - From other Toggle countries to US & UK: 3p/min mobile & landlines). Check the web site.

[inquisitor]

No, I haven't placed any outgoing call to verify the price increase yet. But I assume it is not an error as it would be in line with Lyca's spivvy custom to change tariffs randomly without any advance notice and furthermore not to communicate tariff changes adequately. At least Toggle's website still shows the old tariffs.

[VladS]

I got the same text in the Netherlands, however all calls placed between 9/2-3 were still rated at 3p/minute.

[ChrisNeedsToKnow]

Also made some calls, all charged at old rates.

Yet another incident which makes me wonder about the reliability of this provider. Unfortunately, like this, I will never turn thin into my "main" card, although I would like to do this if the offer was stable and reliable.

[bourbonkiller]

Regarding the SMS with new tariffs, I haven't got one of these, but my mobile was switched off the last days. You should consider, that a mobile phone call within switzerland with all providers cost between 0.25 and and 0.70 CHF, a call abroad from a swiss mobile phone cost between 0.40 and 0.70 CHF. Considering this, 0.15p is still a decent price.

Beside that, 0.15p seems to be the regulated EU pricing for mobile phones within the EU. As long as they can keep the free incoming calls, the card is still a bargain, specially for Switzerland, as most european providers doesn't charge Switzerland as a EU countryè

BK

[NFH]

Originally Posted by bourbonkiller

most european providers doesn't charge Switzerland as a EU country

Most British networks do apply EEA price caps to Switzerland and also to the Channel Islands which are likewise outside the EEA.

[inquisitor]

Well, compared to Swiss tariffs toggle was indeed extraordinarily cheap but Switzerland can't be a benchmark for most EU countries, where mobile terminations rates are in the lower single-digit cent range and where a final subscriber price of € 0.18/min is definitely expensive, at least for domestic calls (e.g. that's 100% above the usual € 0.09/min most German prepaid providers charge).
Though I always had reservations towards Lyca and toggle due to their questionable business practices I actually hoped toggle could one day become my primary SIM where I would also import my German number to. But given the absence of data packs for toggle countries, the recent clandestine drastic price increase and their continuing trouble with Vodafone, which some day could perhaps affect roaming service outside toggle countries, I will not commit myself to them.

It's a pity how toggle is failing to market this promising innovative platform properly. There's a huge market for cross-border SIM cards with competitive tariffs and the capability to assign extraterrestrial numbers but with such a track record of bazar-like pricing policy, unkept promises and unreliability they will never attract high-volume users, especially not those from the business sphere.

As of EU-regulated tariffs I am not aware of any other fixed prices than those € 0.24/min (excl. VAT) for outgoing calls to EU countries and € 0.08/min (excl. VAT) for incoming calls - both applying only while roaming within the EU.