Thoughts re telestial? Am looking for hasle free roaming SIM

[dem]

Thanks again for the help, links, etc. I think YM sounds like it offers what I need.

The final, very important question, is which phone is/phones are "fully compatible" with YM? Once I have that answer, I can place my orders and keep my fingers crossed that everything will be here by Christmas.

To all, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the advice I have received on this forum. You have really helped me a great deal. More important, you have all been very kind -- no snide remarks or jabs, as is common on many forums. Thanks very much.

[DRNewcomb]

Just keep in mind that everything you learn here is "to the best of our ability to understand at this point in time, YMMV". An international SIM that works great today may be out of business tomorrow. I have at least one Swiss easyRoam SIM that was one of the earliest prepaid international SIMs. They pulled the plug on easyRoam back about 2003.

[dem]

I completely understand. In fact, I noticed off the bat that some of the products Telestial offered earlier this year are no longer being sold, so I guess things can change rather rapidly.

[YackieMobile]

just one information.....

It is not one israeli sim card.....we use one Israeli GW and one UK, in fact our deal is to use ALSO all Orange World roaming agrements, and our own agrements

And soon Orange World will open around 20 Arabian countries

we roam in afghanistan, irak, marocoo.....and bahamas, who is great for 4 000 000 touristes a year

We expect have this countries open soon.....without any real dely unfortunatly

You have here all Certified Handset working with YM ( many more, just need to be tested...)

http://www.yackiemobile.com/environm...s_05-09-06.pdf

If you accept our offer, DONT order to the web site, send me a PM and we will tell you how you can receive this offer shipped from Miami for be sure you will have in Time

[dem]

Thanks so much YM! I have the list, now I am searching stores for the phones. (I won't buy from eBay, but it looks like I have enough alternatives; I should find something fairly quickly). As soon as I find the phone, I will pm you.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by dem

Thanks so much YM! I have the list, now I am searching stores for the phones. (I won't buy from eBay, but it looks like I have enough alternatives; I should find something fairly quickly). As soon as I find the phone, I will pm you.

I'd get a direct call model and I"d report your experiences back to the forum so we can share them with the next person who asks.

[Stu]

I'm not sure how many "tourists" are going to Iraq or Afghanistan yet. I'd be curious about how much your roaming is for the Bahamas. My current advice to my friends who got on short cruises over there is "don't." There aren't many roaming agreemetns and the few that exists are silly high. For example, I figure out for one friend cruise ship roaming was cheaper than Bahamian roaming.

Bahamian prepaid SIMs cost about US$70 which is steep for three days. The best advice I can give is that there is an internet cafe near the cruise ship peer, go there and VOIP it.

Stu

Originally Posted by YackieMobile

just one information.....

It is not one israeli sim card.....we use one Israeli GW and one UK, in fact our deal is to use ALSO all Orange World roaming agrements, and our own agrements

And soon Orange World will open around 20 Arabian countries

we roam in afghanistan, irak, marocoo.....and bahamas, who is great for 4 000 000 touristes a year

We expect have this countries open soon.....without any real dely unfortunatly

You have here all Certified Handset working with YM ( many more, just need to be tested...)

http://www.yackiemobile.com/environm...s_05-09-06.pdf

If you accept our offer, DONT order to the web site, send me a PM and we will tell you how you can rece
ive this offer shipped from Miami for be sure you will have in Time

[dem]

Stu,

If I am reading the Yackie list correctly, all of the handsets listed, except those few that are highlighted in yellow or pink, are "direct dial" models (at least they all say "direct dialing"). I am only considering those identified as "direct dialing" models as my options. Once my boyfriend opens the box containing the phone, I am going to tell him about this forum and advise him that he must report back to the forum about his experiences when he returns from NZ in March. I will also report back on my ability to call him on the road. It is the least we can do to repay you all for the help I have been given.

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by Stu

I'd be curious about how much your roaming is for the Bahamas. My current advice to my friends who got on short cruises over there is "don't." There aren't many roaming agreemetns and the few that exists are silly high. For example, I figure out for one friend cruise ship roaming was cheaper than Bahamian roaming.

There are different ways to roam. I recently took a cruise on a ship that had its own floating cellular system where my phone would roam, at $5/min. Before we left I forwarded all calls to voicemail and left a message telling callers to send me a numeric page or text message. This way I could stay in touch and never worry about getting any unwanted $20 phone calls.

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by DRNewcomb

Just keep in mind that everything you learn here is "to the best of our ability to understand at this point in time, YMMV". An international SIM that works great today may be out of business tomorrow. I have at least one Swiss easyRoam SIM that was one of the earliest prepaid international SIMs. They pulled the plug on easyRoam back about 2003.

But, if fact, how many international SIMs have been out of business so far?
Swisscom easyRoam and Buytel are two cases I know.