Best practice international GSM setup

[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.

[HappyCamp]

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.

Do you get Caller ID Forwarded?

[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.

[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).

[talon4x4]

Originally Posted by MBK

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.

Wow! You are absolutely correct. They have great pricing and from what I can tell people are happy with the service they have received. Thank you so much for the info!

[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.

Toggle Mobile: Belgium will have local rates and also a local number hopefully this week or the following. Twitter, September 16

[fsotirop]

Piranha reduced today EU data roaming from 0.25gbp to 0.20gbp/mb (approx. 0.23eur.)!

from Piranha mobile website:


Piranha have reduced Data rates in all but one EU country by 20% and SMS by 10% effective immediately. We have also reduced Data rates in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Singapore, Switzerland and Turkey, More rate reductions will follow.

PSIM Admin