Maxroam (aka Roam4Free V2)

[Grampa]

Originally Posted by andy

Why assume there could be regulatory anomalies in these places?

I'm asking, not assuming. This area is new to me. Are you saying that the only reason prepaid providers operate out of small jurisdictions is that there are no small telecommunications carriers in Europe or the UK willing to do business with them?

[ygeffens]

This evening I received my MAXroam SIM.
Activation was not necessary. I could log in with username and password that I received 2 days after buying the sim online.

3G, Internet and MMS settings were all pointing to *.orange.co.il

I send an SMS to the UK number that I was assigned, the message did not arrive (as expected, it's a landline number).

I entered my simcard number here:
http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=analysis&sub=simnr

and got back this:
Network name Partner Communications Co. Ltd
Operator name
Country or global network Israel
MCC-MNC 425-01

Cheap ass as I am, I didn't try to make a testcall.
I did send an SMS to my Belgian Mobile (cost €0.30)
It arrived immediatly, and was from an IL number (+972 543 56 xxxx).
I then tried to send a message back to this number (cost €0.02 - thank you justvoip ). The messages did not arrive.

That's it for now.
Now I'm waiting for my iPhone to arrive

[petkow]

So basically there is no way of receiving SMS? I was wondering why Pat just wouldn't answer any questions about SMS... though I asked the question on a fair few blogs! They appear to have not sorted that out yet!

[ygeffens]

Originally Posted by petkow

So basically there is no way of receiving SMS? I was wondering why Pat just wouldn't answer any questions about SMS... though I asked the question on a fair few blogs! They appear to have not sorted that out yet!

That's not what I'm saying.
I think that the number I saw was the number of the SMSC, and not my 'real' cell-number.

So I assume it possible, but not in this stage.

Pat told me that they are really doing overtime, that's why he haven't got the time to reply on the blogs/forums.

[Grampa]

Originally Posted by ygeffens

Pat told me that they are really doing overtime, that's why he haven't got the time to reply on the blogs/forums.

Did you happen to get an answer to the question about additional numbers? I understand that they are 2 euros per month, but I haven't been able to find out whether you can cancel a number after you have purchased it.

Also, it would be nice to know whether the rate calculator is now correct, which would represent a rate increase from the time when the product was introduced.

[andy]

Originally Posted by ygeffens

Pat told me that they are really doing overtime, that's why he haven't got the time to reply on the blogs/forums.

On the contrary, he seems to be able to respond within a few minutes of other new remarks.

On one blog, he slagged of another forum, with highly misleading remarks about what was actually posted there, for instance a named person he criticised had actually defended the product.

[bbob]

Like Bossman said same company that yackie used before.

So far the story about maxroam's direct connection they have to go through a provider like I said.

The next question now is, have they really hooked up their maxroam equipment using a direct line to 02 in israel or are they just forwarding the call to the 02 mobile number. I think it's the last one.

A forward to israel mobile cost only 4,8 eurocent per minute which is even lower that forward to iom or jersey mobile.
This explains why incoming call in israel are only 14 eurocent per minute.

"I send an SMS to the UK number that I was assigned, the message did not arrive (as expected, it's a landline number)."

There are landlines that can receive sms, in the netherlands kpn does offer this service so technically it is possible. I assume it does require special equipment to receive the sms and that this is not very common.

So the question now is how does sms work. The idea behind this all was that you did not really have a mobile number to give out, just a fixed did number.

Also note incoming call cost to arab countries, these are high and like yackie this has eveything to do with the "good" relation between israel and the arab countries.

So to me it just looks like nothing new, just another supplier using existing systems and not spectacular.

The biggest question reamins, why did yackie drop this israel route and is maxroam now using it again ?

[plunderisley]

I think basically any DECT handset can receive/send SMS from a landline

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by plunderisley

I think basically any DECT handset can receive/send SMS from a landline

yes, if the provider supports a gateway. In germany T-Com for example tests first if you have a SMS enabled phone - if not you get the SMS by a computer voice (sounds quite interesting if you use a lot of shortcuts in the SMS to get more information inside the 160chars). Reception is free of charge in both ways,

[petkow]

Originally Posted by dg7feq

yes, if the provider supports a gateway. In germany T-Com for example tests first if you have a SMS enabled phone - if not you get the SMS by a computer voice (sounds quite interesting if you use a lot of shortcuts in the SMS to get more information inside the 160chars). Reception is free of charge in both ways,

Likewise, here in the UK non DECT landlines receive text. On a BT phone it is read out to you by dialing 1571. It can be quite funny as you can send people freaky messages which are spoken to them in a bionic voice!