EKIT and their U.S. number Service Life

[MATHA531]

Originally Posted by RTuesday

My understanding is you need a chargeable service.

I forward the US number to another number when I'm not in the US. The forwarding destination can be can be set and changed online (this is one of the best features of the sim).

The forwarding works for me even if the US number is "inactive" I believe it's just the availability of sim registration that is activated/deactivated with the button on the site, the number remains working longer (up to 4 months).

My US number gets a few real calls, or wrong numbers, or marketing calls each month, which then creates chargeable events (the forwarding cost). If it didn't I'd just call it once every month or two to keep it active.

I have the original US/Canada eKit sim that only has a US number, no UK number, but I assume the same would apply to the US portion of the current combined sim.

Rob

How about just receiving a text message which costs 10¢ I believe? Won't thaty do it?

[FBlack_111]

While I used the web site to re-activate and get a new U.S. number, I was told I could log on using the UK number and then use the 870 to activate. In that case you get an e-mail with the new number. On line the phone number show up immediately.

To preserve your U.S. number without paying the 50 cents a month requires a paid usage. Even a text message once very 4 months will hold your number. And since a text message every 9 months will keep your SIM active, a text to preserve the number will keep the SIM active too. Don't forget a small recharge is needed every 15 months too.

The reason I wanted a California number was so that certain friends and business associates in California could call me without using a cell phone and just pay California toll charges. (About 5 cents a minute). And some said that they have free in state calling, but out of state calls cost 12 cents a minute. It's not really a lot of money but it can add up.

[adam917]

Is the minimum recharge 10 USD or is it different?

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by adam917

Is the minimum recharge 10 USD or is it different?

Yes, $10.00 is the minimum recharge allowed. On the web site the dropdown list if you are signed in defaults to 50 but 10 is there. If you just select from the ekit home page to 'recharge' no amount is shown on the dropdown list. The amounts are $10, $30, $50, $100, $150 , $200.

The text on the recharge page says: "Recharge your minutes online using your American Express, Mastercard, Eurocard or Visa card to add US$30, $50, $100, $150 or $200 to your phone or SIM card account 24/7."

But $10 is there.

[FBlack_111]

rfranzq is correct. If you log on to EKIT and select re-charge "on-line", a $10 amount is shown in the drop down choices.

[RTuesday]

Originally Posted by MATHA531

How about just receiving a text message which costs 10¢ I believe? Won't that do it?

Yes, that should work as well. Free to send from Google Voice website. Makes it only 40c/yr (4 texts) to keep the number active.

I find the international call forwarding from the eKit useful. So there hasn't been a month (certainly not 4 months) when I haven't had a chargeable event. In other words, I do actually use it!

Rob

[adam917]

Is it still required to recharge at least once every 15 months or is just doing a chargeable event at least once every 9 months OK? I ask because I last recharged one of my (old, single-IMSI) eKit SIMs over 16 months ago and used it between then and now usually to send texts here and there about once every few months or so and kept my balance so far.

I intend on recharging it once my balance is low enough to not be able to send any texts. Perhaps the rules are different for the dual-IMSI SIMs?

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by adam917

Is it still required to recharge at least once every 15 months............ Perhaps the rules are different for the dual-IMSI SIMs?

No, the rules are the same. You should strongly consider adding $10.00 right now if you want to keep the card, otherwise you might have to do $30.00 if you want to rescue the balance.

How they calculate '15 months' and when your ability to recharge ends is not clear.

I have a SIM that is almost 17 months old from original charge up date that seems to be still alive [with a 5 cents balance] .
I am not keeping it because I have gotten a dual IMSI instead.

[adam917]

Originally Posted by rfranzq

No, the rules are the same. You should strongly consider adding $10.00 right now if you want to keep the card, otherwise you might have to do $30.00 if you want to rescue the balance.

How they calculate '15 months' and when your ability to recharge ends is not clear.

I have a SIM that is almost 17 months old from original charge up date that seems to be still alive [with a 5 cents balance] .
I am not keeping it because I have gotten a dual IMSI instead.

Do they tell you of both dates before they come around? I was reminded of the 9-month deadline to use before losing my balance before but never got anything about the other, 15-month, one for recharging. The SIM in question I have is just under 2 years old now and I last recharged it roughly 7.5 months into its life. The remainder of the time till the present was spent usually registered onto various networks in my area and sending SMS once every 2 to 6 months. My balance is low enough on that SIM now to where only a few more SMS would be needed before I would have to recharge anyway, so I ought to go ahead and do that.

[MATHA531]

The US simple card is so cheap ($9 + $3 shipping on ebay) that it almost doesn't really matter (you get $10 worth of credit with a purchase) but I suppose you don't want to have to keep reminding others of your new number eh.