Global Roaming (former Celtrek)

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by Bossman

I hope they realize that the global roaming sim maket is a very dynamic market, and only the fittest, and those that can act quickly will survive.

They probably realized that the business is difficult. But they probably thought they were smart enough to avoid the pitfalls. Whether hubris or ignorance leads them to try this business, the result will be the same as all the other nonsurvivors if they don't get it to work---and quickly.

Survival is a lot harder than most of these people realize. Otherwise they would not have entered the marketplace.

[Another problem seems that everyone goes to market before they have everything or enough things working.]

[VladS]

I don't think the problem is with the DIDs, but reliable and inexpensive bulk termination to the Base numbering range.

Termination to the Israel numbers was good and inexpensive... Base is the most expensive route in Belgium.

[prion]

Originally Posted by VladS

I don't think the problem is with the DIDs, but reliable and inexpensive bulk termination to the Base numbering range.

Termination to the Israel numbers was good and inexpensive... Base is the most expensive route in Belgium.

I agree with you. They must also be making some profit for calls made to the Belgian number.

[Bossman]

bbob, the only one I had was UM+. I have always used it for my forwarding. By forwarding my AT&T to my DID, then my DID to UM+. Just did not want to dish out more funds for another sim card. In the mean time, I have sent my +423 card for easyroams Travel sim offer. Next trip is not till June (UK, France and Nigeria). So, plenty of time for things to change some more. I'll probably just roam in France for my 2 nights there with my Virgin UK sim. I will be in Nigeria for 10 days and I already have a local sim from my visit there last year.

As vlads mentioned, forwarding to that Base Belgian number is a little high based on the couple of providers I have looked at. For example, voicestick charges $0.33 to forward to it.

Originally Posted by bbob

@Bossman, I would advice you and eveyone to buy your own did number and forward the call. The forwading does cost you money but typically this is lower in price than having it forwarded my say maxroam or yackie (in the past)

If you have a uk based numer free roaming card you should be able to setup call forwarding for around 10 eurocents. So you pay just 10 eurocents per minute to receive calls.

The advantage of having your own did of great as it seems you can expect to almost change numbers every 1 or 2 years whenever the sims platform goed out of business. See problems in the past iom, yackie on israel platform, tan iceland, same for maxroam.
When you change sims just change the forwarding and your free to choose any sim you want.

[VladS]

The best retail, non-Betamax, rate I'm aware of for calls to Base numbers is $0.1864 with VoipJet (IAX2, not SIP).

[dg7feq]

future-nine.com -> $0.179
lets get lower!

Chris

[VladS]

F9 uses Betamax

You can always go with SipTraffic (another Betamax brand) and pay $0.1255 with their gold route or $0.1050 with the silver one. But again... It's Betamax.

[prion]

Originally Posted by dg7feq

future-nine.com -> $0.179
lets get lower!

Chris

I found a cheaper option: 0,1633$ !

http://www.yupeephone.com/rates.php?country=belgium%

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by VladS

F9 uses Betamax

You can always go with SipTraffic (another Betamax brand) and pay $0.1255 with their gold route or $0.1050 with the silver one. But again... It's Betamax.

They will have betamax as one of the suppliers, yes. But i am using this provider for some months now already and got at least 10 different call routes on their asterisk billing system. Besides the SipTraffic provider needs 200 US$ minimum recharge - which is more than i use in 2-3 years... I am using 2 betamax providers on my private VoIP station at home and never had any problems with them though.

Chris

[dg7feq]

Very disappointing - so to say non existing customer care...

2 days ago i emailed them regarding wrong billing on GPRS, yesterday i tried to send a message over their "24/7 online support center" (which was offline whenever i had a look) and in the evening i tried to call their hotline number. Rings forever, noone picks up, no email replies, not even a ticket commissioning system or whatsoever.

lovely.
Chris