I just received my Travelsim today... and it has some problems! :D

Here are my experiments:
- Italy landline: ok
- Italy mobile: <span style='color:#FF0000'>no</span> (Wind, 3)
- Germany landline: ok
- Germany mobile: <span style='color:#FF0000'>no</span> (O2)
- Czech mobile: <span style='color:#FF0000'>no</span> (Oskar, T-Mobile, Eurotel)
- Croatia mobile: <span style='color:#FF0000'>no</span> (T-Mobile)
- Austria mobile <span style='color:#FF0000'>no</span> (T-Mobile) (OnZoone help number :P)
- Lithuania mobile: ok (Bite)
- Latvia mobile: ok (Amigo)
- Estonia mobile: ok (Elisa, Tele2)
- Poland mobile: ok (Plus, Era)
- New Zeland mobile: ok (Vodafone)
- Russia mobile: ok (Tele2)

I cannot call any Italian, German, Austrian, Croatian or Czech mobile, while it works with both Italian and German landline. When I try to call a mobile I receive the pop-up message "unknown format?" instead the "please wait" one.

When the callback works I hear the voice with my credit, the quality is more than poor.
I'm roaming on TIM net and using the SonyEricsson Z1010 UMTS/GSM phone, with direct calling.

If I use the call menu on the sim toolkit it works also with Italian and German mobile numbers (didn't try the Czech and Croatian, but I think they work as well), but I cannot use the address book, which is quite a bad thing.

If I try to check my credit, either dialing 099 or using the sim toolkit I get a popup which says "postpaid client"...

Another quite weird thing... I manually selected Wind GSM network, I connected to it and tried to direct call my Wind number with no success. Then it automatically moved to Wind 3G network, and after few seconds to "SOS calls only" and after 1 minute back to TIM.
I repeated the same thing with Vodafone and it kept the GSM network with no problems., so I selected Vodafone 3G network manually but it didn't connect. Looking on GSMWorld, EMT has 3G agreements with all the 3 GSM/UMTS network operators in Italy, but travelsim works on GSM only.

Another really strange thing: among the "preferred networks", at the last place, there is this code "316 01", and if I'm not wrong it's Nextel, the iDEN network in the USA. Not very useful on my GSM/UMTS phone! :D

I tried then to call myself from my 3 number... on Travelsim phone it didn't appear my 3 number, but this one: +372.6868097, which is a geographical number, Estonia, Tallinn district (new digital number). If I try to call it, it rings! :)
So there is a triangulation also for incoming calls, in fact I couldn't hear any free of busy tone on the 3 phone until I accepted/denied the call on the Travelsim phone.

With the Siemens S55 it works perfectly with Italian and German mobiles directly. As usual Siemens has the best automatic callback system...

I had my Travelsim yestarday too :)

Similar test, but using a S55 and 2 Nokia handsets I had best results without any problem for outgoing calls.

About SMS good news; it's quite strange to have 2 different numbers (1 for voice calls, 1 for sms) but no problem with major networks for incoming/outgoing. I had troubles only with 3ITA, but H3G Italy is really crappy for international SMS...

About 3G roaming I had the same results... but it's no simply to understand the problem. Maybe EMTS doesn't have a umts agreement for this kind of numeration, Orange CH PrePay has a similar problem abroad for example.

i just want to see you can call bulgaria

:clap:

i just called you... i found a busy tone, is it possible?

The same here, I get a busy tone... nice number! :D

yeah, its just a test number in our closed group :)

I want to give travelSIM a try as a backup number on an upcoming trip to Russia but I can't seem to purchase the TravelSIM on either of the websites. Does anyone happen to have information about the cost of the SIM and how to obtain it?

Thanks

You have to contact them by e-mail

they have not replied to me yet, Effendi , what is the price of the strater pack ? thanks

It was 10? time ago, when I got mine and updated the pages here on Prepaid, but if they don't answer... I don't know what to do!

They also have not yet replied to my email :(

I'll try to contact them for you. I let you know. :)

AndreA,

Thanks for contacting them. Onzoone replied to my email yesterday saying that they would have an online shop up "soon". They also said that it would be possible to recharge directly from the website.

They didn't seem very interested in selling me a SIM Card immediately for my trip in a few weeks. They also did not answer my questions about the cost of the card and how much credit was in the starter kit.

I guess I'll wait and see if the site goes up in the next week or so, or maybe I'll just pass and stick with UM. Free incoming in Russia is what most attracted me.

Thanks again for your help!

You could purchase a rebranded TravelSim card from Telestial at Telestial Explorer Link that comes with $10 US of credit and Telestial will load refills for you by phone or by web order(while the ad doesn't say TravelSim, rates and the incoming country code indicate it is). As PowerLifter noted in the thread I started on this card, the card is probably selling for a hefty premium over the face value, but if you are going to receive a lot of incoming calls (or use CBW or Enlinea as a workaround for cheaper outgoing calls) it might be worth a try.

they replied me you can transfer money to their bank account and they ship the card when i asked them. cost would be 20 Euro including 10 Euro starting money on the card. Maybe they dont wanna ship to the US cause wiring is more expensive and difficult.

chris

It's rather surprising that the username travelsim, who posted the first info about this product, and who we might naturally think has some connection with it, has never been back to help with any of these questions

Did you end up ordering one? -Just curious.

I have been looking around at rates to call Estonia and it seems that +372 is for landlines and +3725 is for mobiles. Is your number indeed a +372 5 ?
I am hoping for cheaper ring-back rates =)

Thanks

Thank You for the suggestion, I will look into this option. The $27 premium may prove worth-while with the savings in shipping and reduced effort on my part!

Yes, my number is a +37253 both for voice and SMS (2 different numbers), it's an EMT mobile number.

have you tried calling the sms number ? what happens ? do you get just voicemail

i tried it :D

You have simply a "error message" from your network :bye2:

is there anything you havent tried :lol:


btw i really do not see the point of having separate numbers for voice and sms... really makes it difficult for people to find you/text you :sad:

TravelSIM offered on Ebay.de by a new seller with 0 feedback from Austria.

http://cgi.ebay.de/TravelSIM_W0QQitemZ9116...1QQcmdZViewItem

Bids start at 25.90 Euro with 2.50 Euro shipping to European Union. Shipping to US and other destinations is NOT given.

Is this cheaper than on the website?

I am keeping my powder dry and looking for free inbound to Malta. 09, I know and GT-SIM if I request it. Still have time until mid-July.

Stan

Very odd - did you see the username?

So there is a website that isn't ready yet, several people have emails from one agent that say there will soon be an online shop (is this it?), but no follow-up message. Travelsim was first posted on this forum by someone who has not been seen since, US and UK agents seem to be selling it for varying prices.

Maybe I'd better reply to the PM I got on another forum ...

other prepaid forum? i thought PPGSM was the only one :)

I just noticed that TravelSIM has "free" incoming calls in Japan. I'm tempted to try one but high buy-in (particularly with shipping) is holding me back. Right now no one is selling one on eBay.

Don't forget japan don't use GSM ;)

But it *should* work on a W-CDMA phone.

No! You don't say? ;)

TravelSIM have updated their website. I went through the ordering drill until I hit the 20% "tax" and decided I didn't need it that bad. Funny but I couldn't find where they tell you that the number is in Estonia. Maybe they forgot? I may wait for a good offer on an IoM SIM.

Travelsim finally replied to me today with instructions on how to purchase. It's been TWO MONTHS! The site was http://www.travelsimshop.com/

The part I found interesting was:

"In your memberarea at www.travelsimshop.com, you have a lot of features, like checking your balance, control your outgoing and incoming calls.
and check the rates for the country you want to travel to"

Can anyone comment on how useful this "member area" is. I wish Riiing would offer some way of tracking useage. Does TravelSIM actually show each call?

Also. Effendi, has your connection sucess rate improved?

Thanks

Honestly I didn't use it recently, on my trips I mainly used United Mobile (in CH) and CallBlue (in CZ/SK), but now I tried to register on Travelsimshop with no success. I just sent them an e-mail, the I'll try some calls for sure.

Anyway my connection problems were mainly due to my LG phone which doesn't support USSD codes very well. Also in this days there are some problems with TIM and Wind and USSD as far as I know, also United Mobile users are facin them, but it's the 2 Italian operator's fault...

The TravelSIM shop registration works fine now, please try to registrate again, wait for the confirmation email and click on it to activate your account.
please let me know where your problems were.

In your memberarea you will see each incoming call, each outgoing call, and each sent sms. you also can top up airtime in realtime, not with many payment options at the moment, but they will be added after and after :D

btw - the standard triggering process is through USSD - but
SMS triggering works now as well in manual mode ( send message ?*146*00+cc+number+#?, to number ?9146?), very useful for instance in UAE now.

cheers

I have good expirience of using TravelSIM in Italy

I used TIM and Vodafone networks, both worked fine.

Is that triggering SMS charged and, if so, at what rate?