EKIT warning: new expiration terms
 

I had more 'issues' with my weekly visit today.
This is probably part of it.

http://www.ekit.com/ekit/MobileInfo/ServiceExpiration


Posted here 4/27/2015


SIM Expiration and Service De-Activation

International, European, Data, and SIMple Calling Services

Free +1 US Number (International SIM only):
1 month from last use.

Initial/bonus credit:
2 months from activation.

Credit:
3 months from last use* or top up.

Service and +44 Global Number:
6 months from last use* or top up.

Promotion:
Expired credit can be reinstated if a customer purchases a minimum $30 credit via Customer Service before service expiry.

Paid numbers (International service only):
Paid US +1 numbers will be ceased upon expiry of credit.

Paid location updates (Travel Journal on International service only):
Paid location look ups will be ceased upon expiry of credit.
* Last use is defined as making a chargeable activity. Chargeable activity is defined as making or receiving a paid call or SMS or using data.

USA 4G LTE SIM Service

Credit & Bundles:
30 days from the date of purchase.

Service and +1 Number:
30 days from last use*
* Last use is defined as making a chargeable activity. Chargeable activity is defined as making a paid call, sending or receiving an SMS, or using data.

International Data SIM

Credit & Bundles:
30 days from the date of purchase.

Service:
30 days from last use

seems they need to get rid of all but the airport-lounge-living customers...

I don't think we should begrudge a company for trying to break even on their least profitable customers.

A while back you needed to deposit $10 every fifteen months [Then $20].
They dropped that. This allowed me to keep the balances on my ekit SIMs. With the new policy, I closed one of my SIMs and spread the money to two others and have chosen their fifty cent a month keep your US number alive plan which will keep the SIM alive for years.

WorldSIM started about 6 months back charging $1.50 a month. I am not putting money in them again. 50 cents a month for ekit is OK by me.
$6 a year does not seem unreasonable to keep a SIM and a company alive.

Agreed, and i think many of these travel-SIM are purchased as one-shot for a certain trip. Still people will be annoyed if they plan another trip in 2-3 years and find the SIM deceased.

I don't think there are any SIM/service providers on this planet that would let you ignore them for "2-3 years" and still work.

Though, come to think of it, T-Mobile [USA] current PAYGO of $3 a month will still be working if you have a big enough balance but that is taking $36 a year to keep alive. ekit's $6 a year is better than that.

my airbalticcard is still active after at least 4 years without usage, even though their terms of service say something different.
also many german sim cards will never expire, and if they expire they have to pay out all remaing balance by law.

Ekit, for the most part has been quite dependable. However, for me, my use of international sims has really diminished. And my Piranha sims serves all my needs. So, on ky last trip last month, I used up my Ekit credit. I think I have about $1 left on it. The explanation below, makes it sound like the $0.50 is just for the US number, and a topup is still required to keep it going.

* Last use is defined as making a chargeable activity. Chargeable activity is defined as making a paid call, sending or receiving an SMS, or using data.

Yes it sounds like that.
The fifty cents is to 'keep' the same US phone number.
I have asked at least twice and CS said the 50 cent US phone number retention charge keeps things alive.

Which certainly sounds like to me that as long as there is money it will keep going.