Quote:
Originally Posted by bylo
This could be very appealing for users of Canadian MVNOs like SpeakOut and Petro Canada Mobile. These MVNOs use the Rogers Canada GSM network but they cannot roam in the US. Also the standard phones they sell are unlocked.
So Canadians who want to be able to use their SO/PCM phone in the US could use the new UM+ SIM instead of buying a T-Mobile or AT&T SIM. Even though UM's airtime is more expensive there is no need to buy at least $100 of airtime from T-Mobile in order to keep a US SIM and phone number alive for 365 days. They would also be able to use that UM+ SIM outside of North America providing they have a quadband phone.
This development is certainly appealing for me because I already have a UM+ account and I don't travel to the US often enough to justify buying a separate T-Mobile SIM.
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PERSONALLY, I am luke warm on the idea for the US market.
1. Most US travelers, business and private, already have a POSTPAID service as their main phone (like me and MOST people I know).
2. I doubt they are willing to part with these plans and their carriers.
3. Even Verizon apparently offers RENTED phones for international travel or crackberries with GMS capability.
4. Some few have foreign SIM cards, but not many.
5. The question would be whether or not someone would be willing to ADD a service like this FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL.
6. I already have several gold reward SIMs I can loan out to anyone who visits us. We have not had German visitors in quite some years, however.
Again, PERSONALLY, I am unsure I would be willing to invest another - say $25 - in a new UM dual 44/1 SIM. The 1 portion of the card is basically worthless to me EXCEPT when I or one of my family would be traveling overseas. I would be able to reach the traveling family member or be reached by others in US at a lower cost than dialing the +44 or one of my other SIMs.
Now, if they offered a FREE or lowcost conversion, that would be different.
As I have written elsewhere, I will eventually need to decide whether I recharge or not. At this time I am leaning to refrain from adding any money to my +UM card.
I would ask our German friends -- UM is promising, has promised for some time to come up with a dual SIM for 49 -- would you be willing to ADD another SIM? Would you be willing to take on this one as your main SIM?
Stan