Question About United Mobile And Cbw

fuzzypuppy · 11-09-2006, 02:09

My family and I are headed to Europe for Christmas and because we all have different itineraries I thought it would be a good idea to get a cell phone to coordinate stuff.

I've already purchased a compatible phone from a friend of a friend so I'm set there. (He bought it France and used it there, then in Hong Kong and Canada, so it works)

What I need now is a bit of advice on which international SIM card to get. My research has narrowed it down to United Mobile and Geodesa. UM having a cheaper card but higher rates and Geodesa having an expesive card but lower rates. Anyone have other companies that they prefer? Why?

Also, after learning about Callback World, I'm leaning more towards UM with CBW. I have a few questions though:

So I phone the call-back number, wait for a call back then dial the desired number. The question is, which call-back number? I notice they have them in several countries but the one in Italy (one of my destinations) doesn't accept calls from mobiles. Are those local numbers more for landline customers? and would it be easier and maybe just as cost effective to use the US call back number?

Also, what if I make a mistake dialing the number...I'm a tad dyslexic and mix up numbers all the time, do I have to hang up and call again?

And it it just limited to UM that I need to wait for two call back cals using CBW?

THanks!

andy · 11-09-2006, 02:34

Welcome

The access numbers listed are either for people to reach you via a PIN on your account, that forwards to your SIM, or for you to use for callthrough use, with some account details, much like a calling card.

Some callback providers do have a single portal number that recognises caller ID, which is probably how your assumption arose.

When you set up your account, you get a dedicated number per phone you want on there (up to 3) - in other words unique to you. When you call it, it rings once and you hang up; then the callback comes.

If you dial the wrong trigger number, someone else's phone gets a callback - I had to get mine changed as someone couldn't remember theirs and the phone would ring at 2 to 3 am.

If you used CBW or Enlinea with an ordinary SIM, then it would be just that one callback. It's because UM has its own callback system that you'd get two, as would be the case with the other global SIMs.

fuzzypuppy · 11-09-2006, 04:12

THanks, now I have a few more questions:

How are the rates calculated with CBW?

UM gives you a Leichtenstein number. If I want to make a call on the mobile from Italy to Canada would I get the Leichtenstein to Canada rate or the Italy to Canada rate?

When I sign up with CBW, do I need to already know the mobile number? Which leads me to: does UM let you know your number when you get the sim card or do I have to wait until I activate it? Which leads to: can I activate the number while I'm in Canada or do I have to wait until I get to London? (my first stop)

MATHA531 · 11-09-2006, 04:49

Callbackworld rates are always reckoned from Liectenstein no matter where you are calling from...what makes it work is the fact that as long as you are in what UM designates as zone 1...all of Western Europe for the most part east of Russia, China, South Africa, Australia, you don't pay to receive the 2nd call back which is CBW (the first is from UM and will result in a ringing tone which never ends, you hang up after one or two rings so that call is never officially completed).

I suspect the rate would be the same as the rate to the US namely 14? US per minute but you 'll have to check the CBW web site for the rate to Canada. The trigger number you will get will be in the USA (I think that is so even though you're in Canada) but no matter that first call is never completed.

To the best of my knowledge, all the international SIM cards work on a callback system...to get around the international roaming rates what happens is when you dial the trigger number you get some sort of no can do message as basically the phone is programmed to send a message to UM and the physical dialing of the call is done in Liechtenstein, you then get a callback that the call is going through but of course you will get a ring tone...you hang up and wait for the 2nd call back and you will hear a pleasant female voice say, "Please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now" so, if you're calling Canada or the USA, would dial 1 area code number # (no need to enter an international call code such as 011 or 00 and most assuredly you do not press the send button), the female voice will say, "Thank you" and voila the call goes through usually in this day and age with a pretty good connection but not quite as good as a landline connection.

While it seems difficult there are some things you can do, depending on your phone model, to make the chore a little simpler. I know on my nokia phone with the um sim I set up the triggering number for one touch dialing (if your phone supports it) and use "5" (my choice there) so to me the sequence of steps is the press 5, get the message call not allowed, press the red button, get the UM call back press the green answer button, hear the ringing tone from cbw (it's an American ringing tone BTW as opposed to a European one), hit the red button twice to go back to the home screen, wait for the 2nd call back, press the green button to get the female voice, hardly brain surgery...BTW to make another call without repeating the procedure, at the end of the first call, hit the * button twice and it goes right back to "Please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now"...BTW while some people may think CBW only works to American phones (it is based in America) if you want to call a landline throughout most of Western Europe, the charge is only in the vicinity of the same 14? US which is hardly more than you would pay with a local sim...when dialing you simply dial the country code first so to call the number 020 7555 1212 in London you would dial (please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now) 44 (the country code for the UK) 20 7555 1212 (as always omitting the lead zero)..

Now they also give you a US toll free number (and they have toll free numbers in many other countries which are more expensive) which I don't know if it is toll free for Canadians (you'll have to check that) with a pin which is called pin2dest whereby the person calling you dials the number and enters a pin number provided by cbw....the number can be keyed to any number in the world...presumably it would be keyed to the Liechtenstein UM number and you would pay the 14? US rate for a call from the USA to Liechtenstein...the caller, if in Canada, might have to pay for the "toll free" call to the US (or it might be free if the number is set up to be a toll free number for both Canada and the uSA)...incidentally all CBW rates are billed in 6 second intervals not raised to the next highest minute (not sure if there is a 1 minute minimum) so if you talk for 65 seconds you pay 14? for the first minute and 2? for the first 6 seconds of the 2nd minute...hardly more than most calling cards.
You don't need to know your mobile numbers to open up the cbw account, simply key the 3 callback numbers they give you to any numbers you want as well as the pin2dest number and you can then change it via the web or by following a menu to customer service when you learn your UM number..

Finally, sporadically during the past year, there have been some troubles with cbw but for the last several months it has been working almost flawlessly.

dg7feq · 11-09-2006, 08:34

Adding some more info to the very detailed post from Matha531:

1) If you use the 1800 number from a US payphone you pay a connection fee of 55ct.

2) calls via the 1800 (and all other 800) numbers are billed by minutes, not by 6 seconds

3) the toll free no for canada is 1-800-378-8403 (Its not written on the website but i got this info from the support as we used it in Canada recently). The rate is 18 cents a minute + plus destination leg.

Chris

MATHA531 · 11-09-2006, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by dg7feq

Adding some more info to the very detailed post from Matha531:

1) If you use the 1800 number from a US payphone you pay a connection fee of 55ct.

2) calls via the 1800 (and all other 800) numbers are billed by minutes, not by 6 seconds

3) the toll free no for canada is 1-800-378-8403 (Its not written on the website but i got this info from the support as we used it in Canada recently). The rate is 18 cents a minute + plus destination leg.

Chris

Hi Chris...

Take a look at this copied from my cbw billing report from 13 July

18004713237 01142366300xxxx Liechtenstein - Spec 8.60 1.20

An 8 minute call from the USA via the 800 number to my UM sim...an 8 minute call at 14?/minute would be $1.12...a 9 minute call would be $1.26...the fact I was billed $1.20 means the 6/10 of a minute (which is 36 seconds) would be 8.4 cents so $1.20 would be consistant with 6 second billing interval so I guess you do get the 6 second billing interval for calls made via the US 800 number. (Calls made via the other toll free numbers are much more expensive and may not be billed in 6 second intervals).

Thank you for the help for Canadian users.

As far as being charged for making 800 calls on US public phones, that is relatively new and the owner of the pay phone is free to set whatever price he wants for such calls!

prion · 11-09-2006, 11:36

Calls made via foreign 800 numbers (and not the us 800 number) are billed per minute

I think that when calling from US payphones there is a certain fee imposed. This is known in advance by the company (say cbw) and the info is passed to the customer who uses the US payphone.

Bossman · 11-09-2006, 11:42

Calls via the 1800 (PIN2DEST) are also billed in 6 second increments, in addition to other calls. CBW does not bill for a 1 minute minimum. It's enlinea that bills the 1st whole minute then 6 second increments after that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dg7feq

Adding some more info to the very detailed post from Matha531:

2) calls via the 1800 (and all other 800) numbers are billed by minutes, not by 6 seconds

Chris

dg7feq · 11-09-2006, 13:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossman

Calls via the 1800 (PIN2DEST) are also billed in 6 second increments, in addition to other calls. CBW does not bill for a 1 minute minimum. It's enlinea that bills the 1st whole minute then 6 second increments after that.

The US number is really charging in 6 sec intervalls. Sorry for the mistake.
But the 0800 numbers from other countries are not. (see the small print on the CBW website which says "International toll free calls are billed in 60 second increments.").

Chris

jhanlon · 11-09-2006, 14:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by MATHA531

While it seems difficult there are some things you can do,

CBW also permits you to set up some one-digit frequently called numbers so that dialing them after you get the CBW call-back is another one-key process.

Jim Hanlon

	(#1)
fuzzypuppy (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 10 Join Date: 11 Sep 2006 Country:	11-09-2006, 02:09 My family and I are headed to Europe for Christmas and because we all have different itineraries I thought it would be a good idea to get a cell phone to coordinate stuff. I've already purchased a compatible phone from a friend of a friend so I'm set there. (He bought it France and used it there, then in Hong Kong and Canada, so it works) What I need now is a bit of advice on which international SIM card to get. My research has narrowed it down to United Mobile and Geodesa. UM having a cheaper card but higher rates and Geodesa having an expesive card but lower rates. Anyone have other companies that they prefer? Why? Also, after learning about Callback World, I'm leaning more towards UM with CBW. I have a few questions though: So I phone the call-back number, wait for a call back then dial the desired number. The question is, which call-back number? I notice they have them in several countries but the one in Italy (one of my destinations) doesn't accept calls from mobiles. Are those local numbers more for landline customers? and would it be easier and maybe just as cost effective to use the US call back number? Also, what if I make a mistake dialing the number...I'm a tad dyslexic and mix up numbers all the time, do I have to hang up and call again? And it it just limited to UM that I need to wait for two call back cals using CBW? THanks! Phone: Samsung D508 Sims: Fido (expired), GlobalSim, UM

	(#2)
andy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,128 Join Date: 10 Dec 2004 Country:	11-09-2006, 02:34 Welcome The access numbers listed are either for people to reach you via a PIN on your account, that forwards to your SIM, or for you to use for callthrough use, with some account details, much like a calling card. Some callback providers do have a single portal number that recognises caller ID, which is probably how your assumption arose. When you set up your account, you get a dedicated number per phone you want on there (up to 3) - in other words unique to you. When you call it, it rings once and you hang up; then the callback comes. If you dial the wrong trigger number, someone else's phone gets a callback - I had to get mine changed as someone couldn't remember theirs and the phone would ring at 2 to 3 am. If you used CBW or Enlinea with an ordinary SIM, then it would be just that one callback. It's because UM has its own callback system that you'd get two, as would be the case with the other global SIMs.

	(#3)
fuzzypuppy (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 10 Join Date: 11 Sep 2006 Country:	11-09-2006, 04:12 THanks, now I have a few more questions: How are the rates calculated with CBW? UM gives you a Leichtenstein number. If I want to make a call on the mobile from Italy to Canada would I get the Leichtenstein to Canada rate or the Italy to Canada rate? When I sign up with CBW, do I need to already know the mobile number? Which leads me to: does UM let you know your number when you get the sim card or do I have to wait until I activate it? Which leads to: can I activate the number while I'm in Canada or do I have to wait until I get to London? (my first stop) Phone: Samsung D508 Sims: Fido (expired), GlobalSim, UM

	(#4)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	11-09-2006, 04:49 Callbackworld rates are always reckoned from Liectenstein no matter where you are calling from...what makes it work is the fact that as long as you are in what UM designates as zone 1...all of Western Europe for the most part east of Russia, China, South Africa, Australia, you don't pay to receive the 2nd call back which is CBW (the first is from UM and will result in a ringing tone which never ends, you hang up after one or two rings so that call is never officially completed). I suspect the rate would be the same as the rate to the US namely 14? US per minute but you 'll have to check the CBW web site for the rate to Canada. The trigger number you will get will be in the USA (I think that is so even though you're in Canada) but no matter that first call is never completed. To the best of my knowledge, all the international SIM cards work on a callback system...to get around the international roaming rates what happens is when you dial the trigger number you get some sort of no can do message as basically the phone is programmed to send a message to UM and the physical dialing of the call is done in Liechtenstein, you then get a callback that the call is going through but of course you will get a ring tone...you hang up and wait for the 2nd call back and you will hear a pleasant female voice say, "Please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now" so, if you're calling Canada or the USA, would dial 1 area code number # (no need to enter an international call code such as 011 or 00 and most assuredly you do not press the send button), the female voice will say, "Thank you" and voila the call goes through usually in this day and age with a pretty good connection but not quite as good as a landline connection. While it seems difficult there are some things you can do, depending on your phone model, to make the chore a little simpler. I know on my nokia phone with the um sim I set up the triggering number for one touch dialing (if your phone supports it) and use "5" (my choice there) so to me the sequence of steps is the press 5, get the message call not allowed, press the red button, get the UM call back press the green answer button, hear the ringing tone from cbw (it's an American ringing tone BTW as opposed to a European one), hit the red button twice to go back to the home screen, wait for the 2nd call back, press the green button to get the female voice, hardly brain surgery...BTW to make another call without repeating the procedure, at the end of the first call, hit the * button twice and it goes right back to "Please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now"...BTW while some people may think CBW only works to American phones (it is based in America) if you want to call a landline throughout most of Western Europe, the charge is only in the vicinity of the same 14? US which is hardly more than you would pay with a local sim...when dialing you simply dial the country code first so to call the number 020 7555 1212 in London you would dial (please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now) 44 (the country code for the UK) 20 7555 1212 (as always omitting the lead zero).. Now they also give you a US toll free number (and they have toll free numbers in many other countries which are more expensive) which I don't know if it is toll free for Canadians (you'll have to check that) with a pin which is called pin2dest whereby the person calling you dials the number and enters a pin number provided by cbw....the number can be keyed to any number in the world...presumably it would be keyed to the Liechtenstein UM number and you would pay the 14? US rate for a call from the USA to Liechtenstein...the caller, if in Canada, might have to pay for the "toll free" call to the US (or it might be free if the number is set up to be a toll free number for both Canada and the uSA)...incidentally all CBW rates are billed in 6 second intervals not raised to the next highest minute (not sure if there is a 1 minute minimum) so if you talk for 65 seconds you pay 14? for the first minute and 2? for the first 6 seconds of the 2nd minute...hardly more than most calling cards. You don't need to know your mobile numbers to open up the cbw account, simply key the 3 callback numbers they give you to any numbers you want as well as the pin2dest number and you can then change it via the web or by following a menu to customer service when you learn your UM number.. Finally, sporadically during the past year, there have been some troubles with cbw but for the last several months it has been working almost flawlessly.

	(#5)
dg7feq (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,164 Join Date: 04 Feb 2006 Location: Germany Country:	11-09-2006, 08:34 Adding some more info to the very detailed post from Matha531: 1) If you use the 1800 number from a US payphone you pay a connection fee of 55ct. 2) calls via the 1800 (and all other 800) numbers are billed by minutes, not by 6 seconds 3) the toll free no for canada is 1-800-378-8403 (Its not written on the website but i got this info from the support as we used it in Canada recently). The rate is 18 cents a minute + plus destination leg. Chris Germany: o2 blue all-in L, simquadrat Thailand: truemove (phone+sms+wifi) International: xxSim+372, toggle +44/+49/+41/+31 Phones: Huawei Mate7, Huawei P9

	(#7)
prion (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 589 Join Date: 01 May 2006 Location: Greece Country:	11-09-2006, 11:36 Calls made via foreign 800 numbers (and not the us 800 number) are billed per minute I think that when calling from US payphones there is a certain fee imposed. This is known in advance by the company (say cbw) and the info is passed to the customer who uses the US payphone.