Thoughts re telestial? Am looking for hasle free roaming SIM

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by dem

Stu,

If I am reading the Yackie list correctly, all of the handsets listed, except those few that are highlighted in yellow or pink, are "direct dial" models (at least they all say "direct dialing"). I am only considering those identified as "direct dialing" models as my options.

Be aware that "direct dialing" means that you dial, say, +12345556789, press the button OK/Send and wait for callback. Callback itself isn't avoided .

BTW, do you think that $0.69/min NZ->US is a really big saving to compare with what your boyfriend would pay when calling from a NZ hotel?

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by DRNewcomb

left a message telling callers to send me a numeric page or text message.

What do you mean by "numeric page"? Did your pager roam on the ship?

[Bossman]

My sim works in my Moto V551. I also know it works in a RAZR. Both with the so called "direct dialing". None of these phones are listed there though. I just want to point out that this is not an exhaustive list. So, you will probably be okay with majority of the phones sold these days.

Originally Posted by dem

Thanks so much YM! I have the list, now I am searching stores for the phones. (I won't buy from eBay, but it looks like I have enough alternatives; I should find something fairly quickly). As soon as I find the phone, I will pm you.

[andy]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

But, if fact, how many international SIMs have been out of business so far?
Swisscom easyRoam and Buytel are two cases I know.

The reasons were very different

And anyway, Buytel wasn't a SIM in its own right; it was Riiing/UM with their own branding on (so maybe people shouldn't have thrown them away so fast)

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

What do you mean by "numeric page"? Did your pager roam on the ship?

The voicemail system on T-Mobile (US) has the option by pressing 5 to send a number via SMS, rather than leaving voicemail. The default is the calling number but you can enter any other number.

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by DRNewcomb

The voicemail system on T-Mobile (US) has the option by pressing 5 to send a number via SMS, rather than leaving voicemail. The default is the calling number but you can enter any other number.

So it seems to me it's a kind of numeric paging "emulation" in the GSM network, right?

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

So it seems to me it's a kind of numeric paging "emulation" in the GSM network, right?

If that's what you prefer to call it....

[kevinwc]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

United Mobile, 09 and Travelsim charge in euros.
Hop, Yackie and multiple SIMs with Isle of Man numbers charge in dollars (although there are Man SIMs charged in euros.

Actually United Mobile do now work in US Dollars, Pound Sterling and of course Euro.

[dem]

Bossman--thanks for the phone info. I was having trouble finding some on the Yackie list. Good to know I have more options. I have to find something today to make this work as a Christmas present.

Przemolog -- that's a good question. I don't know what the rates are to call from NZ. For all I know, I could be costing him MORE money by supplying him with a phone and SIM. I do know that he has been hit with some pretty huge charges on the road. That said, he has also said that, many times, he has been surprised by cheap hotel rates. Pricing seems to be very random.

Actually, the biggest phone-related shock we ever got was when I called him from home numerous times at his hotel in China, spending upwards of 90 minutes on some calls (our dog was dying, so we spent more time than usual on the phone). Neither of us knew that China was not included on the long-distance plan. We found that out when we got the next bill.

Having thought about the pros and cons, I have decided that having a phone is a good idea. He can always opt to use it just in emergency situations, or if he needs to make a call when he is away from his hotel.

If nothing else, maybe I can find one with a currency converter, which should come in handy when he is deciding what to buy me!!

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by dem

Przemolog -- that's a good question. I don't know what the rates are to call from NZ. For all I know, I could be costing him MORE money by supplying him with a phone and SIM. I do know that he has been hit with some pretty huge charges on the road. That said, he has also said that, many times, he has been surprised by cheap hotel rates. Pricing seems to be very random.
(...)
Having thought about the pros and cons, I have decided that having a phone is a good idea. He can always opt to use it just in emergency situations, or if he needs to make a call when he is away from his hotel.

I agree that having a mobile phone is a good idea for many reasons but I'm not sure if avoiding hotel phone rates is always the most important of them .