Maxroam (aka Roam4Free V2)

[Bossman]

Can anyone that has this sim card verify if you get charged as soon as you answer the callback, and not when the number called actually answers (Like most other sims that use callback). So for example, if you call an invalid number, a busy number, or a number that just rings without an answer, you still get charged.

[montelatici]

I have read many of negative the posts and I am not surprised as I had a few initial problems related to recieving the SIM, kind of my fault in not putting our company name in the address field.

After travelling with the card, India, Argentina, Germany and Italy. I can confirm that this is the best thing since sliced bread. My cellphone bills on my contract Italian and US lines run about 500 euro per month. Last month my Italian (Vodafone) bill was over 600 euro. Since I have been using my Maxroam for use outside of my two home countries, and using it for international outgoing from my home countries, these bills have been reduced dramatically. Today, my on-line Italian Vodaone bill is sitting at 40 euro and I bet if i check my US bill it will be even lower as I have been in Italy or outside the US all this month. I have my US ATT number diverted to Maxroam and I have spent about 30 euro of MAxroam for those calls and my international outgoing from Italy. At this rate my average total of both bill will go from over 1000 euro to under 400 euro. So far so good. Waiting for the callback is pretty quick and the recharge is almost instantaneous in my experience. Plus the voicemail actually works well (once I figured out how to get to SIM Apps on my V#1!.).

[MATHA531]

Originally Posted by Bossman

Can anyone that has this sim card verify if you get charged as soon as you answer the callback, and not when the number called actually answers (Like most other sims that use callback). So for example, if you call an invalid number, a busy number, or a number that just rings without an answer, you still get charged.

That indeed seems to be the case based on one test call.

[Bossman]

Thanks MATHA531. That's exactly what I thought. That's the case with the one test call I made with mine too. The original yackie was like that too. So, may be it's the same kind of system or so.

Originally Posted by MATHA531

That indeed seems to be the case based on one test call.

[MATHA531]

But Phil, I know you monitor the board, your system should not charge people for calls that aren't completed......and please none of this it can't be helped.

A big big demerit for maxroam. Get it fixed Phil, it is almost robbery to bill people for calls that aren't completed. United Mobile and other international cards do not stoop to that low.

It is absolutely as egregious as what T Mobile US pulls when you use it for international roaming and don't answer a call and it bounces back to voice mail you get charged twice....they claim it can't be helped. It most assuredly can be helped and is just one giant rip off.

[petkow]

That doesn't sound too good then! Some destinations take notoriously long for the call to actually get put through after one has dialled. Hate to think you are getting charged for all that time.

[Bossman]

I also noticed that unlike every other international sim that uses call back where each of them specifically states that "Call charges start after the called party answers the call. No charge applies during the callback", No where is something similar mentioned on maxroam's site. So, maxroam should at least let their users know that charging starts as soon as the callback is answered. This will obviously make some think twice using this sim. Especially with a similar offer from Yackie that works/charges the way its supposed to.

This is obviously a major NEGATIVE for maxroam in my opinion. Most people that have used other callbacks probably assumed maxroam will work like the others, and never thought much about this.

[snidely]

Originally Posted by MATHA531

But Phil, I know you monitor the board, your system should not charge people for calls that aren't completed......and please none of this it can't be helped.

A big big demerit for maxroam. Get it fixed Phil, it is almost robbery to bill people for calls that aren't completed. United Mobile and other international cards do not stoop to that low.

It is absolutely as egregious as what T Mobile US pulls when you use it for international roaming and don't answer a call and it bounces back to voice mail you get charged twice....they claim it can't be helped. It most assuredly can be helped and is just one giant rip off.

ATT does the same Do other operators in the world do this as well?

I can see that some cost is involved in carrying the call "round trip". Since that real cost is only a few cents, they could simply waive the cost. It would often be made up when the customer calls to pick up messages. It would also generate more revenue because people wouldn't be afraid to leave their phone on most of the time.

...mike

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by snidely

ATT does the same Do other operators in the world do this as well?

I can see that some cost is involved in carrying the call "round trip". Since that real cost is only a few cents, they could simply waive the cost. It would often be made up when the customer calls to pick up messages. It would also generate more revenue because people wouldn't be afraid to leave their phone on most of the time.

...mike

Yes, they do it in germany too. But they also write in bold letters on the websites that you should switch off your voicemail before going abroad to avoid high roaming costs.

Chris

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by MATHA531

It is absolutely as egregious as what T Mobile US pulls when you use it for international roaming and don't answer a call and it bounces back to voice mail you get charged twice....they claim it can't be helped. It most assuredly can be helped and is just one giant rip off.

This is because of DCF (Defined/Default Conditional Forwarding). I used to fight this battle every time I went overseas. It took about an hour with CS & Tech Support before someone would turn off the DCF. However, I knew that it was only temporary. Every now and then they ran a self-audit program on the system and that would reset the DCF if it was found turned off.

However, a few years ago I went through the usual pre-travel drill with Tech Support and when they turned it off this last time, it stayed turned off. Ever since then I've had full control of my conditional forwarding. (I have no idea what they did different that time.) When I roam overseas I can just turn the forwarding off and that takes care of it.

Only once did I get charged for a forward to voicemail. I was roaming on DoCoMo in Japan and had suspended my conditional forwarding. Their system still forwarded the call to voicemail. Since then, when in Japan, I cancel and erase my condtional forwarding (##) so that they won't have any way to know where to send the call.