Roming and Mobile Data in Europe - Page 2

Stu · 05-05-2007, 04:27

I've wondered about one of the international blackberry plans with a BB running mobishark? Opinions?

ripit · 07-05-2007, 16:45

Stu, I am not familar with Mobishark. How would that work?

Thanks to all the great suggestions. I think my 2 best options are as follows:

1 - Get a global sim with free incoming calls (United Mobile? - suggestions?) and use CBW for voice. Buy local SIMs in France, Switzerland & Italy to pop in when I check email or go online.

Advantages
- Free incoming calls makes it pretty cheap for voice with CBW
- Local SIMs offer lowest cost for data.
- If I have trouble connecting with CBW, outgoing calls will still be pretty cheap on local SIM, especially local calls

Disadvantages
- Have to buy SIM in each country is not convenient. Not sure when I will be back to use again.
- Cost of buying separate SIM's may offset data costs savings.
- Hassle to change cards each time I need to use data services. Need to keep track of all the different SIMs. etc.

2 - Get a Vodafone SIM with Passport activated. Voice calls are 75p connect fee and then local UK rates when roaming on partner networks (incoming calls would be flat 75p). Data runs 10 GBP per MB (about $20).

Advantages
- Only 1 card to manage
- Incoming calls nearly free (flat fee of ~$1.75).
- UK based phone number

Disadvantages
- Not as cheap for voice as using a global sim with totally free incoming calls.
- Calls to UK mobile phones are more expensive than mobile phones based in other countries.
- High cost for data usage (~$20 per MB)

I really would like to have just one card for everything and be done with it, so I am leaning towards the Vodafone option. However I am not sure how much data I will be using but at $20 per MB, one could easily run up a high bill pretty quickly. How much cheaper is data with a local pre-paid SIM? If it is much cheaper, it may be worth the hassle if I end up using a lot of data.

andy · 07-05-2007, 16:57

As well as Vodafone, it's also worth looking at O2 UK's My Europe Extra, which for £10 a month gives free incoming calls, and 25p outgoing to Europe. Used with callback, you can find cheaper outgoing options than the 25p. Depending on how many calls and the length of them, this could easily work out cheaper than Vodafone, by saving all the connection fees.

At the moment, the callback operation ReturnCall still has a 2p/min rate for UK landlines, and from 5p for many others. It seems a bit haphazard in the time waited for the callback, sometimes 10 seconds, sometimes a minute, occasionally not at all, but is cheap enough to put up with this. With a Voipbuster or Voipcheap account as well, used for callthrough after the callback, then under 3p/min is possible to 40 countries' landlines.

On some foreign networks though, the trigger call may be charged, so I wouldn't bet on it as the only choice; but even then it is cheaper than the Vodafone connect fee.

Stu · 10-05-2007, 12:34

Several carriers are now offer unlimited international Blackberry plans. Most of these include browsing with the Blackberry browser as well. If you are on Blackberry Enterprise Server, Mobishark tunnels back to your home server and creates a data connection that looks like regular Blackberry usage, but effectively gives you a TCP/IP stack.

ripit · 17-05-2007, 14:23

Does anyone know how reliable skype call forwarding is? I am thinking about giving out my local skype number and activating call forwarding to the mobile number of whichever sim I happen to be using. I have not tried this before. Can I expect to miss a lot of calls using this method or is Skype call forwarding about as reliable as call forwarding from a regular landline or mobile phone?

ripit · 23-05-2007, 02:58

I just thought I would follow up to add some information I've learned in my research. Of all the options I've looked into, the best options from a price/convenience standpoint for someone that wants to be able to be reached easily from the US and have email and internet access while traveling to multiple countries in Europe seem to be either UK Vodafone w/passport, O2 w/My Europe Extra, Mobal or buying a local SIM card in each country. Each one has its pluses & minuses.

Buying local SIM cards
Easily the least expensive option but also the least convenient. If you are planning to leave a local number for people to reach you that will be forwarded to your mobile number in Europe, you will have to update the forward number each time you get a new SIM and whatever service you use must either be online or have some way of updating the forward number remotely (and cheaply, ideally). SkypeIn with Call Forwarding or using a CallBackWorld 800 number can work, though I would have concerns about reliability. If you plan on making or receiving a lot of calls or using a lot of data, it probably would be worth the hassle. For occasional usage though, I think other options are more convenient.

O2 with My Europe Extra
This is probably the best option for someone anticipating moderate to heavy call volume but little data usage. Using this option your incoming calls are free (up to 1000 min.) and outgoing calls are 25p (~$.50) per min. but you can get lower rates by using a call back service. Data, however is outrageously priced at £15 ($30) per MB. If you plan on using a lot of data, you use up your credit quickly at this rate. Also if you only plan on making a few calls, this may not be the best choice the card is £10 ($20) and does not come with any credit (though I think you get some bonus credit when you register/top up) and the My Europe Extra option costs £10 per month so it will cost you $40 before you've made or received a call. The low rates will start to offset the upfront costs if you use more than 60 min. or so.

Vodafone UK w/Passport
This is probably the best option for someone who expects to have low to moderate voice and data usage. The SIM is cheap and includes some credit. There is no fee to activate Passport which gives you the same rates as if you were in the UK, plus a 75p ($1.50) connect fee. You can use a call back service, but it works best if you tend to have a few longer conversations rather than a lot of short calls. The connect fees will start to add up making this option a much lesser value. The data rates are still high at £10 per MB, but still 50% less than the rate you get from O2. One plus about this option is that I have seen lots of pre-activated Vodafone SIM cards for sale for a reasonable price on eBay, meaning that you can get your phone number and test it out before you leave the US. I have not seen many pre-activated SIM cards from other companies available for a reasonable price.

Mobal Global SIM
Given the other choices, I really don't see this as being a good option under any circumstance. The voice rate is high @ $1.25 incoming and $1.50 outgoing. The data rates is not cheap either at $20 per MB. I think regardless of call volume or data usage, any of the above would be better choices.

Also, I learned that with Verizon, if you activate their International Long Distance Plan, they will charge you $3.99 per month, and calls to Europe will be $.20 per minute, plus they will use minutes from your plan. If you have a SIM card in Europe that has free incoming calls, this is a pretty cheap way to stay in contact.

I am sure I missed a bunch of stuff, so anyone please feel free to add anything I may have overlooked or to correct any wrong information I may have inadvertantly included.

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	(#11)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	05-05-2007, 04:27 I've wondered about one of the international blackberry plans with a BB running mobishark? Opinions?

	(#12)
ripit (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 7 Join Date: 04 May 2007 Country:	07-05-2007, 16:45 Stu, I am not familar with Mobishark. How would that work? Thanks to all the great suggestions. I think my 2 best options are as follows: 1 - Get a global sim with free incoming calls (United Mobile? - suggestions?) and use CBW for voice. Buy local SIMs in France, Switzerland & Italy to pop in when I check email or go online. Advantages - Free incoming calls makes it pretty cheap for voice with CBW - Local SIMs offer lowest cost for data. - If I have trouble connecting with CBW, outgoing calls will still be pretty cheap on local SIM, especially local calls Disadvantages - Have to buy SIM in each country is not convenient. Not sure when I will be back to use again. - Cost of buying separate SIM's may offset data costs savings. - Hassle to change cards each time I need to use data services. Need to keep track of all the different SIMs. etc. 2 - Get a Vodafone SIM with Passport activated. Voice calls are 75p connect fee and then local UK rates when roaming on partner networks (incoming calls would be flat 75p). Data runs 10 GBP per MB (about $20). Advantages - Only 1 card to manage - Incoming calls nearly free (flat fee of ~$1.75). - UK based phone number Disadvantages - Not as cheap for voice as using a global sim with totally free incoming calls. - Calls to UK mobile phones are more expensive than mobile phones based in other countries. - High cost for data usage (~$20 per MB) I really would like to have just one card for everything and be done with it, so I am leaning towards the Vodafone option. However I am not sure how much data I will be using but at $20 per MB, one could easily run up a high bill pretty quickly. How much cheaper is data with a local pre-paid SIM? If it is much cheaper, it may be worth the hassle if I end up using a lot of data.

	(#13)
andy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,128 Join Date: 10 Dec 2004 Country:	07-05-2007, 16:57 As well as Vodafone, it's also worth looking at O2 UK's My Europe Extra, which for £10 a month gives free incoming calls, and 25p outgoing to Europe. Used with callback, you can find cheaper outgoing options than the 25p. Depending on how many calls and the length of them, this could easily work out cheaper than Vodafone, by saving all the connection fees. At the moment, the callback operation ReturnCall still has a 2p/min rate for UK landlines, and from 5p for many others. It seems a bit haphazard in the time waited for the callback, sometimes 10 seconds, sometimes a minute, occasionally not at all, but is cheap enough to put up with this. With a Voipbuster or Voipcheap account as well, used for callthrough after the callback, then under 3p/min is possible to 40 countries' landlines. On some foreign networks though, the trigger call may be charged, so I wouldn't bet on it as the only choice; but even then it is cheaper than the Vodafone connect fee.

	(#14)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	10-05-2007, 12:34 Several carriers are now offer unlimited international Blackberry plans. Most of these include browsing with the Blackberry browser as well. If you are on Blackberry Enterprise Server, Mobishark tunnels back to your home server and creates a data connection that looks like regular Blackberry usage, but effectively gives you a TCP/IP stack.

	(#15)
ripit (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 7 Join Date: 04 May 2007 Country:	17-05-2007, 14:23 Does anyone know how reliable skype call forwarding is? I am thinking about giving out my local skype number and activating call forwarding to the mobile number of whichever sim I happen to be using. I have not tried this before. Can I expect to miss a lot of calls using this method or is Skype call forwarding about as reliable as call forwarding from a regular landline or mobile phone?

	(#16)
ripit (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 7 Join Date: 04 May 2007 Country:	23-05-2007, 02:58 I just thought I would follow up to add some information I've learned in my research. Of all the options I've looked into, the best options from a price/convenience standpoint for someone that wants to be able to be reached easily from the US and have email and internet access while traveling to multiple countries in Europe seem to be either UK Vodafone w/passport, O2 w/My Europe Extra, Mobal or buying a local SIM card in each country. Each one has its pluses & minuses. Buying local SIM cards Easily the least expensive option but also the least convenient. If you are planning to leave a local number for people to reach you that will be forwarded to your mobile number in Europe, you will have to update the forward number each time you get a new SIM and whatever service you use must either be online or have some way of updating the forward number remotely (and cheaply, ideally). SkypeIn with Call Forwarding or using a CallBackWorld 800 number can work, though I would have concerns about reliability. If you plan on making or receiving a lot of calls or using a lot of data, it probably would be worth the hassle. For occasional usage though, I think other options are more convenient. O2 with My Europe Extra This is probably the best option for someone anticipating moderate to heavy call volume but little data usage. Using this option your incoming calls are free (up to 1000 min.) and outgoing calls are 25p (~$.50) per min. but you can get lower rates by using a call back service. Data, however is outrageously priced at £15 ($30) per MB. If you plan on using a lot of data, you use up your credit quickly at this rate. Also if you only plan on making a few calls, this may not be the best choice the card is £10 ($20) and does not come with any credit (though I think you get some bonus credit when you register/top up) and the My Europe Extra option costs £10 per month so it will cost you $40 before you've made or received a call. The low rates will start to offset the upfront costs if you use more than 60 min. or so. Vodafone UK w/Passport This is probably the best option for someone who expects to have low to moderate voice and data usage. The SIM is cheap and includes some credit. There is no fee to activate Passport which gives you the same rates as if you were in the UK, plus a 75p ($1.50) connect fee. You can use a call back service, but it works best if you tend to have a few longer conversations rather than a lot of short calls. The connect fees will start to add up making this option a much lesser value. The data rates are still high at £10 per MB, but still 50% less than the rate you get from O2. One plus about this option is that I have seen lots of pre-activated Vodafone SIM cards for sale for a reasonable price on eBay, meaning that you can get your phone number and test it out before you leave the US. I have not seen many pre-activated SIM cards from other companies available for a reasonable price. Mobal Global SIM Given the other choices, I really don't see this as being a good option under any circumstance. The voice rate is high @ $1.25 incoming and $1.50 outgoing. The data rates is not cheap either at $20 per MB. I think regardless of call volume or data usage, any of the above would be better choices. Also, I learned that with Verizon, if you activate their International Long Distance Plan, they will charge you $3.99 per month, and calls to Europe will be $.20 per minute, plus they will use minutes from your plan. If you have a SIM card in Europe that has free incoming calls, this is a pretty cheap way to stay in contact. I am sure I missed a bunch of stuff, so anyone please feel free to add anything I may have overlooked or to correct any wrong information I may have inadvertantly included.