UM Breaking News

[fedeprovenza]

I think set-up fee doesn't disappear, only it will be lower than now

[bbob]

Originally Posted by Nokia1610

And let's hope there will be in fact no set-up fee for incoming calls, that would be quite annoying - and it would make UM lose many customers, IMHO.

Indeed setup fee for incoming calls would make many customers leave. If they start charging setup fee for incoming it's no free roaming card anymore and I will start lokking for another card.

Most calls are less than 2 minutes anyhow so setupcost for incoming would add a lot to the cost of calling.

[netterchef]

This morning I've got an incoming call in Switzerland with no costs.

[fedeprovenza]

News from um+

Set-up fee from 25 cent to 19 cent (now)
outgoing calls (europe, mobile phones) from 39 cent to 69 cent ()
outgoing calls on net. From 29 cent to 39 cent
incoming calls (europe)---free
Very bad news

[andy]

Originally Posted by fedeprovenza

News from um+

Set-up fee from 25 cent to 19 cent (now)
outgoing calls (europe, mobile phones) from 39 cent to 69 cent ()
outgoing calls on net. From 29 cent to 39 cent
incoming calls (europe)---free
Very bad news

It's a bit more complicated than that.

Basically, to start with just EU countries on the Jersey numbered SIMs, about 10 have been moved from Zone 1 to 2, while Belgium and Slovenia are in 3 and no longer have free incoming calls.

Roaming in and calling to the cheapest countries still has the same low rates of 29c landlines 39c mobiles. Most other European calls will be 49c to mobiles. But the worst case to EU - Belgium and Italy mobiles are in Area 3 as destination, so can cost 69 or 79 cents from some places.

Looking a bit deeper, there are other movements across groups. Roaming in Pakistan has gone from Zone 2 free to Zone 4 49c incoming; in Liechtenstein from 2 to 5 (99c).

It's all a bit disappointing, when you consider that they were able to launch the Jersey numbered SIMs with lower rates than the Liechtenstein ones, which were later lowered. I think some fans will carry both UM SIMs, incoming calls on one, outgoing on the other.

But the Liechtenstein SIMs see some changes too. Incoming roaming rate bands have gone up a bit, and some countries have moved zones - Uruguay from 2 to 5, while others such as Vietnam and Yemen are now free incoming

Comparing the tables for Oct and Jan is made more confusing as one has changed from upper to lower case for the country names, while the other is vice versa.

[myonlymobile]

A big problem is China - it has been removed from the free incoming for +423. There must have been quite a bit of traffic on that route.

[Nokia1610]

Bad news...the UM+ is no more cheaper than the +423. It is incredible that now we have to pay incoming calls in Belgium and Slovenia, (both EU countries!)

On the other hand, I see that now UM+ can roam free in Croatia.

Probably now Travelsim and 09 become more interesting...especially if it's possible to find cheap ways to be called on Estonian and Icelandic numbers

[MATHA531]

Japan, however, is now listed as doable on UM+ with free incoming and area 1 outgoing.

Question is why is Belgium now in zone 3 if it's part of the eu?

[MATHA531]

Gymsim now merits another look.....Belgium is listed on the +44 card they offer still at free incoming and 0,29€ outgoing....

[andy]

Originally Posted by MATHA531

Question is why is Belgium now in zone 3 if it's part of the eu?

I don't know. They (UM) aren't based in the EU of course, so aren't obliged to compete with the Eurotariff, but it does seem odd they'd need to charge me 3 times as much there as O2 UK would.

It's even odder when you consider that some EU-based networks have their cheap roaming rates in more European countries than just the EU, and that some European but non-EU networks have similar rates, so you'd think that reciprocal arrangements could have lowered others.