Sun Cellular (Philippines) international roaming

madraida · **Sun Cellular (Philippines) international roaming -** 23-09-2008, 17:17

Hi,

I have some questions about international roaming (on prepaid account). I contacted Sun Cellular but no one has replied.

1. Is outbound roaming available to prepaid users?

2. Does international roaming include voice calls, or do they only include SMS?

3. Can roaming be enabled when already outside the Philippines?
4. What is the rate for sending SMS when on international roaming?

5. Is there a minimum load balance that has to be maintained for the roaming feature to remain active? If yes, what is the min load balance?

6. When the load (minutes) expires, how many days will it take before the account itself is deactivated?

7. Are unused minutes carried over if a reload is made before the expiry date?

Thanks.

Madraida

DRNewcomb · 24-09-2008, 01:08

I don't know the answers to your particular question but can share the experience of one person I knew. He came to the US for 6 months with his PI SIM, thinking he would be able to SMS roam. Unfortunately, he didn't send the SMS command to activate the roaming before leaving PI. Needless to say, he was hosed. The only thing he could have done is to mail the SIM back to PI, have someone activate roaming then mail the SIM back. That was maybe 5 years ago. Things may have changed since then.

madraida · 24-09-2008, 02:30

Thanks DRNewcomb.

Some things have changed. Some have not.
It's still recommended to activate roaming while in the Philippines. Smart does allow roaming to be activated when you're already out of the country (verified this with their CS staff) but they will only do this once.

I'm inclined to go with Smart but would like to know more about the new kid in the block (Sun). Unfortunately, Sun's CS never replied to my e-mail.

layaz · 15-10-2008, 14:30

hello madraida,

I may have some answers to your inquiries. I hope it's not yet too late. heheh...

I have a pre-paid Sun sim card and was able to contact Sun's Hotline regarding International Roaming for Pre-paid users before I left the Philippines around 2 months ago.

Here are some of my answers to your questions =) :
1. The agent told me international roaming for Sun is not available for Pre-paid users, only for Post-paid subscribers.

2. I did not ask the agent about this because of the answer in number 1 heheh... but I think Post-paid subscribers are allowed with voice calls when roaming. I know someone whose friend often calls her using her Sun number from the States.

3. to 7. Sorry, I wasn't able to ask those things because of, well, their answer in number 1 hehehhe...

I know their website is not of so much help heheh... but I hope they would reply to you soon.

Fling · 31-10-2008, 02:19

Don't go with SUN. I had a very bad experience with them. Not with roaming but with their useless customer service. I got charge for calls that didn't connect 3 times and they can't explain why. And they didn't refund the minutes back to my prepaid sim.

Klaus Wegener · 26-05-2009, 11:03

Is there some information available, with which operators SUN does have a roaming agreement? Their homepage does not contain this info. Due to GSM World SUN has no roaming agreements at all. Cannot believe this.

DRNewcomb · 26-05-2009, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klaus Wegener

Is there some information available, with which operators SUN does have a roaming agreement? Their homepage does not contain this info. Due to GSM World SUN has no roaming agreements at all. Cannot believe this.

That just means that they have not told GSMWorld about their roaming agreements. This is from their website.

Quote:

Traveling abroad?
Stay connected with your families and friends here in the Philippines. With more than 200 foreign mobile operators worldwide and more than 100 countries worldwide, enjoy a stress-free traveling with Sun International Roaming!

Klaus Wegener · 26-05-2009, 16:29

Yeah, of course. This I read too. But I would like to see a list of these "more than 200 foreign mobile operators". And SUN should inform GSM World about these agreements. Cannot understand why they are not publishing this kind of information. I mean, a GSM operator who is not telling with which networks it has a roaming agreement, seems to be a little bit strange. I mean, there is one country where I would understand, that its operator does not have roaming agreements or at least does not want to publish them. But a GSM operator in the Philippines should be able to publish its roaming agreements...

Coincidentally I saw that Jersey Telecom (plattform of currently not working United Mobile's 'UM+' SIM card has an roaming agreement with SUN Cellular. But I don't want to browse through all operator listed in GSM world and find out, who has and who does not have a roaming agreement with Sun Cellular.

Regards
Klaus

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	(#1)
madraida (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 2 Join Date: 23 Sep 2008 Country:	Sun Cellular (Philippines) international roaming - 23-09-2008, 17:17 Hi, I have some questions about international roaming (on prepaid account). I contacted Sun Cellular but no one has replied. 1. Is outbound roaming available to prepaid users? 2. Does international roaming include voice calls, or do they only include SMS? 3. Can roaming be enabled when already outside the Philippines? 4. What is the rate for sending SMS when on international roaming? 5. Is there a minimum load balance that has to be maintained for the roaming feature to remain active? If yes, what is the min load balance? 6. When the load (minutes) expires, how many days will it take before the account itself is deactivated? 7. Are unused minutes carried over if a reload is made before the expiry date? Thanks. Madraida

	(#2)
DRNewcomb (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,465 Join Date: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Mississippi, USA Country:	24-09-2008, 01:08 I don't know the answers to your particular question but can share the experience of one person I knew. He came to the US for 6 months with his PI SIM, thinking he would be able to SMS roam. Unfortunately, he didn't send the SMS command to activate the roaming before leaving PI. Needless to say, he was hosed. The only thing he could have done is to mail the SIM back to PI, have someone activate roaming then mail the SIM back. That was maybe 5 years ago. Things may have changed since then.

	(#3)
madraida (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 2 Join Date: 23 Sep 2008 Country:	24-09-2008, 02:30 Thanks DRNewcomb. Some things have changed. Some have not. It's still recommended to activate roaming while in the Philippines. Smart does allow roaming to be activated when you're already out of the country (verified this with their CS staff) but they will only do this once. I'm inclined to go with Smart but would like to know more about the new kid in the block (Sun). Unfortunately, Sun's CS never replied to my e-mail.

	(#4)
layaz (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 1 Join Date: 15 Oct 2008 Country:	15-10-2008, 14:30 hello madraida, I may have some answers to your inquiries. I hope it's not yet too late. heheh... I have a pre-paid Sun sim card and was able to contact Sun's Hotline regarding International Roaming for Pre-paid users before I left the Philippines around 2 months ago. Here are some of my answers to your questions =) : 1. The agent told me international roaming for Sun is not available for Pre-paid users, only for Post-paid subscribers. 2. I did not ask the agent about this because of the answer in number 1 heheh... but I think Post-paid subscribers are allowed with voice calls when roaming. I know someone whose friend often calls her using her Sun number from the States. 3. to 7. Sorry, I wasn't able to ask those things because of, well, their answer in number 1 hehehhe... I know their website is not of so much help heheh... but I hope they would reply to you soon.

	(#5)
Fling (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 11 Join Date: 30 Oct 2008 Country:	31-10-2008, 02:19 Don't go with SUN. I had a very bad experience with them. Not with roaming but with their useless customer service. I got charge for calls that didn't connect 3 times and they can't explain why. And they didn't refund the minutes back to my prepaid sim.

	(#6)
Klaus Wegener (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 28 Join Date: 18 Oct 2005 Country:	26-05-2009, 11:03 Is there some information available, with which operators SUN does have a roaming agreement? Their homepage does not contain this info. Due to GSM World SUN has no roaming agreements at all. Cannot believe this.

	(#8)
Klaus Wegener (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 28 Join Date: 18 Oct 2005 Country:	26-05-2009, 16:29 Yeah, of course. This I read too. But I would like to see a list of these "more than 200 foreign mobile operators". And SUN should inform GSM World about these agreements. Cannot understand why they are not publishing this kind of information. I mean, a GSM operator who is not telling with which networks it has a roaming agreement, seems to be a little bit strange. I mean, there is one country where I would understand, that its operator does not have roaming agreements or at least does not want to publish them. But a GSM operator in the Philippines should be able to publish its roaming agreements... Coincidentally I saw that Jersey Telecom (plattform of currently not working United Mobile's 'UM+' SIM card has an roaming agreement with SUN Cellular. But I don't want to browse through all operator listed in GSM world and find out, who has and who does not have a roaming agreement with Sun Cellular. Regards Klaus