Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprising

08-04-2003, 12:58 AM

I was answering an e-mail from someone this morning regarding
international roaming. I had to do some research into GSM
roaming coverage and rates.

Quite surprising results. Nextel actually had the best deal
for use of the phone within other countries, at 75 cents per
minute, though not the best rates for making or receiving calls
from the U.S.. T-Mobile usually had the best long distance rates
in the "common" countries. Verizon had the best coverage,
covering many countries I'd never ever heard of, while
Sprint and Nextel were limited to more common countries.
AT&T had the 2nd best coverage, followed by T-Mobile and
Cingular which were about equal.

BTW, For Cingular, pay no attention to:
"http://www.cingular.com/estore/roaming_west_rates"
this site is not accurate and the rates are much lower
than what is listed there.

I thought that it was rather ironic that a CDMA carrier had
the most extensive international GSM roaming coverage. Of
course you need a GSM handset to use with the SIM card that
Verizon sells to you, which is an extra expense of at least
$80.

Steve

08-04-2003, 02:29 AM

scharf@hotmail.com (Steven Scharf) wrote in article
<4f153f94.0308032258.34b517fb@posting.google.com >:
>
> I thought that it was rather ironic that a CDMA carrier had
> the most extensive international GSM roaming coverage. Of
> course you need a GSM handset to use with the SIM card that
> Verizon sells to you, which is an extra expense of at least
> $80.
>
>

Which GSM network is Verizon re-selling? Vodaphone?

-----
David

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]

08-04-2003, 06:15 AM

"Steven Scharf" <scharf@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4f153f94.0308032258.34b517fb@posting.google.c om...
> I was answering an e-mail from someone this morning regarding
> international roaming. I had to do some research into GSM
> roaming coverage and rates.
>
> Quite surprising results. Nextel actually had the best deal
> for use of the phone within other countries, at 75 cents per
> minute, though not the best rates for making or receiving calls
> from the U.S..

This is load of bull!
Nextel's international roaming rates are rape and pillage! (I'm a long-time Nextel
subscriber who actually travels abroad with their phone very frequently forced by my
employer...)

Here is a quote from Nextel

"Nextel Worldwide rates are straightforward and simple. You pay one low per-minute
rate for all calls depending upon the country in which you are located.."

So, you pay the same rate for calls within countries and for making/receiving calls
to/from other countries.

Rates? From 1.29 a minute (plus tax) to 4.99 or so. Much higher than many other
roaming plans. (Canada is lower...Big deal!) Moreover, they charge a "round trip"
(double) rate for all calls bounced off to voice mail (and then a normal fee for
retrieval...) and are very difficult to deal with when billing errors arise. In my
experience, on average, 40-50% of all calls abroad are billed erroneously (too much!)
by Nextel! Oh, and the fee for texting while abroad - their billing system is kind
enough to make "an honest mistake" every now and then and charge voice per minute
rates for text messages...

><Michael><

08-04-2003, 08:40 AM

davNOLindiSpamatHotmaledotkom (David L) wrote in article
<vis6brqphb8a7c@corp.supernews.com>:
>
>
>
> scharf@hotmail.com (Steven Scharf) wrote in article
> <4f153f94.0308032258.34b517fb@posting.google.com >:
> >
> > I thought that it was rather ironic that a CDMA carrier had
> > the most extensive international GSM roaming coverage. Of
> > course you need a GSM handset to use with the SIM card that
> > Verizon sells to you, which is an extra expense of at least
> > $80.
> >
> >
>
> Which GSM network is Verizon re-selling? Vodaphone?

That would make the most sense, but I really don't
know. I just went by the list of countries on each site.
AT&T doesn't list the countries directly, but there is
a drop down menu where they tell you the data services,
if any, in each country they cover. So I don't know the
rates in most of the AT&T countries.

I'm doing a spreadsheed, which is 2/3 done, it's very
laborious work.

Steve

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]

08-04-2003, 08:48 AM

"eMeL" <badbatz99@hotmail.com> wrote in article
<visjivn8oahp96@corp.supernews.com>:
> "Steven Scharf" <scharf@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4f153f94.0308032258.34b517fb@posting.google.c om...
> > I was answering an e-mail from someone this morning regarding
> > international roaming. I had to do some research into GSM
> > roaming coverage and rates.
> >
> > Quite surprising results. Nextel actually had the best deal
> > for use of the phone within other countries, at 75 cents per
> > minute, though not the best rates for making or receiving calls
> > from the U.S..
>
>
> This is load of bull!
> Nextel's international roaming rates are rape and pillage! (

Please re-read what I wrote. For _in-country_ coverage,
Nextel had the best rate, for making/receiving calls from
the U.S. they do not. Sprint and Nextel are the highest
for actual international roaming. But often when you're
visiting a country you make a lot of internal calls as well,
and you could be paying $2.50/minute on some carriers,
but 75 cents per minute on Nextel.

There are a few countries where Nextel does have very
good international rates, ($0.99).

"http://www.nextel.com.ph/ICAndRR.html#IRR"

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]

08-04-2003, 09:45 AM

"Socal Cell" <socallNOexpertSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:visshv85kukj9f@corp.supernews.com...
> Please re-read what I wrote. For _in-country_ coverage,
> Nextel had the best rate, for making/receiving calls from
> the U.S. they do not. Sprint and Nextel are the highest
> for actual international roaming. But often when you're
> visiting a country you make a lot of internal calls as well,
> and you could be paying $2.50/minute on some carriers,
> but 75 cents per minute on Nextel.

Nonsense. Nextel USA charges the same amount for in-country calls as for any other
type of call whilst roaming.
I have a recent bill from Spain, Germany, Poland and France to prove it.
Say, all calls in Spain - even from Madrid to Madrid were charged at $1.99 plus tax.

> There are a few countries where Nextel does have very
> good international rates, ($0.99).
> "http://www.nextel.com.ph/ICAndRR.html#IRR"

ROTFL, hahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahaha

THIS IS NOT NEXTEL (US) BUT A COMPANY CALLED NEXT MOBILE FROM THE PHILIPPINES!!! (if
you are a Nextel International customer over there...) Whoopee! Gad Almighty, you
have made my day, mate! Nextel International is a separate company which runs some
iDEN networks in So. America and the Philippines...

ROTLF, Gad!!!

Oh my gad (my sides hurt from laughter!!!) here is a link to the real Nextel and its
int'l roaming rates...
http://www.nextel.com/services/world...try_list.shtml

I hope you are not being paid for your "research..."

><emeL><

08-04-2003, 11:57 AM

socallNOexpertSPAM@hotmail.com (Socal Cell) wrote in message news:<visshv85kukj9f@corp.supernews.com>...
>But often when you're
> visiting a country you make a lot of internal calls as well,
> and you could be paying $2.50/minute on some carriers,
> but 75 cents per minute on Nextel.

This is why I will never give up my grandfathered T-Mobile roaming.
Most of the wireless calls I make overseas are local. If you look at
what WorldCla$$ did to local calling, it's obscene. There are places
where I pay a few cents per minute but new "WorldCla$$" rate customers
pay 99c, $1.49 or $2.99 per minute for a local call.

All that the carriers accomplish by sticking customers with these "if
you have to ask" roaming rates, is to get the smart ones to instantly
switch to local prepaids. They need to understand that Iridium charges
$1.50 for a call from anywhere to anywhere. There are limits to the
value of a phone call.

Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

08-04-2003, 04:53 PM

The pricing on international roaming is totally stupid. At the current
rates, the usage has got to be very small. If the rates were reasonable,
usage would explode, and the overall profitability of the business would
climb dramatically.

I too will be a T-Mobile customer for life as long as I can keep my
grandfathered international roaming rates.

Mike Schumann

"Donald Newcomb" <d_r_newcomb@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:94aaf905.0308040957.250d5738@posting.google.c om...
> socallNOexpertSPAM@hotmail.com (Socal Cell) wrote in message
news:<visshv85kukj9f@corp.supernews.com>...
> >But often when you're
> > visiting a country you make a lot of internal calls as well,
> > and you could be paying $2.50/minute on some carriers,
> > but 75 cents per minute on Nextel.
>
> This is why I will never give up my grandfathered T-Mobile roaming.
> Most of the wireless calls I make overseas are local. If you look at
> what WorldCla$$ did to local calling, it's obscene. There are places
> where I pay a few cents per minute but new "WorldCla$$" rate customers
> pay 99c, $1.49 or $2.99 per minute for a local call.
>
> All that the carriers accomplish by sticking customers with these "if
> you have to ask" roaming rates, is to get the smart ones to instantly
> switch to local prepaids. They need to understand that Iridium charges
> $1.50 for a call from anywhere to anywhere. There are limits to the
> value of a phone call.
>
> Donald Newcomb
> DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

08-04-2003, 05:41 PM

The next best international roaming rates I've found (which are accessible
to an ordinary american) is a Monoco prepaid SIM offered from Telestial.com
as a replacement for Swisscom. It is $0.30 a minute to receive a call
anywhere they cover and $0.95 a minute to make one. This includes some
expensive roaming countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Poland, etc.

Stu

"Mike Schumann" <mike-nospam@traditions-nospam.com> wrote in message
news:3f2ee3d1$0$1099$6536d21b@news.bitstream.net.. .
> The pricing on international roaming is totally stupid. At the current
> rates, the usage has got to be very small. If the rates were reasonable,
> usage would explode, and the overall profitability of the business would
> climb dramatically.
>
> I too will be a T-Mobile customer for life as long as I can keep my
> grandfathered international roaming rates.
>
> Mike Schumann
>
> "Donald Newcomb" <d_r_newcomb@my-deja.com> wrote in message
> news:94aaf905.0308040957.250d5738@posting.google.c om...
> > socallNOexpertSPAM@hotmail.com (Socal Cell) wrote in message
> news:<visshv85kukj9f@corp.supernews.com>...
> > >But often when you're
> > > visiting a country you make a lot of internal calls as well,
> > > and you could be paying $2.50/minute on some carriers,
> > > but 75 cents per minute on Nextel.
> >
> > This is why I will never give up my grandfathered T-Mobile roaming.
> > Most of the wireless calls I make overseas are local. If you look at
> > what WorldCla$$ did to local calling, it's obscene. There are places
> > where I pay a few cents per minute but new "WorldCla$$" rate customers
> > pay 99c, $1.49 or $2.99 per minute for a local call.
> >
> > All that the carriers accomplish by sticking customers with these "if
> > you have to ask" roaming rates, is to get the smart ones to instantly
> > switch to local prepaids. They need to understand that Iridium charges
> > $1.50 for a call from anywhere to anywhere. There are limits to the
> > value of a phone call.
> >
> > Donald Newcomb
> > DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
>
>

08-04-2003, 07:51 PM

"Stuart G. Friedman" <Stu.IgnoreThis@nospam.na> wrote in message
news:naCXa.16462$Vx2.8542617@newssvr28.news.prodig y.com...
> The next best international roaming rates I've found (which are accessible
> to an ordinary american) is a Monoco prepaid SIM offered from Telestial.com
> as a replacement for Swisscom. It is $0.30 a minute to receive a call
> anywhere they cover and $0.95 a minute to make one.

Thick Italian sausage (AKA baloney)
Telestial has a 26 US cents call setup fee in addition to the outgoing call rate.
Texting is not available directly from the phone. The service in many countries will
be problematic because they use CAMEL or some other weird-ass callback program (i.e.
you are not really originate a call - you trigger callback from their central
number.) I'd say that callback at 95 cents a minute plus a setup fee is darn
expensive... I get callback from US to a cellular phone in most of the world for
20-35 cents per minute...

Telestial instructions "how to make a call" give away their technology:
"To make an outgoing call with the HopAbroad you will dial this number sequence:
*111*, followed by the country code and phone number that you want to dial, then add
the # key and hit the <send> key. Then YOUR cellular phone will ring (strange, we
know) and you will answer (that's right) by hitting <send> again to pick up. Finally
put the phone to your ear and the call will be connected."

> This includes some
> expensive roaming countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Poland, etc.

FWIW
Poland at 99 cents is not expensive on T-Mobile...Russia OTOH is...
Poland is expensive to roam on Nextel (2.39 a minute...ouch!)

><emeL><

08-04-2003, 10:10 PM

On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 21:51:40 -0400, "eMeL" <badbatz99@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Telestial has a 26 US cents call setup fee in addition to the outgoing call rate.

FYI Telestial doesn't have any rates. Telestial is a company that
sells prepaid cards and phones.

>Texting is not available directly from the phone. The service in many countries will
>be problematic because they use CAMEL or some other weird-ass callback program (i.e.
>you are not really originate a call - you trigger callback from their central
>number.)

CAMEL is *not* a callback program. With CAMEL you dial as normally.
With other prepaids they do have a callback scheme. CAMEL however is
*not* a callback scheme.

http://www.wirelessreview.com/ar/wireless_winner_takes/

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Replies are seldom read. Please reply in the group

08-05-2003, 07:33 AM

"Joseph" <joeofseattle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:i7buiv0d6mocdokf8oea38loo89hel1emp@4ax.com...
> FYI Telestial doesn't have any rates. Telestial is a company that
> sells prepaid cards and phones.

Right.

> CAMEL is *not* a callback program. With CAMEL you dial as normally.
> With other prepaids they do have a callback scheme. CAMEL however is
> *not* a callback scheme.

Right. CAMEL is a middleware product.

But whatever callback platform is used by the service provider of prepaids sold by
Telestial , it's still callback and thus horribly expensive as such. With a local
prepaid you can get a callback solution for much less than that (incoming calls are
free and local calls are peanuts in comparison to any roaming solution.)

><emeL><

08-05-2003, 08:10 AM

"eMeL" <badbatz99@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:vivd0eb6nkiq5a@corp.supernews.com...
> But whatever callback platform is used by the service provider of prepaids
sold by
> Telestial , it's still callback and thus horribly expensive as such. With
a local
> prepaid you can get a callback solution for much less than that (incoming
calls are
> free and local calls are peanuts in comparison to any roaming solution.)

I don't think anyone is arguing about this. There are times and places where
local prepaids are appropriate and there are times and places where they are
hard to get or very expensive. Last time I checked on prepaids in Egypt,
they cost over US$100 to activate. Clearly not the solution for a one-week
visit.

It's been good to have an easyRoam just for those times when I found myself
in a situation where nothing else worked. I mourn it's passing.
--

Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
Remove 'NOT' from address to reply

08-05-2003, 08:28 AM

"Donald Newcomb" <DRNewcomb@attglobal.NOT.net> wrote in message
news:3f2fbc52_1@news1.prserv.net...
> Last time I checked on prepaids in Egypt,
> they cost over US$100 to activate. Clearly not the solution for a one-week
> visit.
>

Get a callback number. This way you can make inexpensive calls from abroad and other
people can reach you dialing just one (US) number regardless of your location. I
travel quite a bit and have a collection of local prepaids yet I have just one local
number in the US. You can change the callback number via web, phone call, etc.
Simple and convenient even when moving around a lot.

> It's been good to have an easyRoam just for those times when I found myself
> in a situation where nothing else worked. I mourn it's passing.

EasyRoam was expensive, but convenient. There is always a way. If - for a variety of
reasons - I cannot buy a local prepaid, I simply use callback to a stationary phone
(say, 54 cents to Egypt from the US but only 9 cents a minute for example to
pain - cheaper than any prepaid call...)

Funny thing - there is a story in the today's (8/5) NY Times about cellular int'l
roaming in which the president of Telestial states that he travels with local
prepaids...

><emeL><

08-05-2003, 12:41 PM

Thanks to your post, i just found out that IF you are west coast
Cingular customer, you no longer have to pay $4/min. to roam.
(For this reason I have had an Omnipoint/Voicestream/T-Mobile acct. for
years. )
For this reason never used PacBell/Cingular to roam. The catch, if
the customer doesn't call and give Cingular a list of countries - you
will still be charged the old rates of $4/min. I asked several times
if there was a monthly charge to get the lower rates - and the rep said
"no".
Roaming in the U.K. is $1.29. Roaming in Mexico .79. The Mexico
rates are a LOT lower than T-M.

...mike

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]

Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprising

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin

Re: Carrier with the most International GSM roaming, Carrier with the best GSM rats, Quite surprisin