Topic Wiki

Roaming on U.S. carriers
Verizon: $25 per each 100MB when Gobal Data feature is activated. Exorbitant calling rates.
AT&T:
T-Mobile: Simple Choice plans (postpaid-only which requires credit pull, but you can cancel anytime) include unlimited data roaming at 2G speeds in 120+ countries. Calls between any of these countries are $.20 /min.
Sprint: - For some reason its a bit complicated - https://www.sprint.com/landings/openworld/index.html - http://www.sprint.com/landings/international-value-roaming/ - http://support.sprint.com/global/pdf/support/BizMultiCountryDataPack.pdf
intlroam.sprint.com
 


International SIM cards

Google Fi
All plans include coverage in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Unlimited Plus and Flexible also come with data in 200+ international destinations, and 5G in select countries for supported Pixel and Samsung phones. Try Fi for free: Test our coverage to see how we keep you connected. Our 7⁠-⁠day trial works right on your phone alongside your current service.

Toggle Mobile:
Covers the U.S., many European countries (though not Italy or Belgium), and Australia. Rates from these countries are £.03 to all USA and UK phones both mobile and landline, £.03 to landlines and £.09 to mobiles in many other countries, £.06 to Israel landlines and £.15 to Israel mobiles. SMS to most (looks like all) countries is £.07. Data bundles start at £5 for 500 MB in the UK and £20 for 1GB in the other Toggle countries. Incoming calls are free in 20+ countries.

SIMs can be ordered online and shipped free to many countries. You automatically receive a free permanent U.K. number. Before each trip you must register online for a local incoming number in the countries you are travelling to, which activates the roaming plan and lasts 30 days at no cost. You can pay £5 a year to keep numbers permanently.

Golan Telecom:
The 99₪ unlimited talk/text/internet/international calling plan, which also gives you up to 2 virtual foreign numbers, also includes for many countries (not all have launched yet) unlimited global data roaming (6GB high-speed), incoming calls & texts, and calls & texts to Israel.

Alternatively, Golan also offers a ₪29 per day data-only roaming plan which gives 100MB a day in these countries (all have been launched). These roaming options can be very useful for foreigners regardless of whether they need Golan for Israel.


VOIP calling apps

Vonage Mobile: Free calls to US/CA, very cheap int'l rates (see link). Uses your real number for outgoing caller ID, and also for incoming calls if you are a tmobile/AT&T customer and activate ReachMe roaming in the app.

Google Hangouts: Uses your Google Voice number over VOIP. Free calls to US/CA, very cheap int'l rates (see link).


Local SIM cards

Israel: See wiki on this thread.

Global MiFi
FreedomPop $10/500mb
https://www.freedompop.com/worldwide


eSims

See PlatinumGuys post for more info.

Perhaps this is common knowledge, but I was just mindblown. In 60 seconds online, I was able to buy a data package in a different country from Airalo and install it on my iPhone - keeping calls on the primary Verizon SIM and data on the Airalo eSim.

FWIW, they offer 15GB in Israel for $15 - and you can buy more easily online if it runs out, but I don't know which network Annatel resells

Airalo promo code FOUNDERS30 for 30% off up to $7 (I don't benefit in any way)

Another vendor is https://esim.knowroaming.com, I guess you have to compare destination to destination.
https://esimdb.com is a great database for vendors in different locations.

« Last edited by Suave on September 19, 2023, 07:25:51 AM »

Author Topic: International Sim Discussion  (Read 161703 times)

Offline kivabb

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #80 on: February 06, 2011, 10:35:35 AM »
I see the cheapest quad-band phone ATT has is http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=Samsung+a777+-+GoPhone%C2%AE+-+Prepaid+-+Refurbished+-+Red&q_sku=sku4560233#fbid=7xtLtqAjijf and it's a refurb.

For that am I better off going to http://www.onesimcard.com/?idmenu=1 and spending $40-48 (not counting $10 Sim CArd that it includes) and having unlocked phone with adapter......

What would you do? Again, this is just for voice. Thanks

Offline Avid Reader

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #81 on: February 06, 2011, 09:58:55 PM »
I see the cheapest quad-band phone ATT has is http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=Samsung+a777+-+GoPhone%C2%AE+-+Prepaid+-+Refurbished+-+Red&q_sku=sku4560233#fbid=7xtLtqAjijf and it's a refurb.

For that am I better off going to http://www.onesimcard.com/?idmenu=1 and spending $40-48 (not counting $10 Sim CArd that it includes) and having unlocked phone with adapter......

What would you do? Again, this is just for voice. Thanks

Which phone do u see for that price?

Offline kivabb

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #82 on: February 07, 2011, 09:33:09 AM »
Which phone do u see for that price?

ATT has the Samsung A777 refurb for $35 and then I need to buy $40 card.
The OneSimCard site has a BLU Deejay T200 for $80 or a Motorola V191 for $87 but they already include the Sim Card with $10 airtime ($40 value). It also already comes unlocked and with adapter (and it's new).

What do you say?

Offline Avid Reader

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #83 on: February 07, 2011, 10:15:54 PM »
ATT has the Samsung A777 refurb for $35 and then I need to buy $40 card.
The OneSimCard site has a BLU Deejay T200 for $80 or a Motorola V191 for $87 but they already include the Sim Card with $10 airtime ($40 value). It also already comes unlocked and with adapter (and it's new).

What do you say?


I'm no expert here, but you will save a few bucks and a headache not having to unlock the phone, besides the phone and SIM card savings. Doesn't seem like a major difference either way, just do what you like best. Dan seems happy with the company, and so far I am too - I ordered that SIM on Friday afternoon and it was in my mailbox today.

Offline Dan

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #84 on: February 07, 2011, 10:18:55 PM »
Dan seems happy with the company, and so far I am too - I ordered that SIM on Friday afternoon and it was in my mailbox today.
Happy enough, the callback system is slightly annoying.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #85 on: February 07, 2011, 10:21:50 PM »
Happy enough, the callback system is slightly annoying.

How does the callback work? Is this part of OneSim or just used together with it?

Offline Dan

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #86 on: February 08, 2011, 11:51:35 AM »
Just got an email saying my funds will expire soon if I don't recharge with $25+
Apparently funds do expire unless you recharge every 10 months.  The SIM card and phone number never expire though.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #87 on: February 08, 2011, 12:35:53 PM »
Anyone have any information or heard of this world sim operator? http://www.roamforce.com/

Offline Avid Reader

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #88 on: February 08, 2011, 07:31:28 PM »
Just got an email saying my funds will expire soon if I don't recharge with $25+
Apparently funds do expire unless you recharge every 10 months.  The SIM card and phone number never expire though.

Is $25 the the min. recharge or is that just the threshold for extending the life of the balance? Good to know the SIM and number don't expire.

Offline Dan

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #89 on: February 08, 2011, 07:44:05 PM »
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline kivabb

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #90 on: February 09, 2011, 04:29:04 PM »
Google voice is free.  Gizmo5 you can buy on ebay.  Most laptops have a built in mic, so no need for anything else.

Is this only PC to PC or can I use PC to a regular phone as well?

Offline Dan

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #91 on: February 09, 2011, 04:38:08 PM »
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline kivabb

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #92 on: February 16, 2011, 02:10:08 PM »
Don't see Gizmo5 for sale on Ebay. Searched on line and seems it has been aquired by Google and no new sign ups? http://www.google.com/gizmo5/  Any suggestions?

Offline Bp

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #93 on: February 16, 2011, 02:15:41 PM »
Don't see Gizmo5 for sale on Ebay. Searched on line and seems it has been aquired by Google and no new sign ups? http://www.google.com/gizmo5/  Any suggestions?
than go with a free sipgate account!!   http://www.sipgate.com/one

Offline Dan

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #94 on: February 16, 2011, 02:19:48 PM »
than go with a free sipgate account!!   http://www.sipgate.com/one
Does it work the same as Gizmo5?

I have some extra gizmo5 accounts.  Maybe I'll do a raffle at the DDF DO?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline MnM1130

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #95 on: February 16, 2011, 02:53:01 PM »
This is prob not the right place to place this- but it jsut reminded me that i have gizmo5- and i havent the slightest clue how to use it. Im in israel so it would prob come in handy- but i never seemed to figure it out.. where can i read up about it?
thanks

Offline Bp

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #96 on: February 16, 2011, 03:01:04 PM »
Does it work the same as Gizmo5?

I have some extra gizmo5 accounts.  Maybe I'll do a raffle at the DDF DO?
I didn"t try it outside the us, but  my understanding is  that it should work the same like gizmo

http://forum.xda-developers.com/archive/index.php/t-780104.html

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #97 on: February 16, 2011, 04:54:58 PM »
Unfortunately for me, the OneSim card that I got did not end up working with my phone (BB bold 9000). Every time I put it in, the phone would go through the boot up phase and then give me an "error 523" and "Reset" as the only option to choose. Once I selected reset the same process would repeat itself.

I tried a number of times to switch SIM's and see if the phone would adapt to it but no luck. During the my last night in Italy I tried once more after first changing the phone settings to 2G (this worked for the Fido SIM in Canada), and this time the phone never recovered. Even after I put back the native ATT SIM, it still goes through the same boot - error phase.  It's quite likely that this is an issue with my BB phone rather then OneSim. I've been having other issues with it. 

Offline elikay

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #98 on: February 16, 2011, 05:55:28 PM »
There was once a post on the main site explaining how to work gizmo5 its not that hard once you realize what you are trying to do.

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Re: European And Israeli Sim Discussion
« Reply #99 on: February 17, 2011, 04:47:43 PM »
I have a one week trip scheduled for Italy and France in March. I currently have a blackberry tour from sprint and being that I have a cheap plan (free & clear), adding on the international data package will delete my current plan permanently. Thus adding data through sprint for my trip is out of the question. Last time I visited Italy I just hopped into a Vodafone store and bought a SIM and was good to go as far as voice is concern. My question is what can be done so that BBM/Google maps can work as well? Or is having push data with a prepaid SIM out of the question?