GLOBAL/UNIVERSAL SIM CARDS.
Anyone having any idea about EarthRoam global sim card.
How's the services and any additional hidden charges, apart from what company is telling.
- X
0 Yes I have one.It is good,the rates are slightly higher than another card from IVITTAMOBILE,which is basically for the Euro countries.Earthroam is international and can be topped up from India,online or even by paying to their A/C.
- X
0 They are all the same, some people are selling other Sim cards in the name of Reliance international SIM cards.
GLOBAL/UNIVERSAL SIM CARDS.
Some telecom service providers have agreed to provide international sim cards which will be having cheaper calling rates and free incoming in many countries of the world,most of them will provide you with a permanent UK (+44) number.
some of them are-
*matrix,international sim.
*reliance world sim (seafarer's card)
*one sim card.
*clay telecom.
*uniconnect.
*one world.
For Indians i will recommend matrix and reliance.
Matrix is the leading provider of complete mobile and data solutions,these people charge around 30USD rental as i have herd,so its not that cheap.
features(matrix)- this will be single number across multiple counties coverage in over 150 countries, and free incoming for matrix is about 100 countries ,there will be huge savings on international roaming bills and the company also provides cost effective roaming charges across Europe.
Reliance business services offer a world sim,this sim is similar to the above mentioned matrix one.
features-it has coverage in more than 160 countries
across the globe, and incoming is free in around 36 countries,you can chose from prepaid and postpaid SIM options,this will lead you to own an international number permanently,you can receive calls on the same SIM when back in India with unique call forwarding feature,GPRS services
also can be used in this SIM, your accounts,recharges,bill rates all will be online so its pretty cool.
well you can also check for their tariff rates, on
http://www.reliancepassport.com/g_World_SIM_tariff.html
this will cost you somewhere
The Rs.1699 Reliance World SIM Pack has Rs.1200 of Talk time along with SIM card of Rs. 499 , this SIM is quite good,
hence i will strongly recommend usage of reliance world sim, as the SIM is from a leading Indian telecom company
and has straightforward rates given on the site, there is no monthly rental for such sim, and you will be getting a
permanent UK number, +44. hence you are always connected back home.
please note the following points while using these kinds of sim cards:
*Always choose any of the "Preferred Networks" to get the lowest tariff. If you choose any network other then the preferred network - the applicable tariff will be too high.
*These plans are not valid for use while on a ship/cruise. Calls made during a ship/cruise are charged at maritime rates at the discretion of the ocean liner
*SIM does not work with a network locked handset.
*SIM will be blocked in India
*In USA , please ensure your handset has 850 Mhz and 1900 Mhz frequency and In Japan and South Korea, Please carry a 3G enabled handset.
*Rest Of World calls will be charged higher than the normal call rates to India,hence it is advisable for you to kindly check the tariff rates before using such a sim.
*airtel also offers such kind of service but it is something that will let you to reduce your call rates and incoming rates,just by sending a sms on your previous Indian sim card.
seafarers are always advised that please don't expect your sim to work while at sea in deep waters since,there won't be any network there,hence calling is only possible from the ship's satellite phone as per the your ship's telecom company charges.
(image-courtesy : missiontoseafarers.com)
- X
0 The writer does not take the liability of the information provided above as it collected from various sources,maximum accuracy has been maintained,the charges are
as per decided by the company and can change accordingly. - X
0 Communication is one of the major aspects of human life, and being in touch with our loved ones always gives a great amount of satisfaction.The leading shipping companies in the market are understanding this need of seafarers and making an effort to reduce the call rates in welfare of seafarers,hence it is advised to choose your company smartly as there are always benefits to work with a leading and respectable shipping company.There are instances in seafarer's life when he feels alone and there is no one to share his part,he finds himself cut off from the mainstream society,this will not remain as it is always provided we Indians get to know our rights and try to be good Officers and ratings.European and Americans are already enjoying most of the facilities in the maritime field with relatively good income,this is due to their small pool of Officers with good training,and developed nation.Producing thousands of Officers is not the matter,what matters is producing good officers with high level of training hence situations will change as we change ourselves,global calling will become easy with time even for Indians on board.Some companies especially oil majors are provided free calling on board for Indian manned fleet too.
- X
0 An extract from How do seafarers call home.
A seafarer spends on an average $130 per month on satellite phone calls from merchant vessels. 44 per cent of seafarers interviewed spent between USD $100 to $150 a month on satellite phone calls, with 20 per cent spending $150 to $200 and 4 per cent spending over $200.16 per cent spend $50 - $100 per month and 16 per cent spend under $50.
Considering an average seafarer is sailing for eight months in a year, the total spend per year comes to $1,040. Considering this, the global seafarer personal communication market (just for satellite phone calls) can be estimated to be more than a billion dollars per annum.
RESPONSE OF INMARSAT.
To encourage shipping companies to make it easier for seafarers to make phone calls, Inmarsat is providing free shipboard telephone extensions, if the shipping company buys a number of prepaid cards which can then be resold to the seafarers
There have been suggestions that shipping companies could actually make money out of providing a cheap crew calling system onboard, for example taking 10 per cent commission, but these ideas have been generally rejected by shipping companies, according to Inmarsat maritime marketing manager David Walker.Shipping companies dont want to be perceived to be making money out of crew welfare, he says. ONLY GOOD COMPANIES..MIND YOU!
courtesy- The digital ship(extract from an interview of Indian seafarers.) - X
0 Nice ! I would like to add some points about international sim card/global sim :
An international sim card, gsm or compatible travel cell phone, and wireless calling plan from a reliable international phone service provider will provide you with the ability to get low local rates without a long contract or buying a new phone. These service providers offer a rental phone package with an: international cell phone, international sim card matched to your destination, and wireless service with rates as low or lower than a long contract from a local provider .
Benefits :
Accessible coverage, no need to find a wifi hotspot like when using Skype
No more roaming charges
Local number in country for people to call you on
Low cost local calls
Cheap international calls (on most sim cards)
Before using an international sim card in to your mobile, make sure that device gets unlocked . If the phone is compatible to use other networks, any sim card will work with it any interruption . To unlock your phone, call your service provider or get unlock code from any of the online providers .
Source : http://www.unbblock.com/blackberry/rs18wp8/ - X
0 That's nice, but most of these international SIM cards are not suitable for seafarers, as far as worldwide trading seafarers are concerned.
MERCHANT NAVY FORUM
