Originally posted by JEFFJAGUAR One other thing might be helpful...is it possible on the German plan to get menus and voice prompts in English? I think this should be added to the reviews being posted.
Thank you!
Not with E-Plus as far as I know, I'll double-check at a E-Plus shop today and let you know tomorrow. As for T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2 I don't know, my guess is that there are probably English-supported services for Voda and O2 as these are both British companies. Let me ask around and PM you the answer if AdmiralAK prefers that we talk about this outside of the thread.
Thank you...I think it is an appropriate topic for this thread and should be included in the reviews.
I do know Vodafone NL, Libertel both give users the option of setting up the services with English prompts.
Orange FR has a code you can enter that will give many of the prompts in English.
Of course the British pre paids all allow menu prompts in English (what a surprise!)
Polish carriers apparently do as well from what I've read.
It wouldn't surprise me if the German or other carriers did not and I dion't think by asking this they are under any obligation to do so but since English is such a universal language, you never know.
Originally posted by JEFFJAGUAR not and I dion't think by asking this they are under any obligation to do so but since English is such a universal language, you never know.
Again, thank you.
They may not be obligated to do this but they should since a lot of their roaming customers do come from their associated networks in the US and the UK.
Quick Facts Country: Vietnam Network Name: Mobifone Website:http://www.mobifone.com.vn/ Product Name: Mobi4U, MobiCard, MobiPlay Owned by/Major partners: Vietnam Mobile Telecom Operational Frequency: GSM 900 Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): 200.000 VND ($12) Prepaid Package Validity: 10, 35, 60 ,110 days (depends on scratch card value) CSD access: Yes GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: No SIM applications: Yes Manual included: Yes (Vietnamese) Refill amounts: 100.000 VND ($6) , 200.000 VND ($12) , 300.000 VND ($18), 500.000 VND ($33) Availability: Shops available in all of Vietnam, directory on website Competitors: Vinaphone, Viettel
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
Your Comments Here
Your buying experience is pretty average. You're in, buy it, activate it, you're out - when you are in Vietnam. You can also buy it online from various online vendors but I find the prices very marked up.
The Bad:
You can buy the package online through third party vendors (which mark up the price to an insane level). Unfortunately you cannot buy it directly from the Mobifone site.
Usage: The Good:
Mobi4U is the most economical package when it comes to voice. It is cheaper than MobiCard. SMS usage, WAP and VoIP are the same Mobi4U and MobiCard. MobiFone seems to have almost the same coverage as Vinaphone, with the exception that coverage seems to be better along the coastline (when compared to Vinaphone).
The Bad:
15 days "grace period" to renew and then your account gets deactivated. As with VoIP telephony, I am not sure if I should list VoIP as a good or bad, just like with VinaPhone. I am not sure how a VoIP call works (of course their website doesn't say much and I do not speak/read vietnamese). In terms of cost VoIP international dialing and regular international dialing only differ in terms of how much the connection fee is for VoIP and for International line exchange (3000VND + VoIP or 3000VND + IDDx). I am not sure if this is true, but international calls seem to be router though the VoIP anyway (infrastructure is military owned as far as I know). If you need to travel up north and north-west from Ha Noi, it seems like coverage is slightly better with VinaPhone.
TIPS:
Check out the website for a ton of information. I would also tell a friend to get me a package from vietnam before going because if you don't speak vietnamese communication might hinder the purchase of a prepaid package, and if you buy it only it is way overpriced.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Their website is phenomenal and it provides lots of information. You can get GPRS, and it seems some pretty good services as well. MobiPlay seems to have a lot of extra content that can be accessed (ringtones, images, games, etc). This is something nice to play with if you are there and exploring (at least in my opinion), Mobi4U seems like the most economical package.
Buying: The Good:
Your buying experience is pretty average. You're in, buy it, activate it, you're out.
The Bad:
If you are looking for detailed information on their website in english, don't bother looking hard. What you see is what you get, which is very little. Their FAQ (or Q&A) is very small and it doesn't answer very many questions. You cannot buy the package online through third party vendors nor can buy it directly from the VinaPhone site.
Usage: The Good:
With VinaDaily you get to keep your number for 6 months from the time you run out of money in the account, I am not sure if this is also true for VinaCard. with VinaDaily there is a subscription charge of 2,200 per day (approximately $0.14). This is beneficial because for peak minutes it is cheaper for international, VoIP and local/national calls. In terms of usage, even though the coverage does not seem stellar, you do get pretty good coverage in what seems like major cities and somewhat across the coastline. Vinaphone seems to have better coverage in northern Vietnam when compared to Mobifone.
The Bad:
15 days "grace period" to renew and then your account gets deactivated.
The disadvantage of VinaCard is that it is more expensive compared to VinaDaily, however the disadvantage of Vinadaily is that there is a lack of off-peak minutes which is cheaper or VinaCard. Off-peak is between 23:00 and 06:00 (11 PM to 6 AM Monday-Saturday). I am not sure if I should list VoIP as a good or bad. I am not sure how a VoIP call works (of course their website doesn't say much and I do not speak/read vietnamese). In terms of cost VoIP international dialing and regular international dialing only differ in terms of how much the connection fee is for VoIP and for International line exchange (3000VND + VoIP or 3000VND + IDDx). I am not sure if this is true, but international calls seem to be router though the VoIP anyway (infrastructure is military owned as far as I know).
TIPS:
Think about whether you will be using your phone for calls mostly, or SMS. For SMS is doesn't really matter which one you pick, but for voice VinaDaily seems to be the best deal. I would also tell a friend to get me a package from vietnam before going because if you don't speak vietnamese communication might hinder the purchase of a prepaid package, and if you buy it only it is way overpriced.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Vinaphone seems like a good service, but their catering to and english speaking travellers seems a bit bad when compared to MobiFone, their website is horrible and uniformative, also when compared to MobiFone's website. Both vietnamese and english versions seem to suffer from this low level of information. Despite it's shortcomings when it concerns information on their website, friends of mine who have used it claim that they are the cheapest provider and they provide better billing.
Quick Facts Country: Australia Network Name: Optus GSM (505-02) Website:http://www.optus.com.au Product Name: Optus Prepaid Owned by/Major partners: Singtel Operational Frequency: GSM900, GSM1800 (in higher density areas such as cities) Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): A$29.95 (approx 25 USD) (includes A$30 of credit) Prepaid Package Validity: 180 days from activation CSD access: No GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: No SIM applications: No Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: A$30, A$50, A$100 Availability: All states (both mainland and Tasmania), available in many different shops Network coverage: National Competitors: Telstra M-NET, Vodafone AU, Virgin, iSim, AAPT
More In-Depth Information
Buying:
The Good:
Optus prepaid SIM packages can be purchased from supermarkets, airports, newsagencies, Optus outlets, and many other places. Chances are you will be easily able to purchase one when landing at an Australian airport.
Photo ID is legally required (an overseas passport will be fine), although some places have untrained employees who do not take/care about ID.
Prepaid cards must be activated which normally involves just calling up a number on the phone, or via a website.
Usage: The Good:
The prepaid service uses the Optus GSM network, Australia’s 2nd-largest GSM network overall, although the largest in the big population centres of Melbourne and Sydney (and their states Victoria and NSW respectively).
The prepaid service also has 25c SMS, 30c MMS (Weekend), 60 MMS (weekday), as well as a choice of 2 bonus options on activating the pack.
Option 1 gives free calls between Optus prepaid phones at any time of day (but with call caps based on recharges).
Option 2 gives the option of 30c for 10 minute calls to any Australian phone (mobile or landline) between 8pm – 7am (offpeak hours).
Voicemail is also available (free deposits, 16c/30 second retrievals).
There are no charges for receiving calls on Australian networks, and mobiles have their own area code, i.e. of the form 04xx xxx xxx, which means you can be called on that number anywhere in the country. Mobile-mobile rates are uniform – they do not depend on distance.
You can also make overseas calls at reasonable prices, especially to places like the UK, NZ and USA.
The Bad:
The regular call rates are quite expensive, and are billed at 37c per 30 second block with a 20c connection fee.
TIPS:
If you’re on optus prepaid (or any service attached to the physical Optus GSM network) Optus users with the ‘yes’ time promotion can call you for free between 8pm-midnight.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Optus prepaid offer a reasonable service, using their excellent GSM network. For a service that you can walk into a shop and walk out with without hassles this is a great choice for travelers.
For more information, my website Ausmobile has a prepaid guide on Australian mobile services (see here and here for a summary table as well as plenty of other information on Australian mobile networks, as well as a forum in which you are more than welcome to ask questions.
Quick Facts Country: Australia Network Name: Telstra M-NET GSM (505-01) Website:http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile Product Name: Telstra Prepaid Plus Owned by/Major partners: Telstra Corporation Operational Frequency: GSM900, GSM1800 (in higher density areas such as cities) [see note 1] Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): A$25 (approx 20 USD) (includes A$30 of credit) Prepaid Package Validity: 180 days from activation CSD access: Yes GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: No SIM applications: Yes, PocketNews (offers content similar to that of a WAP portal) Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: A$15, A$30, A$60, A$100 Availability: All states (both mainland and Tasmania), available in many different types of shop Network coverage: National Competitors: Optus prepaid, Vodafone AU, Virgin, iSim, AAPT
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
Telstra prepaid SIM packages can be purchased from supermarkets, airports, newsagencies, convenience stores, fuel stations, Telstra shops, and many other places. Chances are you will be easily able to purchase one when landing at an Australian airport.
Photo ID is legally required (an overseas passport will be fine), although some places have untrained employees who do not take/care about ID.
Prepaid cards must be activated which normally involves just calling up a number on the phone.
Recharges can be purchased online, as physical packs in many shops (i.e. supermarkets, convenience stores, etc) around Australia, at ATMs of certain banks, and credit card over the phone (Visa, Mastercard, Bankcard, AMEX, Diners club)
Usage: The Good:
The prepaid service uses the Telstra GSM network, Australia’s largest GSM network overall, covering 98% of the population.
The prepaid service offers SMS (25c) and MMS (75c).
A special call rate during the hours of 9pm-7am applies, where other mobiles (any network, anywhere in Australia) can be called at a rate of 1c/minute, with 20c connection fee.
Telstra Prepaid Plus accounts also have an “ISP” provided which can be dialed up with CSD from the phone providing a full Internet service.
Voicemail is also available (5.5c/30 second deposits, 25c/30 second retrievals).
There are no charges for receiving calls on Australian networks, and mobiles have their own area code, i.e. of the form 04xx xxx xxx, which means you can be called on that number anywhere in the country. Mobile-mobile rates are uniform – they do not depend on distance.
You can also make overseas calls at reasonable prices, especially to places like the UK, NZ and USA.
The Bad:
The regular call rates are quite expensive. You get a choice between the ‘ON’ and the ‘OFF’ rates (changing between them costs A$1), which are priced as follows:
OFF:
50c/30 seconds during peak-time, or 20c/30 seconds during off-peak time
ON:
Flat-rate of 38.5c/30 seconds all times
A connection fee of 20c applies in both schemes.
TIPS:
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Telstra prepaid is a good choice if traveling to more remote areas of Australia (and you only have a GSM phone). It is probably the most expensive prepaid service though.
For more information, my website Ausmobile has a prepaid guide on Australian mobile services (see here and here for a summary table as well as plenty of other information on Australian mobile networks, as well as a forum in which you are more than welcome to ask questions.
Note 1: Although Telstra uses GSM1800 in denser areas, the way the network is configured, with GSM1800 cells not having "visible" BCCHs, means a phone supporting the GSM1800 band but not the GSM900 band will not work anywhere on this network.
Quick Facts Country: Australia Network Name: Vodafone GSM (505-03) Website:http://www.vodafone.com.au Product Name: Vodafone Red SIM Owned by/Major partners: Vodafone Operational Frequency: GSM900, GSM1800 (in higher density areas such as cities) Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): A$29.95 (approx 25 USD) (includes A$30 of credit) Prepaid Package Validity: 30 (or 365) days from activation CSD access: Yes GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: No SIM applications: Yes – optional commonwealth bank banking application for CBA phone banking. Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: A$20, A$30, A$50, A$100, A$200 Availability: All states (both mainland and Tasmania), available from Vodafone stores, various supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. Network coverage: National Competitors: Telstra Prepaid Plus, Optus prepaid, Virgin, iSim, AAPT
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
Purchasing is nice and simple, like their biggest competitors Telstra and Optus, very much a walk in – walk out affair, although photo ID is legally required (overseas passport is sufficient). Activation is done over the phone with an operator.
The Bad:
Although it’s not difficult to find a location selling Vodafone prepaid packs, they’re less common than the outlets dealing in Telstra and Optus products.
Usage: The Good:
Although the Vodafone network has a smaller coverage footprint than Optus or Telstra GSM networks, it still is quite reasonable covering 94% of the population. Besides, the coverage is not really much of an issue if you are visiting the big cities and surrounding areas (particularly Melbourne and Sydney).
SMS is available at 25c (although certain bonus options have free SMS credits), MMS is available at 75c (MMS messages containing a picture are free until Sep 2004).
3 main bonus options are available to choose from
Option 1 – call rates decrease as recharge amount increases – rates range from 10-30c per 30 seconds, with 20c connection fee.
Option 2 – Free SMS message credits are included based on recharge amount. Voice call rate is 30c/30 seconds with 20c connection fee.
Option 3 – Get 365 days to use the credits (instead of 30).
Vodafone Red SIM also includes “Vodafone-vodafone” minutes which increase as the size of the recharge increases. This allows you to call other Vodafone network mobiles for only 20c, any time of day (up to the number of minutes allowed).
GPRS access for WAP is available.
Voicemail is also available (free deposits, retrieval at voice call rate).
There are no charges for receiving calls on Australian networks, and mobiles have their own area code, i.e. of the form 04xx xxx xxx, which means you can be called on that number anywhere in the country. Mobile-mobile rates are uniform – they do not depend on distance.
You can also check your logs on the Vodafone website, as well as manage diverts and other settings.
Recharging can be done with pre-purchased packs, online via credit card, phone via pre-registered credit card. Automatic recharging is also available at certain thresholds/frequencies to credit card.
You can also make overseas calls at reasonable prices, especially to places like the UK, NZ and USA.
There are also set to be ‘capped’ call packages coming to Red SIM later in 2004. These packages ‘cap’ the credit usage at a certain point (e.g. make up to $500 of calls but pay no more than $79).
The Bad:
TIPS:
If you are traveling with others, if everyone gets a Vodafone SIM you can all take advantage of the free minutes between Vodafone mobiles – any time of day.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Vodafone is another great choice for prepaid users, with a range of bonus options to suit the usage pattern of the customer.
For more information, my website Ausmobile has a prepaid guide on Australian mobile services (see here and here for a summary table) as well as plenty of other information on Australian mobile networks, as well as a forum in which you are more than welcome to ask questions.
Quick Facts Country: Australia Network Name: Optus GSM Website: http://www.virginmobile.com.au/pricelist/prepaid.html Product Name: Virgin Mobile Owned by/Major partners: Virgin/Optus Operational Frequency: GSM900, GSM1800 (in higher density areas such as cities) Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): A$29.95 (approx 25 USD) (includes A$30 of credit) Prepaid Package Validity: 30 (or 365) days from activation CSD access: No GPRS access: No EDGE access: No SIM applications: Yes – optional commonwealth bank banking application for CBA phone banking. Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: A$15, A$30, A$50, A$100 Availability: All states (both mainland and Tasmania), available from Virgin stores, various supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. Network coverage: National Competitors: Telstra Prepaid Plus, Optus prepaid, Vodafone Red SIM, iSim, AAPT
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
Purchasing is a non-issue, although the number of outlets selling starter packs is smaller than the “Big 3”, it’s still not difficult to locate an outlet.
Usage: The Good:
The prepaid service uses the Optus GSM network, Australia’s 2nd-largest GSM network overall, although the largest in the big population centres of Melbourne and Sydney (and their states Victoria and NSW respectively).
Call rates range from 24c-30c per 30 seconds, billed per second. The call rate drops as the recharge amount is increased.
You can also nominate a mobile or landline as a 'mate' to get 15c/30 second calls to that number.
SMS is available at 20c (or special Virgin-Virgin rate of 5c), MMS at 60c.
Voicemail is also available (free deposits, free retrieval).
There are no charges for receiving calls on Australian networks, and mobiles have their own area code, i.e. of the form 04xx xxx xxx, which means you can be called on that number anywhere in the country. Mobile-mobile rates are uniform – they do not depend on distance.
Recharging can be done with pre-purchased packs, online via credit card, phone via credit card.
You can also make overseas calls at reasonable prices, especially to places like the UK, NZ and USA.
The Bad:
No CSD or GPRS access.
TIPS:
If you are traveling with others, if everyone gets a Virgin SIM you can send text messages to each other for 5c, and MMS for 25c. Furthermore, you can nominate one of the other Virgin numbers for the ‘Rave rate’ of 15c per 30 seconds.
“Unofficially”, you can use the WAP gateway used for MMS for GPRS WAP access.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Virgin is another good choice if you are making many ‘ordinary’ daytime calls, with cheaper call rates than Optus and Telstra.
For more information, my website Ausmobile has a prepaid guide on Australian mobile services (see here and here for a summary table) as well as plenty of other information on Australian mobile networks, as well as a forum in which you are more than welcome to ask questions.
Quick Facts Country: Australia Network Name: Optus GSM (505-02) Website:http://www.isim.com.au Product Name: iSim Owned by/Major partners: SimPlus (formerly RSLCOM) Operational Frequency: GSM900, GSM1800 (in higher density areas such as cities) Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): A$19.95 (approx 15 USD) (includes A$20 of credit) Prepaid Package Validity: 180 days from activation CSD access: No GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: No SIM applications: No Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: Custom Availability: All states (both mainland and Tasmania), only available online via mail order Network coverage: National Competitors: Telstra Prepaid Plus, Optus prepaid, Vodafone AU, Virgin, AAPT
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Bad:
The fact that this can only be purchased online to an Australian address means unless you are staying at a ‘permanent’ style address in Australia for long enough for the package to be delivered (several days) means it may not be useful at all.
Purchasing is done by filling out the online form at the iSim website, paying with a credit card and waiting for the package to arrive. A number is allocated online once you have the package (you need to key in a unique reference number sent with the package).
Usage: The Good:
The prepaid service uses the Optus GSM network, Australia’s 2nd-largest GSM network overall, although the largest in the big population centres of Melbourne and Sydney (and their states Victoria and NSW respectively).
SMS is available at 15c, MMS is available at 75c.
iSim has the cheapest prepaid rates on the market, with a 39c per minute flat rate to most mobiles and landlines anywhere in Australia. This is billed per-second with no connection fee.
GPRS access for WAP is available.
Voicemail is also available (free deposits, flat rate 19c retrieval).
There are no charges for receiving calls on Australian networks, and mobiles have their own area code, i.e. of the form 04xx xxx xxx, which means you can be called on that number anywhere in the country. Mobile-mobile rates are uniform – they do not depend on distance.
You can check your call logs and credits at the iSim website in impressive real-time.
Recharging to a custom amount is done online, or you can SMS or call from the phone to charge a linked credit card.
You can also make overseas calls at reasonable prices, especially to places like the UK, NZ and USA.
The Bad:
There’s not a lot bad to say about iSim in terms of usage, its pricing and network service is excellent The main problem is the lack of physical recharge packs, which means a credit card is required.
The customer service is all online however; there is no phone customer service.
TIPS:
FINAL THOUGHTS:
iSim is the cheapest of the prepaid services, and uses a reliable network. If you can manage to get a prepaid starter pack, then it’s well worth it. But if you’re not staying for long, then you are best looking elsewhere.
For more information, my website Ausmobile has a prepaid guide on Australian mobile services (see here and here for a summary table as well as plenty of other information on Australian mobile networks, as well as a forum in which you are more than welcome to ask questions.
Quick Facts Country: International Network Name: Mobal Website:Click Here Product Name: Mobal Owned by/Major partners: Virtual Operator in over 140 countries Operational Frequency: GSM 1800, GSM 1900, GSM 900 Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): 19 pounds Prepaid Package Validity: No expiration, need to call to cancel CSD access: No GPRS access: No EDGE access: No SIM applications: No Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: No vouchers Availability: Only on their website Competitors: Hop Mobile, United-Mobile
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
They provide you with a SIM and a user guide
The Bad:
Only available online
Usage: The Good:
You only get charged for what you use! No Monthly fees, no prepaid vouchers, no hassles. The charge is debited onto a credit card monthly. Incoming SMS is free.
The Bad:
WOW! Those prices are sky high! <A HREF=http://www.mobalrental.com/gsm/charges.asp?source=1001travelinsider> Have a look yourself!</A>. There is no GPRS or CSD access. The number that you get is a UK number, so when you are in the UK incoming calls are free, but outgoing are $1.25! SMS sending is 80 cents per message. They have a rough disclaimer on their guide "ome supplementary services, such as fax, data and SMS text messaging, may not be available on all GSM networks." - if you can't send SMS messages, why buy this international card?
TIPS:
No tips, I am just dumbstruck from the pricing scheme...
<A HREF=http://www.mobalrental.com/gsm.asp?source=1001travelinsider> Here is the guide</A> if you are interested.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Like Hop or United, this package is geared toward the international traveler, and specifically to the international traveler that does not use his phone much. I have to say that the charges are prohibitive, but you only get charged for what you use, nothing more, nothing less. I would not use unless I REALLY know that I might be making one or two phonecalls while I am abroad. Finally this doesn't really seem like the traditional prepaid kind of account - I am always weary when something is linked to my credit card.
This isn't really a review as it is mostly an overview of US regional GSM operators. Most (if not all) have agreements with major nationwide operators for roaming. If you are a student or a local resident you might find some of these operators useful if you are looking for a plan. Also useful if you are travelling in a specific area and you wish to get a local SIM for your collection (if you collect such things).
Quick Facts Country: United Kingdom Network Name: T-Mobile Website:http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/ Product Name: Relax pay as you go Owned by/Major partners: T-Mobile Operational Frequency: GSM 1800 and 2100 UMTS Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): 9.99 British Pounds on T-mobile and 24.68 on mphone Prepaid Package Validity: 12 months from refill CSD access: Yes GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: No SIM applications: Yes Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: ??????????? Availability: Online at T-Mobile's website, in T-Mobile stores in the UK and many many others Online websites like carphonewarehouse.com Competitors: 3, O2, Orange, Vodafone, Fresh, Virgin
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
You can buy online, or at a local store, the choice is yours
The Bad:
Buying online is REDUNDANT. You have to click though several pages and select "pay as you go" several times to get to see their pay as you go packages. Their online description of the pay as you go SIM pack is really baddly described amd the rating that it gets on t-mobile's site is 1.5 stars out of 5!!!!
Usage: The Good:
Their pricing scheme seems to indicate that the more you pay, the less it costs to make voice calls. For montly usage of 10 pounds, calls per minute are 30p, for 10-20 pounds, calls are 20p per minute, 20-40 pounds per month calls are 10p per minute and 40+ pounds calls are 5p per minute. There is some fine print which you have to read up on, availalable T-Mobile's website. I would say that for someone staying a couple of weeks, you can count on paying at least 20p per minute on a call. CSD and GPRS are available on prepaid as well! CSD costs 10p per minute. The SIM contains SIM applications which allow ou to get news, sports, weather, stock exchange info, exchange rates (useful when you travel), access to SMS chat rooms and so on. Their T-Zones (WAP portal) seems to be quite refined and offer exceptional content.
The Bad:
Pricing scheme explanation is a bit ambiguous on their website, you need to take a look at the brochures to determine what the costs will be. UMTS is not yet available on prepaid. GPRS costs 2p per kilobyte...sounds a bit expensive to me!
TIPS:
1. Check out the Brochures on T-Mobile's website
2. Determine if you want to chose them as your provider based on their charges (they seem a bit expensive to me).
3. Make sure you have the GPRS settings prior to leaving your home country, if you want to use GPRS.
4 . Check out the GPRS settings provided by other HoFo members
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Even though I am a T-Mobile customer in the USA, I would not chose T-Mobile in the UK as my provider. Their post-paid plans might be OK (I have not checked those), but their prepaid plans seem a bit expensive in comparison to other UK providers. Keep them in mind only if other providers, like orange or O2, don't pan out. I do like their T-Zones though (WAP portal) - kicks the butt of the US version of T-Zones anyday!
Quick Facts Country: United Kingdom Network Name: Orange Website:http://www.orange.co.uk/ Product Name:Pay as you go Owned by/Major partners:Orange Operational Frequency: GSM 1800 and 2100 UMTS Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): 4.99 British pounds (on orange) and 14.10 pounds on mphone. Prepaid Package Validity: 12 months from refill CSD access: Yes GPRS access: Yes EDGE access: /No SIM applications: Yes Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: 20 or 50 pound prepaid vouchers. Availability: Online at Orange's website, in Orange stores in the UK and many many others Online websites like carphonewarehouse.com Competitors: 3, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Fresh, Virgin
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
You've got options! You can buy online at the orange shop, you can buy in orange shops and you can buy at independent phone sellers. You will have to register you mobile phone when you buy a prepaid package, as is indicated on orange's website. The account is active for 12 months, and then you can recharge and extend the time more, or you can let it expire, your choice. When you recharge you have the option of recharging in general, or getting "text" or "voice" bundles as indicated on another thread in HowardForums.
The Bad:
In terms of buying, I don't see much of a downside.
Usage: The Good:
Three plans to chose from, Fixed rate, Choose-your-own off peak, and Talk and save . You can look them over and decide what your preferred plan would be. CSD and GPRS are available, which is good for the ones like us that like to surf the web while on vacation - wirelessly that is . Fellow HowardForums members have already provided settings which you can reference. You may also go to sonyericsson's site, if you have an SE phone to get them sent to you automatically. You can make international calls from your orange phone, and you can even roam (so no wasted unused airtime at the end of your trip). Orange has a convenient way of finding out what calls will cost based on your service plan, check it out here. GPRS seems like it is cheap, it has been mentioned that orange carge 4 pounds per megabyte (0.4p per kilobyte).
The Bad:
I am not sure if you can use GPRS while abroad with prepaid, but even if you can, the prices are prohibitive, $20 per MB in some cases! WOW , have a look for yourself if you do not believe me. Considering that the pound is stronger than the US dollar, the roaming prices are quite expensive, or at least so they seem! In terms of recharging they only have 20 and 50 pound recharge cards, the rest of the recharging options are through ATM machines or credit cards. No UMTS prepaid yet.
TIPS:
1. Get your SIM package in the UK, or online from orange if the shipping isn't expensive. Third-party resellers jack up the price a lot in my opinion
2 . Get the GPRS settings before you leave for your trip. Jot them down or get a print-out as well just in case something happens
3. Since there are only 2 kinds of recharge card, if your trip is a more than a week long get the 50 pound one from the beginning (well depending on how much you will think you will use it), then you've got time to experiment with other options, or at least ask around.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Orange doesn't seem to be a bad deal. They have got three "plans" that you can chose from, depending on your usage, the have got CSD and GPRS, and their website is well designed, manageable and informative, so you can go on and have a peek yourself. I would plan my spending while in the UK as well because roaming rates seem to be a bit pricey, so don't overcharge your account because even though you can use your prepaid orange account outside of the UK, it will be more expensive.
Quick Facts Country: United Kindgom Network Name: Fresh Website:Click here! Product Name: Fresh OneRate Owned by/Major partners: Virtual Operator Operational Frequency: GSM 1800 (and GSM 900 ???) Prepaid Package Cost (Just SIM): 10 pounds (with 10 pounds of airtime) Prepaid Package Validity: One call per 60 days. CSD access: Yes GPRS access: No EDGE access: No SIM applications: Yes Manual included: Yes (English) Refill amounts: No vouchers Availability: Carphonewarehouse seems to be the only place you can buy it, and this is online Competitors: 3, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, Virgin
More In-Depth Information
Buying: The Good:
The SIM starter pack is essentially free. You buy 10 pounds worth of airtime and you the SIM starter pack is free of cost.
The Bad:
Only available online, no vouchers to buy, your account is tied to a credit card.
Usage: The Good:
I am not sure if this is good or bad, but you can deduct your call time automatically thought a debit card. Voicemail is free, EVERY call is 15p no matter who you call in the UK and not matter what the time, peak, off-peak, call to landline, call to mobile, it's all the same! SMS messages are 5p each and you account stays active so long as you make one phone call every 60 days!
The Bad:
No vouchers. Roaming is available to post-paid customers only. GPRS doesn't seem to be available for either prepaid and postpaid.
TIPS:
Seems pretty straight forward.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Looks like a nice, and economical, prepaid package for the UK if you do not intend on using the account for accessing the internet. You've got the option for WAP over CSD (cost: 15p per minute) if you want to get your mail or browse a wap-site pretty quickly. For users of data services, this does not seem to be an ideal prepaid package.
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