http://www.telestial.com/view_produc...T_ID=MSIM-PP02
Quote:
"- There is a 19c per minute surcharge to receive calls on your US +1 number in all countries."

It's a bloody call forwarding service a not a US number attached to the card.

This service is great for incoming calls. My daughter wants to talk to us? She can email me, telling me when to call, or spend 49 cents calling me just asking to call back.

Calling her using the US number will cost me 19 cents a minute. Calling her using the UK number will cost me the same, since our long-distance company charges us 19C a minute to call a cell phone in UK.

Not sure though if the 35 cents surcharge is an ADDITION to the 49 cents, though....

Either way, this is not a service for chit-chat (we'll be using Skype for that...), this is more for emergency (hey, asking me if the price for some stupid T-shirt is not too high -- can be deemed an emergency...)

mamamia, My husband deemed it an emergency once when he couldn't find the syrup! Actually he calls me EVERY day 2-3 times per day. It doesn't cost much at home because he uses the 10-10-987. And the incoming calls to me are free. The calls are kind of inconvenient at times, but that's the cost me having the privilege to travel!

You need to keep the phone, replace the husband.

Thought about it!

Beware of E-kit and others with callback service and surcharges. I used E-kit once, never again.

Lately, I've been using Roam Simple Europe SIM. While not the very cheapest, everything is straightforward and billing is accurate. It's also extremely convenient never to have to top it off.

Is there an "international" card out there that works without callback service? Please give me an update. I'm not paying 50ct for incoming on Roam Simple as long as Ekit is free.
But I'm willing to learn :-).

ANY cheapo SIM bought in the EU has incoming roaming rates of 0.15€ + tax no matter from where the call originates, it's the law (=EU regulation). Only if you agree to pay more, or use cards sold by non EU companies, you'll be charged more. Starting this summer, the law will limit roaming charges to 11ct + tax.
So why not buy any card anywhere and let them call you.

You can easily (and cheaply - as in about $30) buy a whole-world cell phone that holds up to 4 SIM cards these days, and switch from one to another. The individual SIM cards are much cheaper than a global SIM.

mammamia2, I need to ask you questions about your daughter's study abroad trip - I am in the same position as you and would like to know how you were successful in getting her a couple of weeks longer to travel. Thanks.

Hope this is not too late of an answer... The program in Italy ended 2-3 weeks before the end of my daughter's school semester, so my daughter was able to get an assignment from a teacher in her school for those remaining 2-3 weeks, an assignment that was involving some traveling in Europe. The Italian consulate, based on a letter from the university, was willing to grant my daughter an extended visa.

Do not buy this product if you want inexpensive data plan or to send/receive texts. They use an Estonian mobile phone carrier called EMT who block inbound text messages which originate from servers of foreign operators with who EMT has no messaging agreement---> in the USA for instance only Verizon works. Also, Skype does not work either. Online customer service is useless and blame the individual foreign carriers for the lack of service. You can pay for an extra number but it ends up being a landline where one still cannot receive texts. Sigh.

p.s. Also I suspect the company had my review on Amazon flagged and removed.

I have used so far onlu lemonsim sim card, and I think it's great