Has anyone had any experience with maxroam? They're an Irish company which is selling sim cards which work in any unlocked GSM phone, worldwide. I'm curious to see if they work here.
It is an interesting business model... Their SIM card work on any unlocked GSM phone - well just like any other SIM card really. But it looks like they load multiple network profiles on each card, so you will have a local number when in another country.
Now this is great for people travelling that want cheaper calls. But lots of questions. For example, are those number prepaid? If so how do they manage the restrictions where you must reload an account every certain number of days? Or do you have to "activate" and select a new number every time you go overseas?
Another question is do you still roam in case people want to call you on your original number? Well, according to their FAQ:
Do I need to contact all my friends and business colleagues and tell them I have a new number when I travel? No, you will have a new number in your country on your MAXroam SIM so you just need to forward your home phone or mobile phone to your new number and this is seamless
So if your friends call you while travelling you pay the redirection to your current operator, and if you are overseas, guess what? The redirection will cost you long distance charges from your original operator.
Yes, I am having this past week an experience with MAX ROAM. I have mixed feelings. The basic phone calls do work and somewhat smoothly and a nice clear signal.
The MAXROAM user interface and the company's customer service is awkward, confusing and not customer friendly.
The order was not configured as I requested in the first place. They offered a choice of USA Area Codes for the first number assignment. I choose a west coast area code and they configured with an Georgia area code.
The chip was received in a plain white envelope (not insured - no signature required) and later I find out contrary to their information, the chip was already activated so my 89 Euro value was open to be stolen. For some reason, they activate the chip when they process the order rather than having the client activate after receiving the chip.
Next they advertised local numbers in over 150 countries. So I logged into my account and requested a local number in the country of Latvia. - NON AVAILABLE was the reply.
I complained quite severely and thy reacted quite severely! (not a friendly exchange)
Its now been well over a week and they have assigned a local Latvia number but in order to make it work, you MUST dial it using the International calling technique which means that you have to dial the countrycode infront of the number.
So If I call to the local Latvian number from abroad it works. If I call the number using Skype, it works.
But, and it is a BIG BUT; the Latvian phone companies will NOT allow you to dial a local latvian number using the country code first.
So, I have a local Latvian number; but, no one inside of Latvia can call it!
Wow, the MAXROAM management at this point is offering to give me my money back - full credit to my credit card.
Now, I am being the devil again. I want what they advertised!
Will see if the MAXROAM management will live up to their advertising or will leave the "chip on their shoulder" so to speak.
In any way you look at it, the MAXROAM online info is incorrect, misleading and in some cases simply not the way it is.
Oh, yes, my online account still shows incorrect numbers and is missing the FREE credit they offered me for my troubles last week.
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