For all the world travellers out there
Here is a tip for all the world travellers out there.
Today "Truphone Local Anywhere" has been launched. I've been waiting for a service like this for many years but it has taken a while for someone to actually launch something like it. The idea behind it is to create a global MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). The carrier, Truphone in this case, forges deals with wireless networks in every country just to use their wireless infrastructure but providing the backend for calls,SMS and data. This way they can create a multi national wireless service where the term 'roaming' simply dissapears. For a Truphone Local Anywhere customer, if you are in one of the supported countries where they have an MNVO deal you are there as if you were local. Just imagine how disruptive this can get to be given the huge ripoff that international roaming rates is these days.
The service, that launched today, is starting with MVNO agreements only in the US and the UK but they are promising to expand rapidly to many other countries. Their service gets even more interesting, because they will allow you to have multiple numbers associated with your account in the same SIM card. For example you can have both an US and UK number, and whichever is called it will ring on your phone, if you are in a supported country you still just pay local rates. When you call out, they will change the caller ID accordingly depending on where you are calling. In those countries where they do not have agreements, you will be effectively roaming but their rates seem to be very competitive when roaming outside of home countries.
SMS and data are supported although in general pricing for these, specially for data is nothing to write home about. They are asking between $1-$2 per MiB of data, that while its still 10 times better than most international roaming is still sort of prohibitive for most data usage patterns these days.
Check it all out here
https://localanywhere.truphone.com/Default.aspx
Today "Truphone Local Anywhere" has been launched. I've been waiting for a service like this for many years but it has taken a while for someone to actually launch something like it. The idea behind it is to create a global MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). The carrier, Truphone in this case, forges deals with wireless networks in every country just to use their wireless infrastructure but providing the backend for calls,SMS and data. This way they can create a multi national wireless service where the term 'roaming' simply dissapears. For a Truphone Local Anywhere customer, if you are in one of the supported countries where they have an MNVO deal you are there as if you were local. Just imagine how disruptive this can get to be given the huge ripoff that international roaming rates is these days.
The service, that launched today, is starting with MVNO agreements only in the US and the UK but they are promising to expand rapidly to many other countries. Their service gets even more interesting, because they will allow you to have multiple numbers associated with your account in the same SIM card. For example you can have both an US and UK number, and whichever is called it will ring on your phone, if you are in a supported country you still just pay local rates. When you call out, they will change the caller ID accordingly depending on where you are calling. In those countries where they do not have agreements, you will be effectively roaming but their rates seem to be very competitive when roaming outside of home countries.
SMS and data are supported although in general pricing for these, specially for data is nothing to write home about. They are asking between $1-$2 per MiB of data, that while its still 10 times better than most international roaming is still sort of prohibitive for most data usage patterns these days.
Check it all out here
https://localanywhere.truphone.com/Default.aspx