Explorer SIM

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Newby - 22 Mar 2007 23:16 GMT

I am posting from the USA and still looking for a SIM to put in an unlocked
phone for a trip to France and the UK this summer. Found a link on Clark
Howard's website to www.telestial.com . Clark Howard is a consumer
advocate and has a radio talk show. I am considering purchasing an Explorer
SIM from Telestial but am also looking at one of the specials they are
offering. Anyone in the group ever use their SIMs or bought a phone from
them?

Thanks for any helpful comments.

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mrcamp - 23 Mar 2007 12:30 GMT

I have heard that they do provide valuable service but at a premium
Their markups are very high. For UK and France, there are severa
international sims that will give you free incoming calls in bot
countries. Some example are the several IOM sims and United Mobile.

Check out international cards at this site for more info and you ca
also post to the international or Europe forum there.

http://www.prepaidgsm.net

--
mrcamp

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Mike S. - 23 Mar 2007 12:51 GMT

>I am posting from the USA and still looking for a SIM to put in an unlocked
>phone for a trip to France and the UK this summer. Found a link on Clark
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>offering. Anyone in the group ever use their SIMs or bought a phone from
>them?

Telestial is reliable and trustworthy, but their prices on
country-specific prepay SIMs just about amount to highway robbery. You
are paying up to 100% premium over the local price, for the convenience of
having the card, and already activated, prior to leaving the US.

The Explorer SIM is a rebrand of TravelSIM (www.travelsim.com,
www.travelsimstore.com) which is a Croatian-based callback card. It is
generally considered to be reliable and the prices are reasonable if not
rock-bottom. Lifetime is reported now to be 24 months between last time of
value added. Incoming calls are free throughout most of Europe.

A great advantage for the US traveller is the ability to have
Telestial automatically refill the balance from your credit card when the
value goes below $10. This saves you from having to find internet access
abroad, and risk divulging credit card information in places of dubious
security, or explaining recurring charges from abroad to your issuing bank
while on vacation. You sign at Telestial's web site after receiving the SIM.

Telestial also re-brands GT-SIM as their "Passport" SIM. Different
coverage and prices (calls to cell phones cost more).

You might want to check out www.prepaidgsm.net for some more persoective
on this stuff.

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Mike S. - 23 Mar 2007 12:54 GMT

>>I am posting from the USA and still looking for a SIM to put in an unlocked
>>phone for a trip to France and the UK this summer. Found a link on Clark
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>>offering. Anyone in the group ever use their SIMs or bought a phone from
>>them?

Addendum to my previous reply.

In contrast to the local prepays, their pricing for Explorer and Passport
are about what you would pay for the unbranded versions from anyone else,
so I'd consider those to be a good deal.

Their phone selection is limited and overpriced. You'd do much better on
eBay (slightly outdated quad band unlocked phones can be had for well
under $100), or any of numbeous GSM speciality dealers like importgsm.com

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BG - 23 Mar 2007 15:27 GMT

<- clip ->

>The Explorer SIM is a rebrand of TravelSIM (www.travelsim.com,
>www.travelsimstore.com) which is a Croatian-based callback card.

Well, no, it's not. It's Swiss company partly active from Austria,
using an Estonian EMT card.

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Mike S. - 23 Mar 2007 16:03 GMT

><- clip ->
>>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>Well, no, it's not. It's Swiss company partly active from Austria,
>using an Estonian EMT card.

Well, yes; you're correct of course. I meant to type "Estonian" :-)

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www.experimentalist.mobi - 23 Mar 2007 20:06 GMT

>I am posting from the USA and still looking for a SIM to put in an unlocked
> phone for a trip to France and the UK this summer. Found a link on Clark
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Thanks for any helpful comments.

Hi
For UK get a O2 Sim card
http://experimentalist.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=22
For france i get you a french card or try
http://experimentalist.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=67

Ta

Signature

www.experimentalist.co.uk/shop/index.php Global sim cards & Satellite
Phones.

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