[ramkya1]

Hai Friends,

While searching for phone networks to use while traveling to Europe and UK, I was offered the Matrix Card as the best solution. On searching the many reviews, Matrix turned out to be a wet-sponge, with reports of many people going to court against Matrix for wrong billings, slow to respond and irresponsible service.

What are the most economic optons while traveling Europe and UK? Any one has experience with Matirx or other networks? What would you recommend?

In case anyother thread exists on this subject, Mods, please merge.

Thanks in advance for your inputs,

--Ramky
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[abhinav.gupta88]

Where exactly are you travelling.
Its best to take a local pay as you go sim.

or if you are travelling to various destinations.
Then the reliance world travel card or something like that is good. ( its just like matrix)

[MadBiker]

Well, I use a similar card like Matrix, Clay from India.. The Number is that FIDO Network in Canada, but like the Matrix i did not have much of billing issues..I also found the tariffs cheaper than Matrix.. For example: Local calls from Matrix to any number in Canada was 1$ in Matrix and it was 0.25$ from Fido..

You can still have a worksheet, match up the tariffs and decide what you wish.. But the best bet would be to get a local SIM card in the country you visit than buying a International number from India! Good Luck!

[ecclipse78]

You could also try - Uniconnect.

I use them regularly and found their sales staff to be well informed and clearly explain the plans and call rates.

Also, compared to Matrix their customer service and billing are way ahead.

[Sahil]

Wowtel - Global Made Local

cheaper & better than matrix

[akhilesh51]

Buy pay as you go card for whichever country you are visiting. Some of the big European players are T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone and O2.

If you are visiting multiple countries, you're better off with Matrix or Wowtel, but i agree they aren't as cheap as they claim to be. :(

[StarVegabond]

I would suggest you to buy local SIM.
if you show your passport then you can get local SIM at airports/railway stations etc
you can also use calling cards which would be very cheap as calls would routed via VOIP.
but these calling cards would need a fixed line phone.

Do not use any India operators, they will rip you off.

you can carry two phones, first for India SIM with international roaming.
never take the calls on this phone. just use it to record the incoming calls plus use it as emergency phone.

second phone would be using the local SIM i.e. European or UK.

avoid dual SIM phones as often you would get confused which SIM you are using.
secondly having a second phone helps as back up.

[?ushk@r]

You can also check the Skype phones. They give you the country number and a handset like a mobile. Your family can call you via PC too.

Skype

[ramkya1]

Hai StarVegabond,

This sounds like a great option, what an idea!!!! Me and my wife would be having 2 mobiles, so this would work.

Thanks to eveyone for the suggestions, now there's lots of light on the issue. Anymore ideas?

@Abhinav.Gupta: I'd be in Italy, Vatican, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France & UK part of a package tour with Thomas Cook.

I'd be in UK on my own from 14th to 27th, planning to drive from the northern tip John O'Grates to the southern tip, Lands end. Are you in UK in October, 09?

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Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I would suggest you to buy local SIM.
if you show your passport then you can get local SIM at airports/railway stations etc
you can also use calling cards which would be very cheap as calls would routed via VOIP.
but these calling cards would need a fixed line phone.

Do not use any India operators, they will rip you off.

you can carry two phones, first for India SIM with international roaming.
never take the calls on this phone. just use it to record the incoming calls plus use it as emergency phone.

second phone would be using the local SIM i.e. European or UK.

avoid dual SIM phones as often you would get confused which SIM you are using.
secondly having a second phone helps as back up.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Hai StarVegabond,

This sounds like a great option, what an idea!!!! Me and my wife would be having 2 mobiles, so this would work.

Thanks to eveyone for the suggestions, now there's lots of light on the issue. Anymore ideas?

@Abhinav.Gupta: I'd be in Italy, Vatican, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France & UK part of a package tour with Thomas Cook.

I'd be in UK on my own from 14th to 27th, planning to drive from the northern tip John O'Grates to the southern tip, Lands end. Are you in UK in October, 09?

=======

You are welcome Ramkya

please share your schedule with the people from whom you would expecting a call e.g. your business associates, key customers, key employees, your family members. give them the hotel telephone nos and ask them to call at the pre-determined time. this way you prevent getting disturbed at odd hours or while on a key site.

never cut the incoming call, let it ring, ring and then stop. if you cut it, then it would be taken as a received call (while on international roaming).

always keep your phone on silent while in public place. Loud Indian ring tones are absolutely No, No.

Do not carry any GPRS / EDGE enabled phones (iphone / blackberry etc) Data rates would rip you off more than the voice rates. Alternatively please understand/negotiate for a better package with your service provider.

Carry power charger + power adapter, esle you might have to buy an adapter as hotels may not provide it or may charge you the rent/fee

Conserve battery, switch off the phone when you are not expecting a call.
do not switch on the phone in transit if you do not need the phone.

[sgiitk]

Also remember that the US and Taiwan are CDMA territories while the rest of the world is GSM. US GSM universe is far smaller than the CDMA world.

[DerAlte]

No sir, GSM works fine everywhere in US now. Ditto Taiwan. The only problem country is Japan. However, if you have a 3G phone, you can log on. Have done that in 2006 with an N70.

[shankar.balan]

Hi

I suggest you try out a MATRIX Card. I have used these often and find them extremely convenient and inexpensive too.

You can get a separate Europe Number and an UK Number if you like since you both plan to carry a mobile each.

Cheers

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Hai StarVegabond,

This sounds like a great option, what an idea!!!! Me and my wife would be having 2 mobiles, so this would work.

Thanks to eveyone for the suggestions, now there's lots of light on the issue. Anymore ideas?

@Abhinav.Gupta: I'd be in Italy, Vatican, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France & UK part of a package tour with Thomas Cook.

I'd be in UK on my own from 14th to 27th, planning to drive from the northern tip John O'Grates to the southern tip, Lands end. Are you in UK in October, 09?

=======

[ramkya1]

Hai Shankar,

Lucky you? Read the reviews on the following link:

Matrix Cellular Review, Matrix Cellular Mobile, Matrix Cellular Phone, Matrix Cellular Card - MouthShut.com

Surely there must be some fire to this smoke?

I've decided not to take Matrix, another friend from Ahmedabad had a LIVE bad experience with matrix where they messed up the billing.

Another option, UNICONNECT is pretty good, exploring it for possibilities. Many European countries are free incoming and abotu Rs.50/- outgoing. Thinking of taking one mobile with Uniconnect for emergencies and another mobile will be used with the local sims purchased off the shelves in whichever country we visit. Most of my colleauges who travel abroad officially use Reliance which is paid by the company, so no sweat there for official calls, but use local sims to make personal calls.

Thanks for the inputs.
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[shankar.balan]

ha
thanks for the info

whatever you choose have a super trip - most enjoyable the places you are visiting. Wish you a lovely holiday. If you're driving about in the UK maybe you can rent a Skoda Yeti for your trip and share the experience of the vehicle? Unless of course you've decided on something else instead!

cheers!

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Hai Shankar,

Lucky you? Read the reviews on the following link:

Matrix Cellular Review, Matrix Cellular Mobile, Matrix Cellular Phone, Matrix Cellular Card - MouthShut.com

Surely there must be some fire to this smoke?

I've decided not to take Matrix, another friend from Ahmedabad had a LIVE bad experience with matrix where they messed up the billing.

Another option, UNICONNECT is pretty good, exploring it for possibilities. Many European countries are free incoming and abotu Rs.50/- outgoing. Thinking of taking one mobile with Uniconnect for emergencies and another mobile will be used with the local sims purchased off the shelves in whichever country we visit. Most of my colleauges who travel abroad officially use Reliance which is paid by the company, so no sweat there for official calls, but use local sims to make personal calls.

Thanks for the inputs.
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