RWBlog

Seems to me, phoning is this weeks topic. Appropriately, I have questions:

Question:
I am researching a change in cellular services, from Sprint to Verizon,
because of local coverage microcosms. (No one covers the whole region, so
it hinges upon who covers where.) Now, Verizon offers a Blackberry 8830 World
Phone (CDMA & GSM in one unit) and they will unlock it ‘free’ so I can use
any SIM card. If anyone has used this unit in Russia, I would like feedback.

As for the SIM card or cards, I plan to travel about, from Moscow to
Izhevsk, Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Orenburg, et cetera.

My questions - do I need multiple SIM cards, or just local phone cards?
How are the SIM cards acquired (from whom and at what rational cost)? I assume
there will dead zones between cities. The phone has full web capabilities
- I wonder if they will work in Russia?

My other choice was to buy a cheap digital phone (GSM) to use while in
Russia, which would be useless at home. Any useful comments beyond my
question will be welcome.

Some thoughts:

1) in Russia, SIM cards are sold in the bigger shops selling phones. Once you have a SIM
card you refill it with local phone cards.

Better to shop and get your SIM card(s) before you go. I always got my
through: http://www.mobalrental.com/gsm/sim.asp

2) I would recommend getting a SIM card from Verizon and using that while
you’re traveling. Once you get to Russia buy a local SIM card on one of the
local systems. Use this to make calls in country because it will cost you a
lot less than roaming and using the U.S. SIM. If you need to call back to
the U.S. or expect a call from the U.S. switch SIMS. This is the most cost
effective way and only takes a minute to swap and power on the phone. I do
this when going to Ukraine.

3) My RW tried Verizon for two years. Just as I long ago learned about them
for regular telephone service in northern New England, almost ANYONE else is preferable.
Verizon is a long way from the old New England Telephone & Telegraph that I grew up with. It is little more than a blood sucking bunch of bastards. My younger daughter (my Russian stepdaughter) has used T-Mobile for five years and is very happy with it. She is in Philadelphia.
After two years of high prices and poor service my wife switched to T-Mobile as well.
Since T-Mobile does not serve Vermont that meant getting a T-Mobile phone out
of state and having a New Hampshire number assigned as that is the closest
area for us.

Guess what? The service is far superior and the cost is considerably less.
We have also noticed a HUGE difference in the attitude and tone of the customer
service folks we have occasional have spoken to, to the point where I, too, finally got a cell earlier this year. The T-Mobile folks really try to help rather than just sit there and apologize for the shafting you get that
we have always found from Verizon’s unhelpful customer service people. T-Mobile
is apparently able to get along better with other celluar service providers to offer this much better service than Verizon’s as well. Does Verizon get along with anyone? (-: Most of our calls seem to come or go through Unicell until we are well down into New Hampshire or well over into New York.
Moving to T-Mobile was definitely a good change for us. This is just our experience. As they say, “your mileage may vary”

This may or may not work. Unless Verizon has changed drastical
ly within the past two years they will not sell you an “unlocked” phone. T-Mobile will.
This is one of the reasons we finally switched to T-Mobile as I’ve already described.
Otherwise you are right on, Jim. When in Russia we change SIM cards and get very good service from the phones that came with the T-Mobile account. They give you a code to “unlock” the
phone so you can change the SIM card. Verizon would have no part of that and
told my wife she would have to purchase another phon in Russia. Yeah, right!

4) Verizon has SIM cards? My kids have quad band RAZRs from Verizon and
I haven’t seen SIM cards on their phones. One thing I’ve seen on their
phones is a little plastic bar attached with a couple of miniscrews
where the SIM card is supposed to go. I also have a RAZR but with ATT
and you can clearly see the SIM card.

5) the trouble with cellular service for me is this: I live in a region of
cellular microcosms. I live on a 20 square mile island in a fjord, surrounded by another island and throughout the region are dense stands of
tall trees and hills. So, no one cellular service has coverage everywhere.
The choice has much to do with who has the best coverage for my particular
needs. Alltel would be perfect here, but they are not here yet. (Alltel uses
whichever network is available, as if always roaming, without roaming charges.)

As for Verizon unlocking the GSM SIM set-up, they will indeed. I spoke to
them about it and made sure. T-mobile, when I talked to them about it, said
they will not. Nor would AT&T. The Blackberry 8830 has both CDMA &amp
; GSM, but the GSM cannot be made functional in USA, by design. Perhaps if Alltel was
here, theirs might. Still, not much of an issue for me. My concern is to have a handset that will work here and abroad. According to Verizon, the
Vodaphone SIM is a better deal for western Europe, since they have attractive EU rates for British customers.

But, as far as I can tell, the only reasonable solution for Russia is a
Russian SIM card and local phone cards. Although, how that works still
eludes me. If the SIM card is MTS or Beeline in Moscow, for example, would
everywhere outside Moscow be roaming? Or is there a national plan? Or are

there dial-around arrangements through the phone cards? If I was going to
spend all my time in one city, it would not be an issue. Then, there is Ukraine.

On my last trip to Russia, I met a young man on the train who works for a
major internet network in Russia. He had his laptop plugged into his
cellphone, and he seemed to be connected most of the time. While that would
also be useful, I would prefer to connect much less often, but to have the
capability. (Have I become so spoiled?)

Thanks for the response!

6) it depends upon the phone. Verizon has several “world phones”
intended for business travelers. The Blackberry 8830 has the ability to
switch directly from CDMA to GSM while roaming abroad - but in Russia, they
charge 4.99 per minute. So, for the cost of 60 minutes of roaming, one can
purchase a SIM card and phones cards for much more airtime. Most “world
phones” are also smart phones, so they are more costly to purchase - but
they do exist.

7) Regarding T-Mobile, YMMV!

The website said I could unlock my phone for international use, but when I
called them, they said no. Often times I don’t take no for an answer so
since I had a Palm (4 band phone/pda), I unlocked it and they promptly
re-locked it. So I fixed that and with a little effort “unlocked” it, been
using it ever since, unlocked full GSM service worldwide.

My most useful SIM card from Mobal, is an Estonian number, I got the best
overall roaming rates with it. Traveling from Moscow to Petersburg was
interesting as we got dozens of network “welcome” messages. Interestingly
enough, the Estonian numbered SIM card tries to use the T-Mobile network
here in the states. Rates suck, like several dollars a minute . . .

For the absolute best pricing within cities or regions we would buy local
SIM cards and now I’ve got a small collection. I also got from Mobal a SIM
duplicator. I can save the SIM cards to a hard drive, (I use a USB key) and
re-write them as needed. I started using it after (frown) I lost a SIM
card. Later we accidental damaged one and I just used another one and wrote
over it. It’s been a very handy device.

3 years ago I was flying from Moscow to Chelyabinsk on business and I
noticed a Russian guy 2 seats over get out a little pouch (like a flat
purse), put it on the food tray, and look over about 10 different SIM phone
cards
to pick the one he wanted to install in his cell phone. This was after we
landed and the plane taxied to the gate. He picked out the one he wanted,
started up his cell phone and called a local contact to say the plane had
arrived.

I think this is why in every local airport in Russia I’ve seen, they sell
local cards right in the airport. But in the cities, there are also phone
stores who also sell the cards about every 50 meters in every Renock and in
little shops everywhere. At first it was confusing, but then I got the hang
of it.

I learned it is commonplace for experienced Russian travelers to keep an
Inventory of SIM cards, one for
every city they visit, because every city has its own rates (and they really
punish you for calling out of town within Russia). But the local phone
cards can be typically cheap and conveniently sized. Local phone service
card prices seem to be inverse to the quality of the phone service and range
of connection that will work in the city.

So FWIW, it seems that carrying multiple SIM cards inside Russia is a way of
life there for travelers. I suppose carrying multiple cards is a little
inconvenient, but it seems to keep the local phone calling costs reasonable.
The arrangement seems logical and normal to the Russians I have discussed it
with. They can’t believe it when I try to explain mobile phone services in
the USA. They say our movile system is socialistic and anti-competitive !!
:))

So I also thought it was a bit ironic about this pattern seems to better fit
the model of Adam Smith’s invisible
hand of free market economics, with multiple sellers and buyers duking it
out in mulitple cities, as compared to the government ordained oligoploy
model that we follow here in the USA to enrich our own mobile phone
industry. But then I also imagine how badly Mr. Lenin must feel all decked
out there right there in Red Square in his special bed with all this
telephone free market economy spinning constantly all around him.

9) One of my colleagues, who goes to Russia a bit more often than I do, has
just provided me with some further information regarding the SIM card process. He directed me to this webpage:
http://www.ustronics.com/Russia_SIM_Card.php20

He said he got his first Russian SIM card this way, but he went on to say
that I can also buy a SIM card at Sheremetevo upon arrival (albeit overpriced) or if I will be taking ground transport into the city
(gazelle or the big bus) I can get a much better deal at the marketplace at the Rechnoi Vokzal Metro station. The caveat being, when buying booths or
unofficial kiosks to beware of counterfeits.

He says the official outlets have quite reasonable prices and they are more
certainly valid. He said “activation” is included in the cost of the card as
is some starter quantity of airtime. He says the outlets adjacent to metro
station and train station marketplaces have better prices than those in town
or inside stations.

Of course these options are better suited to those who speak Russian. For
those who do not, either mail order or shops wherein English is spoken would
better, even though a bit more expensive. He spends most of his time either
in Moscow or Ekaterinburg, and he says if I will spend a week or more in a
city, I will be better off to get a local SIM card to avoid roaming rates.

For a few days in each city, it may not be worthwhile.

Hopefully, I re-quoted him accurately, but still, the above is based upon
his experience, so it may not apply everywhere. If it seems I am still
missing some detail, please post it. I appreciate all the help!

More details here:

• Holy High Rate Telephone Calls Batman!!
• If people need to call around to a mix of countries on one contract…
• Phone calls to Russia - 3000 minutes for $19.95/month - TWC digital phone

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