Two phones are better than one


Let’s face it, there is only one good reason why you should apply for international roaming when you head out into the world. And that is to receive text messages. Try placing a call, or even a text message, from your roaming phone when you’re out of the country and you’ll soon realize that the rates ought to be illegal under the Geneva Convention.

It’s almost always cheaper to just get a SIM card in the country you’re visiting and use it for your outgoing calls and text messages. Unfortunately, this defeats the purpose of putting your primary SIM card on roaming status. Case in point: at the moment, I am swapping SIM cards like crazy, plugging my primary SIM into my phone to check for incoming messages, and then plugging the Vietnam SIM card in for communications with my contacts here and elsewhere.

Which is why I have decided that, before going on my next trip abroad, I should first buy myself another mobile phone. Even just a cheap tri-band one. That way, I don’t have to wear my phone’s SIM receptacle out with my constant swapping.

Next time you decide to put your SIM card on roam, think about getting an extra phone to host your foreign SIM card. At the very least, it gives you a valid reason to shop, heheh.

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October 2nd, 2006
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Comment Number:
1
Written by:
Charo Nuguid
Posted on:
10/6/2006 at 11:50 pm

Ah! Yes! Reminds me of the time when I was in Bangkok and Jakarta six years ago. Remember that? Close to 6,000 pesos in just one month? Plus another 8,000 pesos the next month?

Ah, memories. :P

Comment Number:
2
Written by:
Rico
Posted on:
10/13/2006 at 1:43 pm

At the very least, it gives you a valid reason to shop, heheh.

Haha, but if you wanted to be practical, you can buy a second-hand or low-end phone you know? :P

Comment Number:
3
Written by:
Migs
Posted on:
10/23/2006 at 12:09 am

The problem here is that prepaid SIMs are not as readily available abroad as they are in the Philippines.

Comment Number:
4
Written by:
Art Ilano
Posted on:
10/23/2006 at 10:30 am

Migs: prepaid SIMs are not as readily available abroad…

That’s true, although it’s changing. Many countries with prevalent texting cultures (like ASEAN countries) have prepaids readily available. Many, like Vietnam, sell with no identification needed. Singapore, on the other hand, requires that you show your passport if you buy a SIM card.

Comment Number:
5
Written by:
CARLOS BARTOLOME
Posted on:
11/7/2006 at 1:14 am

it’s nice to have a column or whatever to discuss some ways to help the the pnoys who have relative and loved ones contact each other the cheapest way they can. this should be discussed more often and i am pretty sure it will be well read

Comment Number:
6
Written by:
marv
Posted on:
11/13/2006 at 9:48 am

Hi Guys, i enjoyed reading your remarks. I’ve got a question… Is there a website that shows the rate/ cost of text msg and call around asia? or maybe US and EU? some kind of a table?

Comment Number:
7
Written by:
oliver
Posted on:
11/22/2006 at 2:29 pm

yes..this technique is also applicable in the M.E. you just have to maintain your international roaming sim from deactivating by occasionally checking its load.

Comment Number:
8
Written by:
Donald Layson
Posted on:
11/30/2006 at 5:41 pm

I agree that having a second mobile phone is the best option. This reminded me of my sad experience when I asked ***** company to activate my postpaid plan’s international roaming months ago. I was required then to deposit P2,500. A big “WHAT” was plastered all over my face. Hahaha, talk about loyalty. I bought then a ***** prepaid SIM and activated the roaming an hour before leaving the country. Unfortunately it was only activated when I returned to the Philippines. So I bought a local SIM card in Malaysia which is more convenient as they charge minimally. But would you believe that there is one place in Sandakan, Malaysia that you can use your ***** SIM locally?. Fortunately, ***** has a cellsite near Sandakan Malaysia.

Comment Number:
9
Written by:
joy
Posted on:
12/6/2006 at 4:56 pm

i agree, even a second hand phone will do for the roaming line and it would be better to have an extra load in the sim since here; (kuwait)for us to be able to buy their sim we have to present an ID which we acquire within around 2 weeks for processing. no problem for reloading some are selling prepaid cards here (though a little bit higher than the normal price out there)

Comment Number:
10
Written by:
Ferdie
Posted on:
12/27/2006 at 9:58 am

Learned this late. When I went to Jakarta for 1 (one) week. Then China for another, my mobile charges peaked to 60,000 pesos. That is for a call to home at less than 10-15 minutes per day. Lucky my company(former) paid for it. With an advice to just get a local SIM next time.

Comment Number:
11
Written by:
Cloud
Posted on:
1/1/2007 at 5:14 am

That’s true the price of roming it’s kata kataka…

Comment Number:
12
Written by:
Violy
Posted on:
1/1/2007 at 4:55 pm

just a question..what about for prepaid SIM card, can do roaming too, how?

Comment Number:
13
Written by:
Miguel Abito
Posted on:
1/2/2007 at 12:45 am

international roaming is a very hot topic in EU right now and in fact, the EU commission will start implementing a lot of regulatory moves this coming year which they hope would decrease roaming charges (both incoming and outgoing) a lot. I’m an economics phd student in France and currently studying this issue (albeit in the EU context). Though I’m not familiar with how regulation works in the Phil, I do hope that someday I can be of help with respect to alleviating the rather monopolistic behavior of our mobile operators.

Mike

Comment Number:
14
Written by:
ramil
Posted on:
1/14/2007 at 1:22 am

i use skype for outgoing SMS and calls when abroad. the people i text never know the difference :d it’s really cheap too.

Comment Number:
15
Written by:
dzeraus
Posted on:
1/24/2007 at 10:58 pm

i’ve been working in bangladesh and china and theres prepaid too.
maximum filipinos abroad are having 2 mobiles,sim card abroad and roaming for receiving text msgs fm philippines.

Comment Number:
16
Written by:
Philip
Posted on:
2/7/2007 at 2:05 pm

I’m currently in Bangkok. It is still good to keep two mobile phones one is with a roaming and the other is the local operator.
For the one in roaming: For your love ones and friends they can send you messages for a normal SMS charges like 1 peso.(But take note when somebody calls you from this roaming phone don’t answer them because it will charged you for receiving calls).

Comment Number:
17
Written by:
deo
Posted on:
3/6/2007 at 12:41 am

I am working in KSA and most Filipinos are really using two phones instead of using one. But now I am using my Yahoo messenger instead, it is much more cheaper.

Comment Number:
18
Written by:
ron
Posted on:
3/8/2007 at 12:06 am

Just buy a cheap tri-band and buy a prepaid sim of the host country you are visiting. Roaming rates are soooooo expensive. Best solution hands down. Also long distance rates from prepaid sim cards on host countries are EVEN cheaper! Its really highway robbery if you go roaming with the service providers in Manila.

Comment Number:
19
Written by:
Mabel
Posted on:
3/26/2007 at 1:30 am

I am also facing the same dillema. I just hope my mobile SIM receptacle wont be too worn out by the time I get back to the Philippines. This is my first month out of the country and I still have one month more to stay in Europe.My roaming service didnt work very well when I reached Amsterdam.Can only receive msgs but cant send any replies…So was forced to buy a SIM in Belgium and kept swapping SIMs to receive incoming msgs…too burdensome…

Comment Number:
20
Written by:
balikbayanbox.pansitan.net » Blog Archive » Two cellphones
Posted on:
3/29/2007 at 6:06 pm

[…] Two phones are better than one […]