Has anyone tried knowroaming ?

[Harvir_K]

I saw this website https://www.knowroaming.com where you can roam in other country's. Has anyone tried this. Since public doesn't have roaming to other country's and i travel a lot.

[alex_s]

An update: I'm back from a week in Jamaica, and Knowroaming mostly worked well.

SMS: Mostly worked fine in both directions. I only messaged with two different people (both of whom I was traveling with and were not using Knowroaming). I'm aware of a couple of messages from my wife that didn't get through to me though.

Data: I kept it turned off most of the time, but it worked fine when I used it. I never used the unlimited data for a day option, but pay-per-use charges of $0.15 US per MB are a lot better than ~$8 per MB being charged by some Canadian carriers.

Phone calls: Never received a call. Tested voice mail once, and it was easy to check through the app. I made a couple of phone calls just to check my regular voice mail, using their call-back service, and I found it a bit inconsistent. The first time I got through on my second try. The second time I tried once or twice and didn't get through.

App: Mostly good. Easy to see my current balance and past phone call and data usage. Two complaints:

1. It doesn't show past SMS usage.

2. I can't remove my credit card number from it.

[alex_s]

I'm going to Jamaica later this month. It's all-inclusive at a place with free wifi, so I don't anticipate using a lot of cell service, and getting a local SIM seems inconvenient (especially with two small kids). So I ordered a SIM (not a sticker) from Knowroaming.

Just set it up a day or two ago and tried SMS messaging and a tiny bit of data here in Canada just to make sure it works. Incoming SMS worked, data worked, but outgoing SMS didn't work. Contacted tech support online, and got an answer pretty quickly that their SMS service isn't fully functional. I replied saying this is unacceptable because their website lists SMS prices and doesn't say anything about it not working--essentially false advertising. They offered to give me $10 USD extra credit; I countered asking for $10 refund and keeping the credit that I'd applied to my account, and they agreed.

They now offer US phone numbers instead of UK numbers. Also, shipping is free within Canada. These factors are reasons why I chose Knowroaming over a few other global SIM options. I think it will be a good service once SMS is working, but until then beware of (possibly unintentional but still negligent) misleading advertising. One more good thing: I can save unused credit for another trip, as long as my account isn't inactive for more than 15 months.

[Acekiller]

I used knowroaming in my recent trip in Hawaii, but strictly for whatsapp.

I used freedompop other data activities.

[Mixam]

I went with the sim cards. I was worried that the sticker might not switch properly and i would get charged roaming when away or use up my credit while at home. I figured it was better to just switch out my sim card. Plus then if someone wants to borrow it, or i want to use it in another divice i can easily do so. Plus it was cheaper...

[Harvir_K]

Which one did you buy the sticker thing or the SIM card.

[Mixam · Accepted solution]

Thanks for taking me @srlawren

I bought couple of sim cards from knowroaming to use while traveling. I use them mostly for the free WhatsApp and turn off as much data as i can for any other programs to try and conserve my credit. You'd be suprised how much background data some apps use. I've used it in Brazil just for WhatsApp, used it mostly for WhatsApp in Mexico. When I'm Mexico i did use one day of unlimited data so i could FaceTime with my parents who couldn't make it to my wedding so that they could be involved. It actually worked really well.

I haven't traveled in any other countries with it yet but so far it's worked just fine for me. I have yet to test if WhatsApp still works when you run out of credit though.

I'd give you my referral to get you 30% of your purchase and i think i get something too, credit or something, but you can actually get an even better deal by using another referral code from here https://www.moneywehave.com/knowroaming-discount-code/

I chose then because it was only like $5 for the sim which came with like $15 in credit by sharing in Facebook and Twitter and the referral. So basically two unlimited data days and unlimited WhatsApp forever for $5

Oh also you can "buy" the unlimited days in advance and then activate them when you need them. I didn't know that till i went to activate my first one. That way in case your phone used a lot of background data, you won't waste your credit

Oh i also use Fongo as someone else posted so people can call me on a local number when I'm on WiFi or using an unlimited day

PS. I don't use it anymore because they made it so you have to keep prayin regularly to use the free WhatsApp. 

I think in the future when i travel I'm going to try Google project Fi. I'll order the Sim to my hotel to pick up when i reach the US next time i go through the US. Then put it in hold whenever I'm not traveling.

[Harvir_K]

I don't really travel to the same country's but Mexico. It's the only place i have traveled 4 times too. I would like the knowroaming because it gives unlimited data for 7usd per day.I have a fongo number too.

[mimmo]

Do you travel to the same countries?  might be worth it to get local sims especally if you return.

I have made a free fongo.com account for a canadan number.  it uses data or wifi.  before i leave canada I forward my calls to the fongo number.  and when i get wifi or data (local sim ) i can recieve and make calls as well as retrieve voicemails left on teh fongo account,

if you leave your PM sim in an old phone and turned on you can nstall an app which will forward smses to you.  I found this useful especially when some sites were asking for pin validation questions

[Harvir_K]

Thank you for replying. I will test this out in November. The only reason I didn't want to go to public was because of roaming but if this works I'm switching over.

[srlawren]

@Harvir_K I've never actually used them personally, but did look into them a little last year.  Here's some info I posted:  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Roaming-to-the-US/m-p/41803/highlight/t...

EDIT: whatever provider you do choose, you could always use this technique for phone calls: 

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Call-forwarding-my-number-with-a-differ...

[srlawren]

I think maybe @Acekiller has used them, he or she has posted quite a few times suggesting know roaming, such as this recent example:  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/Now-this-is-frugal/m-p/155494/highlight/t....

@hslmdjim also:  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/What-do-PM-users-do-when-they-travel-inte...

Possibly @Mixam:  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Public-Lab/Free-whatsapp-global-roaming/idi-p/107800 and @TheOldVR https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/Receive-call-while-travelling-via-Skype/m...