Anyone used SIMsmart in Europe?
 

We have an upcoming trip for 2 weeks throughout Europe and I was looking at Toggle for phone service, but Toggle doesn't have cheap rates for Brussels or Luxembourg so they're out. Has anyone here used SIMsmart overseas? They're marginally more expensive than Toggle and their rates are flat across all EU countries we'll be visiting. We'll have to get a local SIM for SE Asia though.

I have never heard of Simsmart. I use a UK sim card to travel throughout Europe. The roaming rates and data rates are now fixed by the EU Commission. I have been burned once to many times with an international sim card. I do use a local sim when in the UAE.

Toggle is a little different than many of these carriers because it is Lycamobile. They are a major MVNO in these countries. Many of these ventures have been undercapatalized, without significant infrastructure.

I agree with the comment about the EU regs.

SIMsmart is at http://www.simsmartprepaid.com/.

So if the rates are regulated by the EU commission, can I get a SIM card from anywhere? Toggle doesn't cover Belgium or Luxembourg so that's why I initially avoided them.

Which countries? Maybe you can cover a few of them with Feel At Home from 3 UK.

Exactly.

Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, UK, France, Luxenbourg. Then for Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore I'll get a local SIM since any of the world SIMs are super expensive in SE Asia.

Red herring, I think. AIUI, OP would need a 3UK contract or bundle. Even then, only calls TO the UK would be at 'at home' rates. Other calls would be charged as roaming.

I'd be looking at Toggle for Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and France. If B and Lux are important, I'd look for a separate solution there - is there a combined B/Lux SIM?

Also works on PAYG as you can see on their website.

Though OP might want some data too... :o

You can do 3 PAYG for Feel At Home. If you do a £15 add-on, you get unlimited data, which you can use in FAH countries, but those are quite limited to where 3 has presence. Italy, Austria, Sweden and Ireland are ones that come to mind. France, Spain, Germany are all excluded.

Also, I think you have to be with 3 for at least three months to be eligible.

Well only you are going to know how much you will call whilst abroad, but dismissing Toggle just because of Belgium and Luxembourg seems a bit like cutting your nose off to spite your face? Or did you do some calculations that you could share?

I just picked this as it was on the SIMsmart site.

SIMsmart: France to Italy £0.28ppm
Toggle: International Roaming rates in all countries including toggle mobile countries (without local number) France to Italy £0.23ppm
Toggle: International Rates in toggle mobile countries (with local number) £0.03ppm

You are going to save a ton in "local number" countries, in my experience, which might help offset the cost.

I very much doubt I'll be calling anyone, I don't know anyone outside the US and I barely talk at all even when home. The key here will be data.

Toggle would not be a good choice, then. Their data rate in Toggle countries other than the UK is £0.15/MB.

I think if you go for PAYG it starts immediately. I haven't checked but recall someone mentioning this on another forum.

That link shows: which is pretty much what I said. * which is pretty much what I said. *Yes.

* OK, I said 'bundle', which in Three-speak is add-on. ;)

But OP seems to have changed the parameters: so it's a data only question.

The only time I can see calling would be in an emergency, otherwise data would be it. Might start another thread for data with the possibility of calling if the need arises.