Wednesday, March 16, 2011

International Mobile Wireless Telecom Service Providers

Advancement in information and communications technology has transformed the world telecom sector into a booming industry. Mobile wireless has become an instant hit because of the fact that it simplifies and revolutionises communication. The reach of mobile wireless is increasing by leaps and bounds. The success of wireless communications lies in the capability to offer instant connectivity anytime, anywhere and the ability to provide high-speed data services to the user. The mobile technology has come a long way and is ever evolving. It has truly made the world a global village.

Here are some of the best International Mobile Wireless Telecom Service Providers:

Vodafone

Vodafone is a British multinational mobile network operator offering telecommunication services in 31 countries. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunication network company, based on revenue. Based on subscribers, it is the world's second largest mobile phone operator behind China Mobile. The name Vodafone comes from voice data fone, chosen by the company to reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones.

China Mobile

China Mobile provides mobile voice and multimedia services through its nationwide mobile telecommunications network, the largest of its kind in the world. It is also the most valuable mobile telecommunications company in the world and a state-owned enterprise. It is listed on both the NYSE and the Hong Kong stock exchange. Moreover, it is the world's largest mobile phone operator, with over 508 million customers, the largest Chinese company listed overseas and the largest telecom in Asia.

Orange

Orange is the brand used by France Telecom for its mobile network operator and Internet service provider subsidiaries. It is the fifth largest telecom operator in the world, with over 189 million customers as of 2009. The brand was created in 1994 for Hutchison Telecom's UK mobile phone network, which was acquired by France Telecom in August 2000. Orange is now the unique commercial facade of almost all France Telecom services.

Telenor

Telenor is a telecommunications company in Norway, with headquarters located at Fornebu. Today, Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, working predominantly under the Telenor brand. It is currently ranked as the sixth largest mobile phone operator in the world, with more than 172 million subscribers. In addition, it has extensive broadband and TV distribution operations in four Nordic Countries.

Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel is an Indian company offering telecommunication services in 18 countries. Bharti Airtel was ranked as the best performance company in the whole world by the Business Week magazine in 2007. It is the largest cellular service provider in India. Moreover, Bharti Airtel is the world's third largest, single-country mobile operator and fifth largest telecom operator in the world in terms of subscriber base. Its operations are based upon GSM technology and it has also forayed into broadband and fixed line telephone services.

So many introduced the concept of local connectivity in India, by offering country-specific international SIM cards. We ensure that you stay in touch without paying huge mobile bills. Moreover, since the cellular phone/data connections are local to the country you are travelling to, you enjoy better coverage and connectivity.

Cheap Calling Cards

As soon as the cheap calling cards were introduced, many people started to use them as they put an end to the costly international calls. A calling card is a telecommunication product that allows you to buy talk-time in advance (in case of prepaid) for making long distance phone calls. Calling cards enables you to make cheap domestic as well as international telephone calls. It's often much cheaper than making phone calls from your own home or even using your cell phone.

Advantages

Calling cards are of two types, the first one is prepaid calling card. In this type, you are supposed to pay in advance to make any call or to use other services. You pay a certain amount for the calling card and receive cheap per minute calls. And another type is postpaid card, in which you have to pay your phone bills at the end of the month and in the mean time you can enjoy endless credit with it. Both the cards are reasonably priced and beneficial for you. One more advantage of cheap calling cards is that you are not bound to sign any sort of contract for any given period of time. These cards also come with auto-recharge facility and thereby reducing your headache that whether you are having the balance or not.

Disadvantages

Prepaid calling card involves the hassle to search for a landline or a mobile phone with local connection to make calls. It is an inconvenient way to stay in touch while travelling abroad. Moreover, prepaid calling cards only allow one-way communication. Your loved ones would not be able to contact you anytime, anywhere. Prepaid calling cards are a hassle as it expires when the credit limit is over and you will have to go around trying to buy another one. This can cause trouble during emergency situations or to a traveller who wishes not to have any interruptions while on the move. With a prepaid calling card, you will also have to pay additional service charges.

Where to Find & How to Use

You can buy cheap calling cards from retail stores as well as online. To make a call using your prepaid calling card, you need to enter an access number or an authorisation code. Call charges are deducted from your prepaid account balance. There are certain things that you should keep in mind before purchasing:

What are the calling rates?
What is the expiry date?
Is there any hidden cost?

Going Abroad- Don’t Forget to Get an International Roaming SIM

In this global communication era where people usually travel from one place to another, remaining connected is the main necessity of each one of us. Millions of people from around the world travel each year for various purposes such as business, leisure, recreational or educational. If you are planning to move overseas for any of these purposes, you need to stay in touch with your family and friends. Calling is certainly one of the most comfortable mediums of being in touch with each other. If you use your home mobile phone abroad, you will end up spending a fortune as international roaming charges are very expensive. So if you are going abroad, don’t forget to get an international roaming SIM card which is also known as global roaming SIM card.

Earlier, people making a trip abroad were never able to make international calls so easily. Hefty amount associated with international calls always avoided the people to make calls to their near and dear ones. If they were making any international call, the duration of the call was always kept in mind to get rid of excessive expenses. Now the time has changed. You can make use of global roaming SIM cards to make calls at reasonable rates to your loved ones. These cards have proved to be the most appreciated way of communication and that too at affordable rates. There are number of offers provided by different service providers on these global SIM cards so that you can have fun while making international calls.

International roaming cards are the cost effective media for the people moving in a foreign country. It is definitely one of the best means of efficient communication universally. Global SIM cards are dynamic and compelling means of communication. It serves according to your need. If you are travelling to more than one country, you can avoid excessive roaming charges with International roaming SIM cards. You get the opportunity to stay in touch whilst you travel without spending a fortune in roaming charges. An international roaming SIM card is inexpensive as compared to other options available for international calling. This card will not cost you much upfront and, once you have one, you will save up to 60% on your mobile bill. I am pretty confident that you would love to keep your money in your own pocket.

By using a global roaming SIM card, you can keep track of your expenditure. Most International SIM cards are prepaid so you know exactly how much money you are spending. If you take an international SIM card, you won't get a nasty global roaming phone bill when you get home. Moreover, an international SIM card makes it easy and convenient to keep in touch with those back home. It is not always easy to get a calling card or access to a landline whilst you are travelling abroad. A global roaming SIM card is undoubtedly an economical and trouble-free way to stay connected with your friends, family and colleagues.

International Roaming Rates

Communication is a primary and universal activity that serves to connect all. With the advent of communication technologies, the world has transformed into a global village and much of the credit goes to cell phones which assure easy and hassle free communication. Calling is certainly one of the most effective modes of connecting people, but it is not always feasible to use this medium as it is expensive mainly when it comes to international calls. Tourists while in a foreign country face a lot of problems because of International Roaming Rates.

When overseas travelers make calls to their home or any other destination, they have to pay dearly for the calls that include costly International Roaming Rates. Moreover, they have to pay the roaming charges even when they receive a call. Living overseas and checking all important mails on home phones can also cost you in excessive. To chuck out global roaming charges, international SIM cards are available. An international roaming SIM card is a small chip that connects your mobile phone with a local wireless carrier in the country you are travelling. International roaming card came as a great advancement for communications, particularly for long distance calling.

Matrix Cellular offers cost-effective international roaming SIM cards for over 30 countries including USA, UK, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Being a leading worldwide SIM card provider, we offer cheap International Roaming Rates with great service. We do not provide prepaid international calling cards or postpaid international calling cards. Instead, we provide postpaid SIM cards for Indians going abroad. Choose your best international SIM card with us and reduce your calling costs whilst you are travelling. You can shun enormous roaming charges with an International SIM card and keep in touch with people back home without worrying about coming home to a huge mobile bill. With an international SIM card you can save up to 60 % of your roaming bill with tariff plans designed to suit your travel plans.

Stay connected with family, friends, business associates without spending the world on it. Buy a Matrix roaming SIM card and avoid 'bill shock' while on the move. Matrix Cellular’s global and country specific SIM cards are tailored to meet individual's needs. Global SIM card from Matrix enables you to automatically make and receive calls, send and receive data, or access other services when travelling abroad. With Matrix international roaming SIM card, you will only pay for incoming calls in some countries and in many countries you will not pay anything to receive calls. These SIM cards offer you huge savings particularly if you need to communicate regularly.

Benefits offered by Matrix in a nutshell
* Cheap International Roaming Rates
* Free incoming calls
* All outgoing calls at local rate
* No roaming charge for international calls
* International roaming in over 30 countries
* A phone number which you can carry through any part of the world
* Free incoming SMS
* Voicemail
* Save up to 60 % on international roaming

Don't Forget to have Mobile Phone Accessories while Travelling

Our life is strewn with gadgets these days but some of the flashiest ones have been mobiles and along with that comes their accessories. One can not think of a mobile handset without a battery, a phone charger, hands free, a mobile cover or a Bluetooth headset (being the latest addition). A good and useful accessory compatible to the handset helps in increasing the utility of the set. There are various local and international brands available in the market with different price tags to suit different pocket sizes. Although there is a variety of accessories vying for consumer’s attention but some of the most popular ones are those that have a daily utility.

Mobile phone charger: generally available with the purchase of a new handset but if it is lost or becomes non-functional then replacements are also available. Apart from the AC chargers traveling chargers for those who are frequently on move are also there.

Battery: they are the heart and soul of a handset and if a battery gets dysfunctional by chance then a ready replacement is not far away.

Bluetooth head set and hands free: They have become a synonym to modernity and are useful to the core. They leave the user free to work, drive and walk along with communicating on the phone. Hands free or an earphone also double up as a handy tool for mobiles that are dedicated to music as a good quality earphone, which drowns out the outside noise, is much in demand by music lovers.

Mobile covers: They provide protection to the handset from most of the physical damages and scratches. Again a wide range of mobile covers both local and branded are flooding the market. Branded and expensive leather covers, holsters, cases which can be carried otherwise tucked in the belt have become a lifestyle statement. Designer mobile pouches made with an eye on the women consumers have also made their mark. Apart from leather, manufacturers are also providing other eco-friendly options such as fabric and jute which are mostly handmade.

Back covers: Trendy back- covers in various colors help in changing the outside look of a phone if one gets bored by them. If back cover gets broken due to rough handling then too one need not worry as replacements are easily available.

Data cables: These cables can be attached to one’s system and data can be easily transferred from the system to the phone or vice-versa. This takes a very less time as compare to Bluetooth transfer or infrared transfer. It comes normally as a free addition with purchase of almost all mobile phones. An average user uses this to transfer music, videos and photographs.

Memory cards: Today mobiles come with an in-built memory with an option of expanding it to many GBs. With the increased use of phones as an mp3 player, camera and video recorder high amount of memory is much in demand. Various brands such as Sandisk, Kingston, Sony, Lexar provide options of memory cards starting form 512kb up to many GBs.

Accessories provide fun based utility and gives a new look to even an old phone. But one should be aware of the compatibility of an accessory with one’s phone before shopping for it.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Factors to consider before deciding to study abroad

Owing to the expanding vistas in education and the relative ease of gaining admission to foreign universities, many students are considering studying abroad to improve their chances of a better career ahead. However, before taking this step, there are many things that need to be considered. Following is the list of the main areas of concern:

· Do the courses offered fit into the course of study? It is a very unfortunate situation if a student is forced to graduate one or two semesters late just because the course taken abroad does not fit into the planned curriculum. To avoid this, the moment a student realizes that the course offered at a particular institution is not as per his/her requirements, or does not give the required amount of credit for the courses it is offering, it's best to send emails to check for alternatives.

· Language: Often undermined by many as a very minute point of consideration, language does, in fact, play a big role, since the student not only has to study abroad, but also live, interact and socialize with people, things that can not be avoided. A majority of Indians prefer going to the USA, UK and Australia not only because these countries offer the highest quality of education, but because English is a known language in India, and one does not have to undergo training for the same.

· Social surroundings: Something that is seen as a welcome gesture of openness can easily be taken as an offence in another country, where the culture might be totally different. In a similar manner, something that is seen in India as socially unacceptable might be the order of the day in another country. So, before deciding where to pursue studies, it's best to study a bit about details like the night-life, social customs, gender dynamics, etc., since it might be the case that the city sleeps too early, or the culture is too open for one's liking. As mentioned above, the student does not only have to study there, but LIVE abroad as well.

· Food: Similar to the language factor, the kind of food available too, plays a vital role in deciding whether that the person will be able to survive in the country being considered or not. Many people are allergic to certain substances, which might be basic ingredients in all dishes at the new destination,while some might just not like the dishes being cooked in a particular cuisine. All in all, this factor also needs to be considered.

· Communication: Owing to the difference in the exchange rates, and the fact that calling rates in foreign countries are much more expensive compared to India only makes the situation all the more complicated. However, now there is a solution to allow students to keep in touch with family and friends without having to spend a fortune. Matrix international sim cards give as much as 80% concession compared to regular calling charges, and deliver fantastic voice clarity and network coverage.

Monday, October 25, 2010

International SIM Cards - Stay Connect while travelling Abroad

It's a small world out there due to rapid development in telecommunication sector. People are in constant touch with their near and dear ones through their mobile phones. However, one faces the real problem in staying connected when he/she travels abroad. While travelling abroad is no easy task and the Internet may provide reason for tech-savvy Smartphone owners who remain planted within the borders of their home nation, the World Wide Web suddenly becomes a whole lot less easy to track down once you land on foreign soil.

Staying connected means in general terms having access to voice communication and Internet at all times. GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) is surely a winner in global communication as there is no developing nation in the world that doesn't support GSM, so if you're looking to talk on your mobile while in a foreign land, go for mobile handsets with 3G support. 3G support is required because many nations won't have network support for any technology that's older than 3G technology. If your current mobile is equipped for voice communication overseas, it is great news. But if it is imperative to make and receive calls on your exact mobile number, you will have to pay dearly to enjoy the privilege. International voice minutes on a cell phone are absurdly expensive, even with prepaid global minute packs from your very own carrier. It is a bad or costly idea to use your existing mobile number to make/receive calls outside of the country. However, all of these values can shrink if you purchase a monthly global calling plan or pre-pay for global data, but mind you, it is never "cheap" to roam. So do not ever, under any circumstance, roam with your local mobile connection. You'll never pay off the roaming bill. Just rent an unlimited WiFi, SIM card, or entire WWAN card for around $20 to $30 per day in most places. Proactive users can rent one ahead of time to avoid the hassle post-landing.

In case you need to make voice calls from your mobile while outside of the country, you can do so thanks to Skype, which is an affordable way to make and receive calls when you're abroad. If you intend to use your own phone internationally, buy a global roaming plan before leaving, and attempt to use Skype whenever possible and use those only as informational minutes. Just ring your carrier and ask about global roaming packs - they'll be happy to oblige. Skype is currently available for Android, iPhone OS, BlackBerry OS and Windows Mobile, so the vast majority of existing Smartphone owners should be taken care of. Before heading out on your journey, add a $10 or $20 credit onto your Skype account, which will allow you to make calls back to your homeland from $0.021 per minute. Just because some carriers will allow you to make a Skype call over 3G, it doesn't mean you should. It will mean that you have to pay for Skype and data roaming charges for a single call. Always stay in a hotel, hostel, resort or tent with gratis internet access, preferably WiFi so your Skype-enabled mobile can connect easily.

In most European countries, CDMA based mobile phones won't work as they have GSM infrastructure only. It is almost always the best and cheapest to rent an international SIM card or mobile phone, thankfully most of the major international airports have phone rental shops where you can get the best deals. Apart from running into language barriers, the biggest pain is communicating your temporary phone number to your loved ones back home, while simultaneously telling them that it'll cost them dearly if they need to dial up that international number. One thing to be mindful of here, however, is that some nations do not allow for inter-carrier texting. If you and your buds are heading over someplace, it's smart to all rent mobiles / SIM cards from the same carrier. An old school calling card is also a great way to phone home so long as your hotel doesn't ding you for calling out to a toll-free number.