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KnowRoaming
November 7, 2014
7:47 pm
MrB
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Will this add on "sticker" work with Speak Out?

November 8, 2014
7:30 am
46jimbo
Toronto
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Speakout doesn't work outside of Canada, so I would say the answer is 'No'.

November 15, 2014
5:09 pm
MrB
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Decided to email them to ask. Got a reply within two minutes (pretty impressive for a Saturday nights at 8 pm). Here is what they said:

KnowRoaming will work on any SIM card that isn't associated with a CDMA carrier.
As Speak Out is a reseller in Canada, it will function properly.

Hope this is the case as it would solve for the major weakness of Speakout (for me at least), the inability to travel with it. For light usage isn't this a fantastic solution? For heavy usage Roam would still be better but for security and only an occasional call or a few text messages this would be a great option.

November 15, 2014
5:14 pm
iamdrumming
Niagara Falls
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Not quite accurate. SpeakOut is not a reseller of Rogers. They are an MVNO. They do not resell Rogers packages/pricing, etc. Of course, you can roam with Rogers outside of Canada. You can NOT use SpeakOut at all outside Canada. No calls/data. Nothing.

November 15, 2014
9:22 pm
bridonca
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I am still trying to wrap my head around how Know Roaming works. My first impression is that is one big kudge looking for a solution.

iamdrumming: This might work with Speakout phones, because a KnowRoaming SIM sticks on a Speakout SIM card, and is supposed to kick in when the Speakout SIM is out of range. http://www.engadget.com/2014/0.....ng-review/

MrB: I have no idea if this will actually work with Speakout phones. It is not clear if it works with locked phones, not sure how good the software is, and as a huge kludge, not even sure if how reliable it is. Considering how easy it is to just swap a SIM card when you go to another country, or to just get another phone for cheap in the country you are going to be, I do not see the point in this solution.

November 16, 2014
2:04 pm
MrB
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Thanks all. I sent Know your response and they said it will work so long as your phone is GSM and unlocked (and not Blackberry) as you will be on their network not Speak Out. They refer to their adapter as a "sticker" which is sort of how it goes on but I think it is more of a "hijacker" but I can see why they wouldn't describe it that way. A virtual SIM? I agree that this is not for all (e.g. better options for even moderate users) but for someone like me that uses Speak Out (so no other out of country network option with my carrier), is a light user just for emergencies and primarily texts to "lost" family members I am travelling with, and doesn't want the hassle of having to find a new SIM card and provider each time I go to a new country this seems great. The advantages I see over getting a separate Roam Mobility (easy to get in Canada) or G3 SIM card are the potential for very low usage and therefore cost (could be zero cost if not used), longer 15 month minimum use expiry period and benefit of 3 cent per minute long distance while in Canada (although this could be a disadvantage if you have a Speak Out monthly plan that already includes LD in your minutes, I am not sure if this "option" can be turned off) and no need to remember to swap SIMs. For anything other than light use and for those who can pick up penny SIMs easily in each country they visit I agree there are much better options available but for people like me this looks to be an attractive alternative and if I do find a cheap SIM while travelling or my usage increases unexpectedly nothing is stopping me from swapping on the spot as I haven't committed to a plan (just have to use it once every 15 months to keep it active).