Keeping in contact can be a chore if you’re travelling, but Italian company ChatSIM is offering a new service which lets you send unlimited messages through popular instant messaging platform for one low cost.
The ChatSIM SIM card supports unlimited instant messaging through apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, WeChat and many more. The focus is on instant messaging but ChatSIM also gives you an option – for an extra cost – to send video, pictures and even make calls if required.
It’s pretty simple to setup, you purchase a SIM card from ChatSIM, then pay your yearly fee – with the first year effectively costing $42 + shipping ($10.81 to Australia).
ChatSIM is looking to make getting the SIM card easier making them available in 24 airports around the world. At this stage there’s no plans to launch in any Australian airports as yet, but depending on how the initial rollout to international airports goes, we could see Australia added in the next wave.
Once you’ve got your SIM card you can then recharge yearly for just $21, or if you want to add on multimedia for calling, sending videos or pictures you just pay the additional cost. The multimedia add-ons are sold in credit bundles, 2,000 credits gets you 200 photos, or 40 videos or 80 call minutes for an additional $21 or you can go up to 5,000 credits for $52.50 or 10,000 credits for $105 adding more multimedia you can send.
We’ve got a ChatSIM SIM card on hand and we’re going to be giving it a go to see how it handles life on the go. It may not be for everyone, but the option to load up a SIM for $21 a year and hand it off to a child so they’re in contact at all times is pretty attractive for anyone on a tight budget. If you want to check it out head over to their website and see what you think.
Your “Source” link is going to the ad management site rather than Chatsim.
Fixed!
More importantly, can it receive SMS messages world-wide? That’s a pretty important requirement for 2 factor authentication on a lot of sites. Most notably, Paypal.
We’ll test this and report back.
It can receive SMS just fine. Just can’t send them. They have a UK phone number.
This is interesting, especially for kids. Is it able to receive calls on the basic cost?
I’m led to believe not; for starters, it won’t have a domestic number in Australia, so it would be very expensive, and from what I’ve read elsewhere, incoming calls are restricted. For kids a long-term prepaid is probably best, with restrictions on what apps they can install etc.