FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There are no monthly fees or connection charges for using OneSimCard international cell phone service.

If you order an optional Personal Extra Number (PEN), there is a small periodic fee to keep the PEN active based on how you choose to be billed (from $1.67 per month). There is also an additional charge to receive a call through any Extra Number. View our Rates & Coverage page and click on any country to view our available Extra Numbers and associated costs.

Direct Dial calling allows the caller to enter the international  call prefix, country calling code and telephone number and then be directly connected to the person they are calling. This is how you dial when using your regular mobile service. Direct Dial Calling is standard on the OneSimCard Europe & More, OneSimCard Universal and eSIM.

Callback calling also allows the caller to enter the international  call prefix, country calling code and telephone number. After the called number is entered, the user immediately receives an incoming call connecting the user to person called. Callback is very simple to use and allows for low cost calling on the OneSimCard Plus and OneSimCard Expedition (formerly Data & Roam). Callback does not increase the connection time. It is the same as with Direct Dial.

There are two ways for SMS message to be sent:

• From the OneSimCard application menu called OneSimCard - TravelSMS. To send the message, you need to locate OneSimCard menu on the phone and then scroll down to TravelSMS menu. Sending text message this way is the least expensive and will cost you 15 cents per message from any country.
• Usual way from SMS sending menu of the phone. It cost 40 cents per text message from most countries with the exception of few countries where the rates are higher.
  Find detailed rate information here.

Bear in mind that sending SMS messages to the abbreviated special SMS destinations like voting, music downloads, etc. will cost you $9.00 per message.

 

This does not apply to DataMax SIM cards.

The  eSIM World, eSIM Asiania, OneSimCard Europe & More and Universal SIM cards do not use the callback to make an outgoing call in over 70 countries.

Currently, the mobile application to remove the callback on other SIM cards is not available.

Note: You can always dial 00 instead of + when making outgoing calls. For example, to reach OneSimCard customer service in the USA you can just dial 001 617 3138888.

You should consult the phone manual for this info. Different manufacturers have specific ways to access the '+' key, so make sure you know yours.

Here are few known ways:

• Bosch: Press and hold the star (*) key until the "+" sign appears.
• Motorola: Press and hold the zero key until the "+" sign appears.
• Nokia: Press the star (*) key twice in rapid succession.
• Pocket PC: Pull up the keyboard, hit the <123> button in the top left corner, and select "+" from the resulting screen.
• Samsung: Press and hold the zero key until the "+" sign appears.
• Sony Ericsson: Press and hold the zero key until the "+" sign appears.
• Treo 270: Press the blue button and then the "G" key.

SMS messaging usually works without any additional setup of the phone.
In rare cases when there are issues sending or receiving text messages, please look at the following:

Problem with Sending SMS:

• Incorrect SMSC number (SMS Service Center Address) in handset settings.

SMSC number should be set as follows:

 

1. For Standard  and Plus OneSimCard SIM: +3725099000 for all countries except:

a. China:  +85290296747

 

2. For the Expedition (former Data & Roam) SIM as well as for Europe & More SIM: +37256100041

 

Special instructions for Apple Phones:

With Apple iPhones to check SMSC:

From the phone dialer Dial *#5005*7672# 

You will see the SMSC set currently on the phone. 

To change the SMSC on Iphone dial: 

Plus and Standard SIMs: **5005*7672*+3725099000# for all countries except China and **5005*7672*+85290296747# if in China.

Expedition (formerly Data & Roam) and Europe & More SIMs in any country: **5005*7672*+37256100041#

 

• NOTE: It is important to have the "+" symbol entered in front of the SMSC number.
• You can find locations of the Message Settings menus for different phone models here.

If your phone requires the name of Message Center Name enter: SMSC
SMS lifetime is short - must be at least 2 hours or set to Maximum settings.
Try sending SMS from OneSimCard menu

 

 Problem with Receiving SMS:

• Receiving Handset does not have enough free memory for incoming SMS.
• Receiving Handset was turned off or out of the coverage area during SMS lifetime set on the sending phone - usually 2 hours.
• Sender's SMS provider does not have an agreement with the receiving network.

Local carriers in Saudi Arabia sometimes block standard OneSimCard outgoing calls. If this happens you need to either (a) enter a compatibility code into the settings of your phone or (b) initiate your call by sending an SMS message from the regular SMS menu (not the OneSimCard menu) of your phone.

How To Activate Compatibility Mode:

0. Open "OneSimCard" menu
0. Select "Settings"
0. Agree with message by pressing "Yes"
0. Dial digits "802" and select "OK" (screen will show message "output channel is SMS")

Bear in mind that if you have powered your telephone down and removed and reinstalled the battery, you will need to follow the programming steps outlined above again.

How To Deactivate Compatibility Mode:

0. Open "OneSimCard" menu
0. Select "Settings"
0. Agree with message by pressing "Yes"
0. Dial digits "801" and select "OK" (screen will show message "output channel is USSD")

How To Dial Without Activating Compatibility Mode:

Initiate your call by sending an SMS message from the regular SMS menu (not the OneSimCard menu) of your phone.

For example, to call from Saudi Arabia to Boston USA you should go to the SMS menu of the phone and send a message:

 

There are no special instructions to receive calls in these countries.