For only €10 (~$11.60) you can use WhatsApp for a year in 150 countries. Very cool, although it only provides basic texting functionality. Photos, videos, and other multimedia cost more using a credit system with variable pricing by country, according to @kfitchard at Gigaom.
@kfitchard@rrhoover I think basic texting is the critical component abroad. Main urgent use case is meeting people at specific dates/times without having data/cell coverage to contact them.
@kfitchard@rrhoover well well. careful here. 10Euros is the price for the sim card but then you have to pay for recharging it and you get credits that you can use based on the geography you re in and the type of file or message you re sharing.....not clear cut... http://www.whatsim.com/en/rates
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@kfitchard@rrhoover@ourielohayon@frankthousand this ruins the entire point of it, IMO. Their headline reads "Rates. All you pay is €10 and you can use it everywhere."
Yet, they have 6 zones and a complicated credit system. When will anyone learn that we already have the perfect "credits" system -- it's called money.
@roypovar@benln it is unlimited photos and videos isn't it? As long as the user is on whatsapp, they should be able to send and receive the two along with text.
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Very cool, does something like this exist where you can you just buy a SIM that works everywhere for data as well? The whole researching a prepaid carrier in a new country and signing up for a new plan once you land can be frustrating sometimes.
Obviously, T-Mobile in the US does this to some extent, but for those of us who don't have T-Mobile...
cool idea, but why limit it to only whatsapp? What about imessage and other competitors? Surely there's reason to lunch this in china and support LINE or something no?
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@altryne I also have the same question / confusion. I guess this is just a branding play. Otherwise, it's pre-paid data, right?
hmmm also, doesn't whatsapp use your phone number as your username? so this would mean a new sim = a new whatsapp? So all your friends would have to add a new number for you in their contacts?
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@altryne Super valid point. Didn't think of this at all. I bought 3 haha. They will make good backup emergency phones to toss in a car or give to my little sister.
@imcatnoone too true. I'm sure they will come up with something similar. I've been trying to get away from the telecom companies forever. This is perfect
I wonder if you can use Google Maps or similar, or if they blacklist everything except whatsapp traffic..mmmh A lot of times I am in a foreign country lost on the streets because I took the wrong turn. And data-roaming hurts :(
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