A modest press release Corbina lost among dozens of other public and Moscow Telecommunications completely on him had not responded. Or, more likely perceived as not very successful joke. And it is in vain: an interesting idea, and in the Russian conditions can be very useful. Quote: "... Corbina Telecom announces the introduction of a new single tariff for international roaming services. From now to Corbina Telecom subscribers value of one minute of any European country, as well as from Turkey and Egypt, was 36 cents, both for incoming and when outgoing calls. In this connection fee is a new service from 10 to $ 30 depending on the direction chosen by the subscriber. "
Initially puzzling. Corbina in Moscow and Moscow region network uses DAMPS (Digital AMPS). This standard, though a "close relative" GSM-type channel separation, but of no "transparent" GSM-roaming and can be no question - are too different, these two TDMA-standard. In Moscow, mobile communication Corbin (former network Vimpelcom) has enjoyed mostly by those who spoke for a long time and who need affordable and quality communications within the Moscow region. Serious drawbacks - a relatively expensive and "tied" to the number of vehicles, when replacing / selling the phone has to go to the office of the operator. However, the sickest place DAMPS network was always roaming, which is for subscribers in Moscow, there is only a few cities in Russia and Ukraine. The new service is designed to Corbina, to some extent mitigate this disadvantage. In some important features of GSM-roaming helped us to understand Alexander Egorov, manager of the mobile telephony Corbin. Especially for the Mobile-Review.
Price per minute of outgoing (only in Moscow) and incoming calls to any country in GSM-band really is 36 cents. To connect the "roaming" require GSM-Phone and SIM-card from a local operator. Convenient solution - is connected to Corbin universal apparatus Siemens S46, supports networks DAMPS and GSM-900. SIM-card can be purchased at the office Corbina or directly in the host country, in the second case would have to call / write to Corbin and report your phone number from a local operator. Indicated in a press release price "connections" ($ 10-30) just reflects the cost of prepaid-contract operator of the host country. Calls to Moscow or federal number Corbina forwarded to a local phone number and are billed at $ 0.36 Corbina / min., Incoming calls from operators in most countries are free. For a call to Moscow would have to recruit a dedicated virtual phone number. The system "learns" a preset number has been disconnected and then calls back to the GSM-phone subscriber Corbin (call back) and allows you to dial a phone number in Moscow. Thus, all outgoing calls are incoming and the local operator is not charged. Paid for the contract money is also not lost in vain - the positive balance can be used in the next trip (if the term of payment) or to spend on local calls. In the end, articulate balance "zero" calls home on the last day of the trip.
Technically the system is fully operational and service promise to run a commercial operation before the New Year. The first and only user "cunning roaming" is currently in France, and from reviews, to work the system does not complain. Until the end of resolved issues - development of a supplement to a contract of service and some administrative aspects.Not all service parts are exactly known - for example, Alexander had difficulty with a precise answer to the question whether in this mode is spent pre-paid minutes of outgoing calls (on idea should not). However, by the beginning of commercial exploitation of all should become clearer. By the way, as New Year's gift to future subscribers Corbin threatened to start selling phones Ericsson 280 at a special price of 29 dollars. From themselves, we note that the cheapest one available, we DAMPS-phone (Ericsson 300) was not the best solution for a number of these devices has been a sharp deterioration in voice quality when falling signal level is below a certain threshold. There is some doubt that the Ericsson 280 will work much better.
Is it worth ovchinka candle? Hard to say. Corbina subscribers are accustomed to take with you on trips around the country and overseas GSM-unit c SIM-card of one of the GSM-operators and many do not deem it necessary to "experiment". Go to the office of Corbina for SIM-card - additional confusion, calling home "in two passes was" not exactly comfortable. In many countries, buy a card IP-telephony and call home from a vending machine will be cheaper. However, more humane than a minute price for such a "crooked" roaming may be an important advantage. It remains to express the hope that Corbin attend to the acquisition of SIM-cards at least the most frequently visited countries.