February, 2012:

Carriers often bombard you with slogans like “The fastest 3G network on this side of the Atlantic”, “The only 4G service in the US” and other marketing slogans. We at KeepGo decided to set things straight and answer a few questions we often encounter. How did we end up here? How does it effect the average user? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to these networks?

First, lets roll back the clock to the last few years of the 20th century – cellphones are spreading like wildfire. Their popularity is growing, and simultaneously so does the spread of the internet. Carriers are beginning to realize that this nifty device can be used for other ways than just for calls and texts.

Through time, data speeds grew more and more with the emergence of protocols like GPRS (2.5G) and EDGE (2.75G), which began offering speeds of up to 115kbps and 236kbps, respectively. As these cellular networks were mostly aimed at voice services, and data was only a welcomed (but not necessary) solution, the need for networks that could accommodate high-speed data services became a natural way forward. Though it took some time for handset manufacturers to catch up (namely, after the launch of the iPhone), the deployment of 3G (UMTS) networks enabled carriers to offer services and devices which are internet-centric and bring the WWW to the user. That, combined with the absorption of mp3 players, cameras and computers into the mobile phone has created the need for super-fast data networks.

Building on top of existing 3G infrastructure, carriers began offering higher and higher speeds with networks being upgraded to support more bandwidth – these networks are the 3.5G (HSPA, with speeds up to 14 mbps) and 3.75G (HSPA+ with speeds up to 84 mbps).

So this is now, but what’s next? The next step for cellular networks is 4G, and while most American would say “but T-Mobile already has a 4G network” – we beg to differ. T-Mobile’s “4G” network is actually 3.75G (HSPA+), offering users a speeds of up to 84 mbps (with future upgrades), but no faster than that. While to fall under the 4G umbrella networks must be able to offer end users with speeds of 100+ mbps. So in this case, even Verizon’s LTE network shouldn’t be able to call itself 4G, at the moment. So what can you expect from 4G networks? like we mentioned, 100+ mbps internet connections. This you the option to connect your phone to your TV and use it like VOD box. With today’s HD video technology you can use your phone to have conference calls at 1080p quality – anything that is today constrained by your carrier, will be able realize with 4G networks.

What are the advantages or disadvantages to these high-speed networks? Obviously, speed – 3G networks are a lot faster in terms of data than 2G could ever be. Voice – since 3G is able to carry a lot more data, this opens up bandwidth that can be used to carry higher quality voice calls (though most carriers have not implemented this possibility). Battery – an interesting thing about 2G networks is that they were much more battery-friendly. One of the reasons lies in the frequency they used – 2G networks worked mostly on the 900 range. At this frequency the radio waves are able to penetrate much deeper than higher frequencies - so if you live in a steel building or are in a basement, your chances of getting reception are much higher with 2G networks, making your phone work a lot less to maintain a signal, resulting in a better battery performance. To tackle this problem carriers needed to deploy a lot more antennas, to compensate for the reduced range.

As cellular devices and smartphones became an expected feature in our lives, so did the assumption that we can use them anywhere we please. But as roaming data costs have remained sky high, the ability to enjoy high-speed cellular services abroad became an expensive indulgence. We at KeepGo work very to hard to make that experience common and accessible. Next time you venture out and take your smartphone with you, give us a go – you will be able to enjoy the fastest network your destination has to offer, at a fraction of the cost your carrier will charge you.

Enjoy 3Ging…

Today we’re going to learn a bit about SIM cards.

Where do SIM cards come from? Should SIM cards be allowed to enter the United States? Are they taking away American Jobs? The answers is – from factories who make them, yes and no.

What is a SIM card, anyway?

The SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card is a small piece of plastic with an integrated circuit that holds your cellular identity information and allows your phone to connect to the cellular network. SIM cards are a feature that exists only on GSM networks, as all other cellular methods (CDMA, TDMA and iDEN) have the identity built into the phone itself, bypassing the need for a SIM card.
For the end user, the SIM card is basically his number, allowing him to port his number among any GSM phone that will accept his SIM card (the phone must either be locked to his carrier, or be unlocked – meaning accept any SIM card).

SIM card sizes

* SIM card (aka “full SIM”) – this is the big card, which holds either the MiniSIM or the MicroSIM inside of it. The full SIM is almost never used for phones, (no modern phone is big enough to use it). You detach the MiniSIM or the MicroSIM from the full SIM and insert into your phone. Size: 3.37 in. (L) x 2.25 in. (W) x 0.029 (T)

* MiniSIM card (aka “SIM”) – this is the traditional SIM that has been around for the last decade and a half. Fits 90+% of the models currently on the market. Size : 0.98 in. (L) x 0.59 in. (W) x 0.029 (T)

* MicroSIM card (aka “MicroSIM”) – This is the newest type of SIM card. Mostly used by Apple since launching its iPad(1) and iPhone 4. You can turn your MiniSIM into a MicroSIM by cutting in (by using a cutter or with scissors). You can also turn your MicroSIM into a MiniSIM by buying an adapter. Size: 0.59 in. (L) x 0.47 in. (W) x 0.029 (T)

Locked devices

Most carriers these days sell mobile devices on top of their other cellular offerings (voice, data and additional services). These devices have a few purposes besides calls – customer loyalty and satisfaction, increasing revenue from each user by embedding the carrier’s services etc.
One way for the carrier to make sure their devices (which are often subsidized) are used only on their home network is locking. The carrier would essentially lock the phone through software/hardware means to be unable to accept any other SIM card that is not the carrier’s. For the user, this makes it harder to switch to a different carrier (as you have to buy a new device), harder to travel around the world (as are unable to use different SIM cards that might lower your costs), and make it harder to sell the device later on (as you have to sell the device to people who already use your carrier).
The obvious solution is unlocking the device. Sounds simple enough, but as carriers will not benefit from unlocking their devices, they might be unwilling to do so. Often you can be able to unlock your phone through local phone shops, though not all devices can be unlocked by external means as some devices have high-level hardware and software security to protect them against such actions.
Our advice is if you’re able to unlock your device, we suggest doing so – you never know when you might need to pop-in a different SIM card.

Enjoy 3Ging…

As you probably know by now, international roaming fees can unleash a minor hurricane upon your finances. And like with any storm, you need protection.
Some people begin hunting for WiFi hotspots, like some invaluable pre-historic artifacts (wasting precious vacation time in the process). Others might completely turn off their phone’s radio communications (crippling their own phones. Intentionally). But others go the smart way – they buy a local SIM card from a local carrier. Because as any experienced traveler will attest, using the local carriers is the best solution for your overseas internet needs.

So what are prepaid SIM cards, anyway? Prepaid SIM cards are regular SIMs loaded with a certain amount of usage; they can have X amount of minutes and/or Y amount of text messages and/or Z amount of internet data. You use these services until they run out, once they’ve run out you will need to contact the carrier and ask to top-up, or will need to buy a new SIM card.
This is in contrast with postpaid SIM cards which charge you after you’ve used the carrier’s network. So the difference lies in the following logic – with prepaid SIM cards you know exactly how much you will be charged and thus control your expenses, while with postpaid SIM cards you have to control your usage to know exactly how much you’ll pay. When you’re traveling overseas and expenses pile up with a staggering rate (hotels, taxis, restaurants, attractions etc.) it’s nice to know that you can control your communication expenses and avoid cellular roaming charges.

Though prepaid SIM cards are the most logical and economical solution, they can be difficult to attain – to use local prepaid SIM cards you have to work quite a bit.

You need to make sure your phone is unlocked. You need to locate a local prepaid SIM card that meets your criteria (for example, 2 Israeli carriers sell prepaid SIM cards, they both offer the same package, but one costs 2X than the other – how/where will you be able to compare before buying?). You will need to change your phone’s APN settings to make sure you can use use the internet (some SIM cards will do it automatically, other won’t). Most SIM cards do not offer an extension period for your balance, so you might have to go out again and look for a place that sells SIM cards. If you encounter a service problem, you’ll usually have to deal with people who might not speak English very well (or at all), this can be problematic if you need to call the company’s customer support.

Luckily for the globetrotting community, KeepGo is able to provide international prepaid SIM cards with either a 1Gb, or an unlimited plan. KeepGo save you the hassle of going out and searching for a prepaid SIM card, by delivering it to your doorstep a few days before your travel date. So you don’t have to waste precious vacation time by walking a foreign city and searching for that one SIM card that will connect you to the Internet. KeepGo also provides 24/7 English speaking support and the ability to extend your rental period and data allowance with a single call to our trained support team.
KeepGo provides you with all the benefits of a local prepaid SIM card, with out the hassle that comes with it.

With your time abroad being limited by so many factors (costs, limited vacation days etc.), KeepGo saves you time and money by providing with the best technological and logistical solution to your roaming data needs.

Enjoy 3Ging…

Like we previously wrote in our post about location based services, there are some great benefits to using them. They allow you to experience a lot more, by providing you with the content you want, tailored to your location.
As any traveler, you often feel a bit lost – you don’t know the area you’re in, you’ll probably be unable to speak the local language, and just wandering about might not be a game you would like to participate in.

That’s why we’ve gathered some of the best apps in the location services sphere, and filtered the ones that will provide travelers with the best value on their travels.

Google maps (free) – As well as being a great navigation app, maps also offers reviews about local attractions, allowing you to learn a lot about the location you’re in. Maps also provides tools that are aimed at travelers, like navigation by foot and by public transport. Make sure to download it for your next trip, it’s an awesome app at an unbeatable price.

HearPlanet ($3.99) - HearPlanet truly has the traveler in mind. It’s so touristic, it’s almost unreal. It provides you with audio info based on your geographical location – they do this by reading out Wikipedia articles directly via app. With a over 300,000 locations around the world, HearPlanet is a great tool to learn more about the place you’re currently visiting.

Accuweather (free) – This is the weather app KeepGo‘s team turns to. Accuweather provides you the most detailed and accurate information among major weather apps. Though they use a lot of indicators to provide you with the latest weather updates, as this info is always well-organized and intuitive, you never feel lost or overwhelmed.

Waze (free) – As we previously wrote, Waze is a location based app that relies on crowdsourcing to provide you with information about the roads you’re taking. This information is then used to provide you with best possible routing and navigation. The biggest problem with Waze is its low coverage – currently having full map coverage in only a handful of countries.

TripAdvisor (free) – Pretty much anyone who’s ever traveled is familiar with TripAdvisor. This website is a vast pool of travel related information. With the TripAdvisor app on your iPhone or iPad you are able to tap that information, filtered to your geo-location – enabling you to chose the best hotels, restaurants and entertainment around you.

Airbnb (free) – Airbnb is one of the fastest growing start-ups in the US. It allows you to book anything from rooms to entire castles, from private individuals around the world, bypassing the hotel experience altogether. Every seller has a rating and customer support is available 24/7. So if you encounter any problem, Airbnb won’t leave you hanging.

Travelers Quest ($0.99) – Despite having the word “traveler” in its name – this app is more of a game than anything else. A GPS treasure hunt, to be exact. Not only is it a great way to spend a few hours, it’s also a unique way discover a new travel destination. If you’re in to wandering about and discovering new places – this app is the best of its kind.

Shaloc (free) – You can instantly share your location with your friends, family and even the police (if you have a secret crush on the big brother). The app provides real-time tracking by generating a www link to send around, and you can always stop sharing with the click of a button. For the modern traveler, this is just an easier way of telling everyone, “I’m fine, relax”.

SitorSquat (free) - When you’re out and about in a foreign place, you tend to eat, drink and relax. But “what goes in, must come out”. You can usually rely on local cafes and the sort, but this app will do you one better; SitorSquat will not only locate these public toilets, but provide user reviews(!). A simple, free, app that you may find indispensable at times.

Traveling is a great experience. But knowing how to take full advantage of it was a lot more difficult just a few years ago. Today, by using technology, travelers are able to tap into online and locations-aware tools, and use them to be more organized, knowledgeable and save hundreds of dollars in the process.
Though, mobile technology has advanced rapidly in the last few years, roaming prices have not kept up with this new playing field, and remained as high as ever. We at KeepGo, believe these technologies should be much more affordable than they currently are – so we decided to “disrupt” the roaming data market and offer 1Gb and unlimited international data SIM cards for as low as $7.99 per day, with 24/7 support and a 100% satisfaction gurantee.
Give us a try for your next overseas trip, we’re sure that once you experience what it’s like to be an KeepGo customer abroad, you’ll never settle for anything less.

As always,
Enjoy 3Ging…

What are location based services (LBS)? LBS are a way for service providers to let the user know what’s going on around him.
What is required for LBS to work? A mobile device with location based capabilities (GPS, preferably), a service provider that will provide the content, and an internet connection to be able to receive said content.
For example – let’s say you’ve just arrived in Barcelona. You get to your hotel, put your bags and head out to see the city. How will you know where to go (without planning ahead)? Which places are worth seeing? Which neighborhoods are too residential?
That’s where location based apps come in – you take your phone out, and use Google maps to search for the nearest place to eat, drink or catch a show. Since Google maps knows where you are, it can tell you what’s around you. And if an app knows your likes and dislikes, it can even provide you with tailored recommendations, based on previous interactions, or users similar to you.

There are a few specific examples of LBS – Waze and Yelp are the probably the most successful implementation of this.
In Waze’s case, a user base of around 11 million “wazers” provides never-ending updates about the roads in the area you’re driving in. The result is a steady influx of information that is relevant to the people driving these roads – information like; traffic, accidents, police speed-traps etc. The driver benefits by becoming extremely aware of what’s going on around him, and most importantly, ahead of him. Not only will Waze provide you with that information, it will also take these pieces of information into account when providing you with a navigation route to your destination.

Yelp is another demonstration of location and crowdsourcing, but with a totally different service. Yelp provides information about local business – so if you are looking for a local tailor, or want to know the best restaurant in downtown Indianapolis, Yelp can provide you with that information. But Yelp’s real strength lies in the reviews and feedback users provide it with, allowing for quick access to this stream of data about the places near you and their ratings.

Besides location crowdsourcing services (like Waze and Yelp), there are other ways LBS can be benefit consumers: Foursquare, is a social network – one that is built around users interacting with each other based on their location using their smartphones.

HearPlanet, is an app that enables the user to listen to recorded tours about the location they’re in – it’s like having a tour guide wherever you are. One of the most initial uses for LBS has been the weather – applications like AccuWeather are able to tell you the weather where you’re located – though it may seem basic, this service could not have been possible just 6-7 years ago.

So what are location based services? they’re services that provide you with information about the location you are in. If you’ve been living in the same place for 50 years, you probably won’t need them to learn anything new – but the next time you venture out (overseas, or not), download a couple of location aware apps to help you learn and experience more about your surroundings.

One last thing. All location based services use the web to provide you with the information you need. If you’re going abroad, the roaming charges will cost you quite a bit. Grab one of our international data SIM cards and save yourself the hundreds of dollars on all your travel data needs.

Enjoy 3Ging..