Hutch prepaid SIM card for your mobile phone

Isabelle · Nov 9th, 2003, 20:02

Hi everyone,

Just some info on buying an indian SIM card. I bought a Hutch prepaid card (280 rupees + 1000 rupees call time - expensive, but I needed a number for Singapore Airlines to reach me and it seemed useful for sending and receiving sms with friends and family back home). It sounded great: national and international roaming (so I would be able to use it in Nepal as well). But what they didn't tell me is that once you activate the roaming (which you need to do for use everywhere outside Kolkata) you can not use the card for outgoing calls anymore - only for incoming calls and for in and outgoing sms. This means you have to activate the roaming just before you leave Kolkata (or you wouldn't be able to call in Kolkata anymore either). If you don't, too bad... You cannot activate the roaming once you are out of Kolkata. Not even when calling their customer service and asking them to do it.

Hope this is useful information !

Ciao,
Isabelle

indiaguide · Nov 9th, 2003, 20:17

You can make call from Delhi and Mumbai ( while roaming with Hutch pre paid card ). You have to choose Hutch network in Delhi some time it's showing INA ESSAR and Orange in Mumbai.

pooch · Nov 9th, 2003, 20:25

Isabelle, give the Hutch customer service people a mouthful and they will activate roaming for you. I use two sim cards (bangalore/chennai) and I use the one with a higher balance when I am in neither of the two places. I did face the same situation as you and the Bangalore customer service warned me they will not do it for me again if I leave Bangalroe without actvating the roaming option, yet I have since done it another 3-4 times and received that many warnings

.

As to not being able to make outgoing calls once roaming, it is dependant on the network that associates with Hutch to provide the roaming facility, some allow you to make outgoing calls (Airtel for instance) and the smaller providers do not. Perform a search for networks available and choose the bigger provider.

Isabelle · Nov 10th, 2003, 16:00

Great, I'll give them another - angry - call !

Nov 9th, 2003, 20:02	#1
Isabelle Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 18	Hutch prepaid SIM card for your mobile phone Hi everyone, Just some info on buying an indian SIM card. I bought a Hutch prepaid card (280 rupees + 1000 rupees call time - expensive, but I needed a number for Singapore Airlines to reach me and it seemed useful for sending and receiving sms with friends and family back home). It sounded great: national and international roaming (so I would be able to use it in Nepal as well). But what they didn't tell me is that once you activate the roaming (which you need to do for use everywhere outside Kolkata) you can not use the card for outgoing calls anymore - only for incoming calls and for in and outgoing sms. This means you have to activate the roaming just before you leave Kolkata (or you wouldn't be able to call in Kolkata anymore either). If you don't, too bad... You cannot activate the roaming once you are out of Kolkata. Not even when calling their customer service and asking them to do it. Hope this is useful information ! Ciao, Isabelle

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Nov 9th, 2003, 20:17	#2
indiaguide Account Closed Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Calcutta(Kolkata) Posts: 331	You can make call from Delhi and Mumbai ( while roaming with Hutch pre paid card ). You have to choose Hutch network in Delhi some time it's showing INA ESSAR and Orange in Mumbai.

Nov 9th, 2003, 20:25	#3
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Middle East <---->India Posts: 384	Isabelle, give the Hutch customer service people a mouthful and they will activate roaming for you. I use two sim cards (bangalore/chennai) and I use the one with a higher balance when I am in neither of the two places. I did face the same situation as you and the Bangalore customer service warned me they will not do it for me again if I leave Bangalroe without actvating the roaming option, yet I have since done it another 3-4 times and received that many warnings . As to not being able to make outgoing calls once roaming, it is dependant on the network that associates with Hutch to provide the roaming facility, some allow you to make outgoing calls (Airtel for instance) and the smaller providers do not. Perform a search for networks available and choose the bigger provider.

Nov 10th, 2003, 16:00	#4
Isabelle Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 18	Great, I'll give them another - angry - call !

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