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Simgo takes the sting out of roaming charges

Simgo turns your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phone into a local native and dodges those shocking international costs.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read
Simgo is a special iPhone or Samsung Galaxy case that cuts out wallet-melting international roaming bills. Simgo

Anywhere I roam, where I lay my head is home. If only that was the case for the humble smart phone, which as soon as you board a boat, plane or dirigible magically transforms into a pocket-sized money-vampire, international roaming charges sucking money straight out of your wallet with every call, text or data connection.

But to help you relax and enjoy your vacation, business trip or hot-footed flight to somewhere without an extradition treaty, Simgo turns your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phone into a local native and dodges those shocking international costs.

Off the beaten path I reign

At present, to use your phone when you head for foreign climes, you need to either hunt for an elusive Wi-Fi hotspot; or you have to buy a SIM card when you arrive and tell everyone your temporary number; or you have to go through the wallet-melting expense of roaming on your home SIM, complete with the delightful surprise of a massive bill waiting on the mat when you return home. Basically, it's a big ol' rigmarole.

Enter Simgo. Simgo is a case for your phone that takes over the job of your SIM card. You take out your SIM card and attach the special protective cover to your phone, which then acts as a virtual SIM card. So no matter where you go you're not stung with exorbitant international rates -- and best of all you're still on your own number.

Simgo cases fit the Samsung Galaxy S2, S3 and S4, and the iPhone 4, 4S, iPhone 5 and 5S. It works with an app available from the Google Play or Apple App Store.

I'm free to speak my mind anywhere

Each time you travel you tell the app that you're going overseas and it assigns you a local number for local charges. But it also switches on call forwarding so your calls are made with your usual number, and people can still call you on your regular number. The service works on 3G and 4G networks in over 30 countries across North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Here's the full list:

  • Argentina
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • China
  • Czech Republic
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • India
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Ireland
  • Malta
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Singapore
  • Spain
  • South Africa
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • UK
  • Ukraine
  • United States

Simgo is an Israeli company and will show off the roaming case at Mobile World Congress 2014, the annual phone and tablet extravaganza where the year's coolest kit is unveiled -- check out our in-depth coverage for news, previews and hand-on first impressions of all the gadgets you need to know about.