[UPDATE: The numbers quoted in this post are B.S. Skip it and go directly to the follow-up a week later, where we find out that the company’s CEO grossly misrepresented the savings on this card.]

Yet another reason to go with unlocked cell phones, or to ask your mobile carrier to unlock yours: a small Irish company called Cubic Telecom has created a $40 sim card that works in most phones built in the past 4-5 years, and that will let you make and receive calls anywhere in the world for rates that are 50 to 90% lower than current telecom rates.

One example: a 20-minute call from the Bahamas to the U.S. costs $60 on T-Mobile, but with this SIM card, the same call would cost $5.80. You can also request free local phone numbers in other cities, so you can give out your Paris or Sydney number, then go buy a copy of Wallpaper and pretend you’re a jet setter.

Now for the drawbacks: your calls will be carried over Internet connections, so you can expect lower audio quality and slight delays. And oddly, domestic rates are fairly expensive, so you wouldn’t want to use it to replace your current domestic plan. However, if you’re a frequent traveller, this can save you hundreds of dollars very quickly—or finally give you a way to keep in touch with friends, family, and co-workers on your limited budget.

“A Cellphone Without Borders” [New York Times]

RELATED
MaxRoam from Cubic Telecom

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.