Indian player launches global SIM card

Communications service provider, Jaxtr, has launched a pre-paid SIM card which offers voice, text, and data access  for international travelers so they no longer need to compare existing roaming plans.

International travel for both business and pleasure is rising in India, but travelers face challenges and difficulties communicating in a cost-effective manner while on the move. Jaxtr is looking to address this need. With the Jaxtr SIM card, which works in over 200 countries, the vendor says users can reduce high international roaming bills when traveling as it aims to offer the best local and international calling rates in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America and make international travel hassle-free.

With the Jaxtr SIM, travelers to the U.S., U.K., Canada, Mexico or anywhere in Europe or Asia can make local and international calls and SMS using their mobile phones. Travelers can start using the service as soon as they replace the SIM in their mobile phones. A single SIM can be used for voice, text, and data, and usage can be tracked and monitored on Jaxtr's Web site. The card can be used in multiple countries and multiple local numbers are provisioned automatically for each supported country. The SIM cards are available from travel agents and at airports, and can also be ordered online.

Jaxtr, though, is not the only Indian player in this market, as Matrix Cellular is in fact the leading telecom solution provider for Indian travelers. The latter caters to both business and leisure travelers, in addition to students studying abroad, and also provides both data and SIM services.

Times have changes as Indians travel a lot and are on the lookout for cost-effective communication means. Tapping this need, vendors such as Jaxtr will benefit from price-sensitive Indian travelers as well as businesses looking to control their travel communication costs. In addition, there are other corporate benefits including a consolidated bill for the entire company for all SIM cards used by the business, detailed usage reports,and expense controls broken down by individual and department usage and the archival of text messages.

That said, traditional methods of communication using mobile phones is also changing, especially with the introduction of mobile apps such WhatsApp, and the integration of Skype and Facebook. As consumers become more aware of the other options which can save them even more money, it's hard to judge at this point how successful global SIM cards from either Matrix or Jaxtr will be.