Long gone are the days when we traveled abroad and remained cut off from our friends and family - so the connection either did not work, or left much to be desired, or was as expensive as two wheels on an airplane. Nowadays, traveling abroad and communicating with family, friends and the whole world is something taken for granted; mobile Internet is not a luxury, but the most necessary means of communication for an independent traveler.
Back in 2008, I bought my first tourist SIM card, GoodLine . There wasn’t much to choose from back then, so I didn’t think twice about it. At that time it was possible to buy such a SIM card only in Moscow, so I planned the purchase before leaving for the airport. GoogLine SIM card into my phone, and from that moment my love story began. Without exaggeration. I have been traveling with a GoodLine SIM card for 11 years now. She has never let me down. 8 years ago we bought a SIM card for my husband, now the eldest daughter decided to buy a SIM card for herself on a trip (I learned from my own experience how expensive roaming abroad is). In general, what I will talk about has been tested many times. And to all the undeniable advantages of this tourist SIM card is added a bonus from me and from the company - using my promotional code thesvetlana you get discounts :
- 10% — to the selected tariff plan,
- 5% - for replenishment,
- 5% - for related products,
- 10% - for gold numbers.
Advantages of GoodLine
The most obvious advantages of GoodLine compared to other SIM cards for traveling abroad:
- replenishment for any amount
- SIM card lifespan
- Possibility of connecting to the Internet with per-megabyte pricing
These two advantages distinguish this SIM card from other travel products. Let's look at each of the points in detail.
First, about the main thing - the lifespan of a SIM card. the GoodLine SIM card is almost eternal. I repeat, I have had it for more than 10 years. Why? Because the conditions are very loyal: initially there was a requirement that you need to top up your SIM card balance once a year so that it doesn’t get turned off. This is convenient for many - once a year travelers go on vacation, and here you don’t even have to use a SIM card, you just need to throw a little money at it! (I repeat – the replenishment amount is not limited, but we’ll talk about that later).
One day I forgot about this rule: I topped up one SIM card, but there was no need to top up the second, and then it was forgotten... In other companies it would simply be blocked or disabled forever (that is, you would have to buy a new SIM card at a very unfriendly price). Goodline simply sent me a letter in which they warned me that the SIM card could be disabled and asked whether I still needed it. I answered that I needed it, and the card was activated again.
It is worth noting: many SIM cards “die” six months later without making calls or topping up the balance. As they say, feel the difference!
Now let’s look at point number 1 – replenishing your balance (I’ll tell you about Internet tariffs a little lower).
Personal account functionality
Users of the GoodLine personal account have access to the following functions:
- Account status control.
- SIM card payment history.
- Control of account expenses, detailing of calls, GPRS services and messages.
- Top up your balance using a bank card.
- Connecting and disabling additional services.
Next, we’ll look at how to connect your personal account in the system.
How to top up Goodline
Replenishing your balance is the most important advantage of GoodLine : you can top up with the smallest amount (from 50 rubles), exactly as much as you need. What are GoodLine’s competitors doing with the replenishment? They set a minimum top-up amount: it can be 15 euros, or it can be 25 euros (I discuss this in detail in a comparative analysis of all travel SIM cards). Can you imagine if you had to top up your balance by that amount every six months just to keep your card active?
Methods for replenishing the balance of a GoodLine SIM card:
- Yandex-Money (5% commission) and electronic money in general
- at the central office in Moscow (commission 5%)
- online banking (list of banks - see website) (commission 5%)
- transfer from one card to another (5% commission)
- payment terminals and ATMs (10% commission)
- at GoodLine SIM card sales points: communication stores and travel agencies (5% commission)
- auto-replenishment from a bank card with a bonus of up to +20% (although the amounts for replenishing and receiving a bonus are significant). Auto top-up occurs when your card balance drops below $5, no fee
- by bank card (from 50 dollars - payment without commission and at the rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation), you can top up with an amount of 20 dollars in increments of 10 dollars.
In my opinion, the best ways to replenish are at the very beginning. I pay with Yandex Money, I pay from 150 rubles at a time. Very convenient, lasts a long time (for me personally: I don’t chat much, only the Internet, about which below).
Online technical support
Technical and information support is available to GoodLine subscribers around the clock, both by calling the call center 8 (800) 100-00-18 and online. The client can write about his problems with the network and wishes to the provider’s email or through the Internet feedback form. You will need to indicate your name, city, phone number or E-mail, then write the question itself. You can also use the request form for technical support of the site. It is located in the “My Services” section. The answer will follow as soon as possible.
Internet at Goodline
Personally, I am categorically against purchasing packages with paid megabytes. I judge by my needs, which include: checking email, instant messengers, correspondence on airbnb and online check-in for a flight + possibly social networks and blog posting. All this, even in two weeks, will not consume as much traffic as is offered in the smallest package. So why do I need it???
Of course, everyone’s needs are different, but that’s why I’m writing a review, to talk about all the capabilities of GoodLine in comparison with other operators.
The “Always Online” option makes it possible to use the Internet when needed. It is connected for 1 year, the first time you connect, $5 is charged, and then the per-megabyte tariff applies. Cost of 1 MB = $0.19. The option is renewable.
The Internet can withstand any load!
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Prices and tariffs Goodline
Let me consider, as an example, the conditions of the “GOOD-ROAMING” tariff (this is what you can purchase online with my discount using the promotional code):
— Free calls to Russia on Viber without internet
— Cost of calls to a Russian mobile (I list the countries offhand):
- from France - $0.29/minute
- from Germany - $0.29/minute
- from Israel - $0.49/minute
- from Turkey - $0.29/minute
- from the USA - $0.49/minute
— Incoming calls – FREE in 140 countries
— Direct dialing (no call back) — in the most popular countries of the world
— There is no subscription fee
Internet package coverage areas
- “Super Package” and “Package 1-2” coverage area : Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Albania, Anguilla, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Vatican City, Great Britain, Hungary, Vietnam, Haiti, Gambia, Guatemala, Germany, Gibraltar, Honduras, Hong Kong, Grenada, Greenland, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Israel, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Cayman Islands, Canada, Qatar, Cyprus, China, Colombia, Congo, Korea (south), Kosovo, Costa Rica, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montserrat, Nepal, Nigeria, Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, El Salvador, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Saint Barthelemy / Saint Martin, Saint Vincent / Grenada, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Singapore, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, USA, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turks and Caicos, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Faroe Islands, Philippines, Finland, France, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Estonia, South Africa, Jamaica, Japan.
- Coverage area of "SmartData 1-3" packages : Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Vatican City, Great Britain, Hungary, Vietnam, Guatemala, Germany, Gibraltar, Honduras, Hong Kong, Greenland, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Israel, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Canada, Cyprus, China, Colombia, Korea (south), Costa Rica, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, San Marino, St. Barthelemy / St. Martin, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, USA, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Faroe Islands, Finland, Philippines, France, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia.
- Countries in which the "Europe" package is valid: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, , Romania, Saint Barthelemy / Saint Martin, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia.
- The Baltics package is valid in the countries: Greece, Denmark, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Estonia.
- The “Always on-line” package is valid in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Greece, Denmark, Israel, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy , Kazakhstan, Cyprus, China, Colombia, Korea (South), Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, St. Barthelemy / St. Martin, Slovakia, Slovenia, USA, Thailand, Turkey, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Croatia, Montenegro, Chile, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia.
- The “Europe for $0.01/MB” option can be activated in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Vatican City, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania , Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia.
How to make calls using a Goodline SIM card
On old tariffs (like mine), calls are still made using callback. That is, the call process goes like this:
- you dial a number
- the system calls you back
- connection is established
- At the other end of the “line” they picked up the phone and the conversation began.
The first call will be a strange and unusual experience. Then, questions will no longer arise, especially since there will be no call back on the new tariffs in popular countries.
Well, I advise everyone who has read to the end of my longread to also look at the comparative analysis of operators in order to be even more convinced of the advantages of GoodLine .
Online application for connection
To connect to the service online, you need to visit the provider’s official website and fill out an application. In a special form, the user is required to provide personal data: first and last name, country and address of residence, date of birth, email address, mobile phone number for contacts, password to enter the account. After filling out the application, you will receive an email with a link that you need to follow to confirm your registration. Next, the user can log into his personal account using his login and password. Already in your account you will need to add a valid mobile phone number in the format 372XXXXXXXX. A message with a verification code will be sent to this number, which you will need to enter on the page.
In what cases will support not be able to help?
Support tries to respond to most requests from customers, both general and questions on technical topics. However, you need to take into account that there are a number of restrictions, namely:
- You should not use profanity when communicating.
- Do not be interested in the personal data of third parties.
- It is prohibited to request confidential information about the company's activities.
In other cases, managers will be able to help and answer incoming requests, both by telephone and online.
How to delete your personal account?
If the service agreement was concluded at the company’s office or at its representative office, you need to go in and write a statement refusing the services of the provider. After this, your personal account will be blocked automatically.
The same can be done in your personal account. Log in using your username and password and find the command to delete your account. The system will issue a warning that after this the subscriber will not be able to use the site’s services. You must agree to this by clicking “Yes.”
There is a third option: write to the site administration with a request to delete your account.
