For those who are traveling abroad, roaming is among the most demanded services provided by Magti GSM.
   The peculiarity of the roaming service is that you can enjoy using your own number in different countries worldwide.
   During business or pleasure trips to foreign countries, our roaming service will allow you to stay in touch with your family, friends and business associates. You are called as usual so that the calling party may not even know that you are say… in Washington, Kuala Lumpur, Adelaide, Djakarta, Belfast or Nizhni Tagil.
   On arrival in a foreign country, there is no need to search for local operators' customer service offices and deal with them by means of an interpreter. You just take your handset out of your pocket and call.
   While roaming, the following additional services are retained: voice mail, short message service (SMS), mobile internet (WAP), call forwarding, call barring, conference, etc.

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   First of all Roaming is an agreement, based on the understanding between operators of the same standard.
   A roaming agreement is signed between MagtiCom and a foreign operator and the longer the list of roaming partners, the bigger the number of countries where you can comfortably travel.
   The roaming department of MagtiCom signs an international roaming agreement with each respective roaming partner, test sim cards are exchanged, different kinds of tests are performed and many other details are checked. And afterwards, when all the problems are solved and everything is settled, commercial roaming, based on the agreement between a foreign operator and MagtiCom, starts functioning.
   There are several types of roaming, but we will concentrate on automatic roaming within the GSM network, since during visits to a foreign country it is the host GSM network that provides the constant connection.

Technical side of roaming

   The roaming specifics differ in networks of various standards. Today the networks operating in GSM standard are the most up to date, widely spread, and have the largest coverage.
   In the “heart” of the cellular network - communication center, different types of databases exist. One of them, the local register HLR (Home Location Register) contains comprehensive information regarding subscribers of its own network and their status. The second database, the so-called “guest” register, is named the VLR (Visitor's Location Register). This register contains the data of the customers belonging to different networks, who at the present moment are using the services of the local network. The mobile handset automatically scans and finds the host network, and exchanges information. The sim card memory contains the address of the network (for instance MagtiCom) to which it is connected. Besides, each sim card is provided with a unique number (Identificator), IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), which is transmitted to the system during registration. The IMSI number begins with the Georgian network code and MagtiCom's mobile network number (282-02), which is followed by the unique number of the customer. The network, according to IMSI, checks whether the sim card is provided with roaming service and, if the response is positive, finds the information about the sim card in question in the HLR - local register. Afterwards this information appears in the VLR of the country where the customer roams at the moment and gives him the opportunity to benefit from the services he had in his native network.
   While roaming, your service is provided by MagtiCom, despite the fact that you are outside the borders of
Georgia, so before departure you should visit MagtiCom's customer service office and specify the details: coverage zone, operators and their tariffs (the majority of operators change their tariffs several times per year), rules of calling from abroad and handset using, numbers of customer service departments of the foreign operators, call duration rounding principles, etc.

Several issues for the customers
who often travel abroad

   In accordance to which country you are going to visit, define in advance the type of handset you might require. Customers that often travel abroad are aware that while roaming in the US they need a handset with 1900 MHz or iDEN frequency (you can not use a 900/1800MHz handset there). To solve this problem, Motorola offers you several types of handsets operating on 900/1800/1900MHz, as well as on iDEN system.
   While boarding a plane, passengers are warned at once that during the flight it is necessary to switch off mobile phones. We would like to remind you that this prohibition is not just a whim of air companies, but in many countries it is even a legal requirement. The electromagnetic waves of the switched on handset might cause serious damage to the electronic devices on board.
   Arriving in a foreign country you can switch on your handset right in the airport. When the automatic mode is selected on the handset, registration in the local network happens automatically. However, network selection manually is not a problem at all. The sequence of the manual search mode depends on the menu of the handset, though the principles are the same, despite the model of the handset. You have to choose a menu item related to Network Selection, then the sub-item about existing networks, or change network selection from Automatic to Manual. In this case, the display will show the codes or the names of the operators covering the area you are located in. In countries where roaming service is available with only one operator your choice is defined, but in countries where we have several roaming partners the choice is up to you. Tariffs, quality of service and knowledge of the coverage zone will help you to make your decision.
   You have to take into account that, despite your choice, you should pay attention to the code and the name of the operator displayed on the handset, as a weak signal might be the reason for automatic connection to another operator's network with a stronger signal. In such a case you will have to select the network once again.
   As experience shows, the advance sum left before your departure might be spent before your return to Georgia and you might get disconnected from the roaming services. You can avoid this problem by checking your balance and leaving in advance the sum before departure, taking into account your expenses. You can recharge your balance by transferring money from abroad, or this can be done in Georgia by other people. In both cases the roaming service will be restored easily.