KnowRoaming, the company behind the roaming SIM "stickers" that popped up on Kickstarter last year, has begun shipping
its device to the first 500 backers. The $35 pre-order kit, which
includes a SIM sticker and a single-use applicator, enables
international roaming at rates far lower than what you'd normally get
with your carrier (unless, of course, you're using a Simple Choice plan
with free global data from T-Mobile). What makes KnowRoaming unique, however, is a design that integrates with your existing SIM.
Once you attach the sticker to your carrier-issued card,
your unlocked smartphone will detect when you've traveled abroad,
switching your device over to a partner network. Current rates range
from 13 cents per MB of data, 9 cents per minute of talk time and 16
cents per text in the UK, to a whopping $34.80 per MB, 27 cents per
minute and $1.07 per SMS in Chad (though most countries offer tariffs at
the cheaper end of the spectrum). CEO Gregory Gundelfinger plans to
ship between 25 and 50 sets each day, so if your sticker isn't in this
initial batch, you can expect to have it at your door soon.