Telestial

Telestial began operations in September 1999 and was founded by former telecommunications consultant Ken Grunski, after frustrations with calling during travels in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. By establishing dealerships with wireless carriers overseas, Telestial was able to offer travelers a local cell phone service at local rates. Telestial became incorporated in February 2000 and launched telestial.com in June 2000, offering two dual-band GSM 900/1800 handset and local prepaid sim cards from seven countries including Germany, France, UK, and South Africa. This is the first time that local SIM cards were available to consumers in the US and around the world, for purchase outside their respective host countries. Telestial is an alternative to an expensive phone rental and convenient but expensive international roaming.

In 2003, Telestial introduced the HopAbroad service for North American travelers. This was the first international prepaid roaming SIM that offered a single flat rate for coverage in 70 countries.{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Calling-all-travelers-anywhere-in-the-world-2579416.php|title=Calling all travelers -- anywhere in the world / Technology allows for more options|date=2 November 2003|work=SFGate|access-date=14 October 2014}}

In March 2007, with local prepaid SIM cards and dealerships covering over 70 countries from New Zealand and Fiji to Tanzania, Sweden and Brazil, as well as the Explorer and Passport international roaming SIM cards,{{cite web|url=http://www.telestial.com/sim_cards.php|title=International SIM Cards|publisher=Telestial.com|accessdate=14 October 2014}} Telestial agreed to merge operations with ekit, retaining all brands and services. In 2010, JT Global, of the Channel Islands, acquired ekit becoming the new parent company of Telestial.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jtglobal.com/Global/Global-Landing-Page/About-Us2/What-We-Do/Our-History/|title=JT Global Homepage|publisher=Jtglobal.com|accessdate=14 October 2014}}

Telestial sells GSM cell phones that work in countries in Europe and Asia, as well as phones that will work both in these countries and in the United States and Canada.{{cite web|url=http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ces200118.htm|title=HowStuffWorks "Consumer Electronics Show 2001"|work=HowStuffWorks|date=18 December 2007 |accessdate=14 October 2014}} Telestial also has operations in Australia, the UK and Europe. Telestial works with over 300 companies in the travel industry.

In May 2009, Telestial became the first company to offer a dual-number SIM, the Passport SIM, with U.S. and U.K. global cell phone service all in one.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/travel/01prac.html?pagewanted=1 Practical Traveler: Avoiding a Large Phone Bill When Traveling], New York Times, 2010-07-27
• [http://www.macworld.com/article/58273/2007/06/travel_phones.html Keep in touch], Macworld, 2007-07-06 {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209200100/http://www.macworld.com/article/58273/2007/06/travel_phones.html|date=2008-02-09}}
• [http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2007/07/01/another_phone_menu_how_to_call_home_from_abroad Another phone menu: how to call home from abroad], Boston Globe, 2007-07-01 {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414221346/http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2007/07/01/another_phone_menu_how_to_call_home_from_abroad/|date=2015-04-14}}
• [http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sns-yourmoney-0722phone,0,346561.story Phoning home? Plan ahead before heading overseas], Chicago Tribune, 2007-07-22
• [https://select.nytimes.com/preview/2007/08/05/travel/1154683743838.html?em&ex=1186113600&en=911d361d57edec78&ei=5087%0A 10 Ways to Keep Europe Within Reach], New York Times, 2007-08-05
• [http://www.telestial.com Telestial]
• [http://www.ekit.com ekit]

Category:Mobile phone companies of the United States

Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1999

Category:Mobile virtual network operators

Category:1999 establishments in Massachusetts