Yeah, I've been using OEC for awhile now and the platform just gets better w/ every upgrade. v3.5 was a huge upgrade and you can see a lot features being added - some are not completely functional right now, but you can see where this is headed. You just can't beat it - platform and data is free to active users and now v3.5 adds more functionality. If anyone reading this hasn't demo'd OEC or it's been awhile, demo v3.5 and take a peak.
btw OEC need a better way to withdraw and deposit funds though. They still use bank wires. They should start using ACH for usa and SEPA for europe for both deposits and withdrawals, like IB. They have cheap deposits but withdrawals are still too costly.
I use OEC and think they should do joint advertising with Taco Bell because version 3.5 truly is "the box that rocks - with lots and lots" of cool new features. I have traded futures with OEC for awhile (and TradeStation to be fair) and recently added a stock account with OEC. Now I get all my futures and stock data streaming, all the same charts, etc. To answer the posters questions - no problems with OEC at all and a very good firm (part of optionsXpress).
I'll fund the account next week. I'll let you know as soon as I go live. As far as sim goes, I really don't pay attention to that.
I agree, v3.5 is a very good upgrade. Maybe OEC can get Barkley to do some commercials... OEC is the software that rocks.
After my account got approved, I initiated an account transfer last Monday. After 48 hours ( more than reasonable for a wire transfer) I call them and they said that once the funds got deducted form my account, that would be the sign. I told them that is simply outrageous. I called my fund holder and they said there's no claim from openEcry whatsoever. I call openecry asking for the details on the bank where they have the segregated funds to see if I can Initiate the transfer from my end. They told me I have to follow the process. I decided to hold until Friday, but at this point something smelled bad. On Friday, I chat with a guy name "Chris" (for some reason that's the name always come up on the chat) He asked about the bank's phone number to talk to them personally and not to worry the funds will be transferred that day. That was around 10:00 AM. About 3:30PM EST I called accounting to N/A I went back to this guy named "Chris" on the chat. He said "hold on please" and let me hanging for about an hour. Then I made a little bump on the chat and he asked me on what was my problem. I ask him if I have to repeat myself all over again. He (again) ask me to hold. At 4:46PM EST he replied "have a good weekend sir" and hanged up. The funds never got transferred. This is pretty much my experience with OpenEcry in the flesh. The software is very competent. But my experience on the customer service side was awful. Today, I got my account approved and my funds transferred (today 4/12/2010) with another broker.
Your experience is the opposite I had with them. If you are going to hit the ceiling every time you don't like a broker's activity, you don't belong in trading. You will die of a coronary young...