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New Global SIM Card with UK (+44) number
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mouseclick
Posts: 237 Forumite
in Mobiles
Today I got an email from United Mobile (formerly trading as Riiing), saying they have a new PAYG Global SIM card called United Mobile Plus. I get a free upgrade, but the new product is good value at £19.90.
It has a UK number, and it is free to receive calls in 80+ countries and works in over 125 countries.
Call cost examples:
This surely takes a global roaming SIM card out of the anorak brigade and into mainstream? My old United Mobile number was a Lichtenstein one, it was not so easy to give to your mates in a pub, then trying to explain why they should be dialling a Lichtenstein mobile when you are actually going to Sicily for holidays!
Looking forward to getting mine, will post more info when I do.
...afterthought... for someone who travels a lot this would be OK as a main PAYG phone. No frills or freebies though, such as free texts or calls. Oh, and from later this year they will be doing data as well. Now that will be interesting, to see how much they charge for data access overseas...
It has a UK number, and it is free to receive calls in 80+ countries and works in over 125 countries.
Call cost examples:
When roaming in SPAIN, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA:
19p per min outgoing, free incoming, call set up 17p. Prices include VAT
More details at the United Mobile website.19p per min outgoing, free incoming, call set up 17p. Prices include VAT
This surely takes a global roaming SIM card out of the anorak brigade and into mainstream? My old United Mobile number was a Lichtenstein one, it was not so easy to give to your mates in a pub, then trying to explain why they should be dialling a Lichtenstein mobile when you are actually going to Sicily for holidays!
Looking forward to getting mine, will post more info when I do.
...afterthought... for someone who travels a lot this would be OK as a main PAYG phone. No frills or freebies though, such as free texts or calls. Oh, and from later this year they will be doing data as well. Now that will be interesting, to see how much they charge for data access overseas...
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Comments
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mouseclick wrote: »It has a UK number,
Actually it's a Jersey number, so isn't likely to come out of contract inclusive minutes0 -
Just applied for my upgrade. I also plan to use it in the UK to receive calls, so I can be reached anywhere on a single number. I'll use my T-mobile to make calls in UK. On the downside at moment the +423 number covers more countries than the +44 (eg Barbados to where I travel a lot) so I will still have to keep the +423 sim for my Barbados trips.0
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These begin with 07937mouseclick wrote: »So what does a Jersey number begin with?
There will be plenty of cheap ways to call it though, as many providers will count this at the same tariff as UK mobiles, whereas tariffs for Liechtenstein mobiles were becoming a problem, and the cheapest bulk carrier has always had intermittent quality to them0 -
These begin with 07937
There will be plenty of cheap ways to call it though, as many providers will count this at the same tariff as UK mobiles, whereas tariffs for Liechtenstein mobiles were becoming a problem, and the cheapest bulk carrier has always had intermittent quality to them
I found this page which lists 07936 as O2, 07937 as Jersey Telecom and 07938 as O2. I phoned t-mobile and yes they do treat Jersey mobiles as an International number. So it costs me 50p a minute to ring a Jersey mobile from my t-mobile phone and it is not included in my normal call bundle. So don't expect to be popular with friends if you adopt this number as a regular PAYG number and give it out to them.
<Rant on> What a rip off eh? How are people supposed to know that a UK 07937 number costs more than a 07936 number? Are we supposed to carry a database of numbers in our head? Not sure what call costs are from landlines, can't find anything at the MSE callchecker for Jersey. I can feel a letter to OFCOM coming here... these hidden charges are like scorpion stings on a clear sandy beach. I am fed up with the time and aggravation they cause. <Rant off>
Further info - I have an O2 contract with Carphone Warehouse. Their customer services seems to think it will be included in my normal allowance.
I guess the only way to find out the cost is to make a call from any given network. I am going to do this, both from T-mobile and O2, and when I find out what I have been billed I will post it here.Results
T-mobile: 07937099911 International & Premium Calls 00:00:11 £0.078
O2 (Carphone Warehouse): No charge (part of free X-net minutes)0 -
Just applied for my upgrade... I will still have to keep the +423 sim for my Barbados trips.
Just found out more from United Mobile Customer Service - for people upgrading (like me). When you get the new card, you can transfer the balance, then your old one is de-activated. So maybe you had better cancel the upgrade, unless it's too late, or you will have to buy another +423 SIM.0 -
The Channel Islands and Isle of Man are independently governed, have separate landline and mobile networks, and their own regulatory bodies for telecoms.mouseclick wrote: »I. I can feel a letter to OFCOM coming here...
Apart from these, there are several other prefixes that are included or excluded by some networks, and some that T-mobile simply blocks (though legal action has stopped this in one case)0 -
The Channel Islands and Isle of Man are independently governed, have separate landline and mobile networks, and their own regulatory bodies for telecoms.
Apart from these, there are several other prefixes that are included or excluded by some networks, and some that T-mobile simply blocks (though legal action has stopped this in one case)
Sure, I understand, thanks. But the problem I have is that I expect the number to give me some indication of how much it will cost to dial. Eg I know 0870 will be national rate, and 0845 local, and I can (usually) expect them not to be included in my call allowance. However I don't expect a +44 079xx number to be charged at International rates. It is really wrong to bury an international number in a list of codes normally given to UK mobiles. I am sure the telecom companies are well aware that these charges go unnoticed / don't get complained about, but it makes them big profits. If Jersey mobiles were 00793 or something, or there was a voice warning after dialling, then I would know. But for 07936 to be O2, then 07937 to be an international number, then 07938 to be O2, this is really misleading and confusing. And I won't be the only one complaining if United Mobile's idea takes off. Thus a letter of complaint to OFCOM.0 -
I think this facility is a figment of your imagination. None of the other numbers you are on about has such an announcement provided by the destination, nor could or should they, as they don't know all the tariffs in the world that it might be called from.mouseclick wrote: »Sure, I understand, thanks. But the problem I have is that I expect the number to give me some indication of how much it will cost to dial.
[...]
Thus a letter of complaint to OFCOM
It is nothing whatsoever to do with Ofcom what happens in Jersey, and they certainly can't mandate Jersey Telecom to have the announcement you want. Are you also complaining to Ofcom about the Millionaire programme using Jersey sms numbers?
What on earth do you want to achieve with this totally irrelevant complaint to the wrong body - close down the service? I don't think you can, and a good thing too.
If you don't want the product, or can't be bothered to find some fairly simple work-arounds for it, some of which are discussed on here, then don't try to vandalise it for other people.
If you don't like your network's tariffs, address your complaint to them.0 -
I think this facility is a figment of your imagination. None of the other numbers you are on about has such an announcement provided by the destination, nor could or should they, as they don't know all the tariffs in the world that it might be called from.
It is nothing whatsoever to do with Ofcom what happens in Jersey, and they certainly can't mandate Jersey Telecom to have the announcement you want. Are you also complaining to Ofcom about the Millionaire programme using Jersey sms numbers?
What on earth do you want to achieve with this totally irrelevant complaint to the wrong body - close down the service? I don't think you can, and a good thing too.
If you don't want the product, or can't be bothered to find some fairly simple work-arounds for it, some of which are discussed on here, then don't try to vandalise it for other people.
If you don't like your network's tariffs, address your complaint to them.
To be honest I don't have an issue with you, or my network provider, or Jersey Telecom. However it is hardly a figment of my imagination that charges are usually consistent with the first part of the code dialled. I mean, how would you like it if I gave you an 0800 number to call, and you were charged £1 a minute because it was an 0800 1 number?
My point is that this sort of practice will lead to lots of unexpected charges on people's bills. For example, my friends, if I give them my new number. The average person does not know the difference between 07937 099911 and 07936 099911 and they would incur unexpected charges.
Therefore I think it is right that this sort of thing should be brought to OFCOM's attention, so I will write my letter anyway, thank you very much.
extra info
Further to redux's comments above which seemed to imply that I am some sort of a vandal, I actually phoned OFCOM to check that they had the same functionality as OFTEL, who I used to work with when I was a Trading Standards Officer back in the 90s. Yes they were interested, and they logged details over the phone so I don't have to write. They did EXACTLY what I expected, namely they will monitor future complaints of this sort and take appropriate regulatory action if the issue becomes a problem. We discussed at length the issue of Jersey Telecom numbers being quite unusual in respect that they appear to be a UK number, yet were in fact an international number and charged at international rates. These days someone may ring such a number and be surprised that they are charged International, then think it's just a one off and accept it as they realise the mobile was in Jersey. But of course as OFCOM agreed, if the UK suddenly gets flooded with Jersey Mobile numbers, it could become a big issue, and then their job would be to get agreement with UK phone providers or propose legislation such as a warning message (they type you get when you ring a calling card number and get told "calls to this number are charged at the national rate, please hang up now if you do not wish to continue").
So there you are, I have done my bit, I am happy. OFCOM did also suggest I report United Mobile for not declaring the card to be a Jersey number, but I can't be bothered to do that, I am sure they will sort themselves out in the end. Now I look forward to getting my new SIM card...0
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