Beware calling roaming sim card numbers.

Mr_Sleepover

Roaming sim cards such Sim4Travel are often based in places like the Channel Islands. You will get a number that starts 00447, just like a UK mobile number. You will be able to receive incoming calls free in much of Europe on cards like these BUT your friends to whom you give the number may not thank you. They will think they are making a call to a UK number, possibly using their inclusive free minutes. They will be surprised when they get their bill.

Many people assume that a Jersey or Guerney number is charged at UK rates because the number itself does not appear to have the format of an international number. This is not true. T-mobile and o2 for example regard calls to the Channel Islands as an International call, even though the number starts with the UK code and looks like a UK mobile number eg. 00447*********. If you ask people to call you on this sim card, it will cost them about 38 p per min on T-mobile and o2 (I haven't checked the others). Generally people know that the Channel Islands are not part of the UK. You would not necessarily know however that a particular number is a Jersey number, for example, if it has a UK number format.

This is really a form of deception and needs to be addressed by Ofcom. If you phone a number with a UK format you should be able to conclude that you will pay UK rates. A sim card like sim4travel may well save you money when you travel overseas, but it could be costing friends and family a fortune. They will get a nasty shock when their bill arrives.

By the way, call charges to the Channel Islands should appear on the moneysavingexpert call checker tools.