International usage

cheekymole

I have a triband phone on O2 contract with 200minutes free and 50txts per month.
The question

"what will be the best rate I can get for using my mobile from the Canaries, Canada and NZ and how do I go about getting the good rate that you're about to tell me about!?"

Any help much appreciated

redux

First option is to get your O2 on the International Traveller Service option, but this still isn't that cheap for roaming - 58p outgoing, 28p incoming in Europe, and more in the others - ITS bottom half of page
http://www.o2.co.uk/personal/abroad/prices/callingwhileabroad/0,,133,00.html

Other than that, get your phone unlocked - see threads at top of the board, they can do Nokias for you for free, then ...

Either get a local SIM card in each place, and use either calling card or callback service .....
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/operators.html

... or get one of the global roaming SIMs with free incoming calls in several countries - this is not so useful for you though, as they are all expensive in Canada, and not all can be used in New Zealand. http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/international.html

I think I would go for ...

Canada - Fido (yep!) about 6p per minute local, and for incoming calls too.

Canaries - all 3 networks have favourite number tariffs, and Vodafone Spain has interesting Vitamina tariff 60 x 1 minutes offer, 40c for up to an hour - I don't know yet if this is all the time, or off-peak only

For both of these, use a calling card such as Bizon
https://www.masterbell.com https://www.bizon.us

NZ Vodafone has higher tariffs, about 20p per minute local, though you could set up separate callback service to UK at about 15p to 18p. But given these higher tariffs, I'd look instead at taking a UK Vodafone payt SIM, on their Passport option, and make calls in off-peak hours (local time) for 5p per minute, plus a connect fee of 75p per call of up to an hour. You can use foreign Vodafone vouchers to top-up the UK SIM. If you intend to make a series of short calls, then also use the calling card and press # to follow-on but save a new Voda connect fee.


Alternatively, for Spain and NZ, and if you also travel elsewhere, you could consider the global SIM at 0044, which costs £35 though, then would give you calls at about 17p per minute in Spain and NZ (they advertise 39p from Spain though, so it may increase), but more in Canada. This has interesting advantages for calling it, as the IoM mobile number is counted as a UK mobile by some providers (incl O2). I have one of these SIMs, and I'd take it for back-up if it was me, but still get the local ones or Vodafone UK as I said above

For people to call you on these foreign numbers, they could use the cheap calls providers in the MSE Callchecker - Canada about 1p, NZ 5 or 7p, Spain about 10p per minute; you could divert your incoming O2 calls for - with ITS - 30p NZ, 17p the others (you could also add an 0844 number that forwards to the Canadian number, to divert from inclusive O2 minutes). If you get the IoM one, same costs as UK ones, or divert your O2 mobile to it.

I hope that's enough to go on with - ask for any clarfications or other info - any more on this post and I'll get confused myself!

Overall - If it's for holiday, and family can call you back, just get the local SIMs. If it's for business, maybe get the IoM number, divert your O2 to it in 2 of these countries, get a Canadian SIM and get an 0844 number to forward from O2 to it or give to UK callers, and still maybe use other SIMs for outgoing calls (certainly Canada anyway).

cheekymole

Wow, redux what a great post, I'll read properly a little later and get back to you if needed. Thanks ever so much for all that info

CM

pin

BTW I think on your o2 tariff you get ITS included anyway.

However as Redux has said, best bet is probably to get a local PAYG SIM.