Using Your Mobile When Abroad: Roam For Less Article Discussion Area

widow43

Thanks Redux - thought i was a few brain-cells short!! I will do that and buy one when i get there.

jago25_98

Nobody's mentioned GPRS (internet) in this thread, so if anyone else is looking for that info try this search:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/search.php?searchid=143

and this thread:
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1355&highlight=gprs

The simplest option seems to be Virgin PAYG. When I work offshore on a boat with any luck we'll get a GPRS signal so I can check emails with that. An antenna for my k750i might help... I see the connector but can't find a high gain antenna to plug into it:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STRIP-MOUNT-AERIAL-ANTENNA-NOKIA-CARK-126-91-134-128_W0QQitemZ230003413948QQihZ013QQcategoryZ68016QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

edit: For texts we also have http://www.smsbug.com that's 3 euro cents (about 2p?) per text globally but using a java program

malc_b

Nobody seems to have mention just buying a new PAYG phone. I have a trip planned to USA and my cheapest option seems to be to go to Wlamart and buy a new phone. Cost = $20 phone + $20 airtime (111mins), that is with Virgin USA, Tracfone is another option. They may even be cheaper deals.

The cost is about the same as Orange want to unlock my phone, £20, plus then I'd have to buy a sim and airtime. Even sim + airtime cost is not that different to $40, and in some case more.

Call will most be to other members of the party as for calls home a calling card is cheaper from the villa phone (but I think you can use these with USA mobiles too).

stevobland

Was sold a package with Vodafone. Told their Passport system would suit us a treat! WRONG!!:mad: Anyway they also cut us off while in the US so had to go shopping. Bought a pay as you go phone in Wall-Mart. Cost me $50 and came with 300 minutes air time. Calls to ANY number in the US 10c per minute and international calls, ( Phone Home) 15c per minute. YES FIFTEEN CENTS PER MINUTE. Didn't need ID but did need a ZIP code. It's straightforward enough. If staying in a hotel, use their ZIP code and their phone to set up. You can top us easily as well. May not be to everybody's tastes but it got me out of trouble and cheaply. Oh, the company: Net10

blazergoal29

I am considering purchasing a global sim from 0044, which I understand has an IOM mobile number assigned to it. It is for my girlfriend who is in Italy at the moment who doesn't have access to a landline hence the need to use a mobile. Does anyone know if I will be able to ring her mobile from a Vodaphone mobile ie. mine and just use my inclusive minutes (I have stop the clock so it would be brill if it works).

redux

blazergoal29 wrote:

I am considering purchasing a global sim from 0044, which I understand has an IOM mobile number assigned to it. It is for my girlfriend who is in Italy at the moment who doesn't have access to a landline hence the need to use a mobile. Does anyone know if I will be able to ring her mobile from a Vodaphone mobile ie. mine and just use my inclusive minutes (I have stop the clock so it would be brill if it works).

Unfortunately Vodafone do not count IoM mobiles as from inclusive minutes; it says they charge up to 40p a minute

http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=template11&pageID=PPP_0043&wt_oss=07624

But another possibility has just arrived. 3 UK has abolished roaming charges in 7 countries, one of which is Italy.

http://www.three.co.uk/personal/coverage_/going_abroad_/like_home_details.omp

It only applies while on the other 3 network, so she would have to set the phone's network selection to manual to prevent it occasionally registering on another (otherwise it would be £1/min to call, 50p/min receive)

Calls are free incoming, 20p a minute to call UK. You can get a 3 SIM for £10, and top ups are from £10, or if she'll use it a lot, the Talk and Text package has 500 inclusive minutes (to UK) for £25 a month.


It used to be that all 3 SIMs had to be in a 3g phone, but starting from this month this SIM only deal can be used in any phone (I called to check)


If she's travelling to other countries as well, think about a Vodafone UK payg SIM, registered for Passport. Then incoming calls on their partner networks abroad (manual select again) just have a 75p connect charge, for up to an hour (which is the cut-off on your stop-the-clock as well)

.

redux

O2 recently launched a very interesting new option called My Europe Extra

For a £10 per month fee, incoming calls are free while roaming on any network in 31 European countries, and outgoing calls cost 25 pence a minute to the UK or any of the included countries.

Compared to their My Europe option, 35p incoming and outgoing, the £10 fee would be saved if using more than 28 minutes of incoming calls, or 100 minutes of outgoing calls, or some hybrid of both.

But I think what would be very interesting is to use this with a callback service, which converts incoming to outgoing calls, and then the outgoing calls could be quite a bit lower than 25p/min.

My Europe is listed on the O2 website for business and consumer contract customers, but they say it is also available on payg. Business customers can book it for a year at £5 a month

Click expand buttons on here
http://www.o2.co.uk/termsconditions/tariffsandboltons0153

The Included Countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Faeroe Islands, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

petertwisty

3 have changed the picture for those countries where you can use their network abroad. To quote from their website:

"3 Like home
Now on participating networks – 3 Italy, 3 Sweden, 3 Denmark, 3 Austria, 3 Hong Kong, 3 Australia and 3 Ireland - you can use your inclusive minutes when calling back to the UK. "

Free to receive calls there too!

redux

For anyone considering an Isle of Man numbered roaming SIM ...

The recent supply of these (3 months or so) have numbers starting in 07924 rather than the original 07624

Assumptions may need to be reviewed about which networks include the numbers in inclusive minutes

.

glenderg

anyone suggest an 07924

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number that could be used to do a quick check. Something official not private where you would not be annoying good people. "Know what i mean."