Help me please! Texting from abroad!

nataliex_2

Hi

I hope someone can help me or give me some ideas.

I currently have a contract mobile with 02, im on one of the newer tarriffs offering unlimited texts and 300 minutes (plus i have a blackberry unlimited bolt on)..

My problem is this .. im going abroad to Malaysia for 4 weeks, and ive checked the o2 website and been in to o2 and my texts will cost me 30p per text sent .. i am somewhat of a textaholic (although i would obviously not send AS many abroad) and texting will be my only way of contacting people really so 30p per text is alot .. i was wondering, do any of you guys know of a pay as you go sim plan that has some sort of bolt on for texting while abroad?

Ive searched high and low and cant really find what im looking for, the man in o2 was most unhelpful and just said, dont text, not really the answer i was looking for!

Ive thought about the whole buying a malaysian sim etc. but for one i dont think my phone is unlocked and 2 it will cost the people i text around 50p to text me back .. so i dont see it as a viable option.

I hope someone can help me sorry to go on abit xx

mluton

I wouldn't text and I would turn off all data usage on the blackberry as you would be data roaming using the blackberry services on your plan.

Best bet is to take / buy an unlocked phone and buy a local SIM on arrival and manage a PAYG account.

MisterBrico

Take a £10 phone with your O2 sim in to recieve texts (free for you and your friends)

Buy a malaysian sim with cheap international texts to reply to them with?

Wintermute

nataliex wrote: »

the man in o2 was most unhelpful and just said, dont text, not really the answer i was looking for!

Unfortunately there's not much else they can say if you don't like the charges, there's no bolt-on to reduce the charges I'm afraid and they really can't promote other networks.

What I'd do is get your BB unlocked (it'll be free if you're in contract), get a SIM with a cheap data plan when you're over there (or use wifi), install skype for your blackberry, setup and top up a Skype out account, you'll be able to use this to make calls and send text messages at a reduced rate and you can put your o2 SIM in a cheap PAYG handset for receiving texts.

grumbler

http://www.vectonemobile.co.uk/rates/plus/roaming.aspx
incoming free, outgoing 11p

nataliex_2

mluton wrote: »

I wouldn't text and I would turn off all data usage on the blackberry as you would be data roaming using the blackberry services on your plan.

Best bet is to take / buy an unlocked phone and buy a local SIM on arrival and manage a PAYG account.

Hi

Thanks for replying

Im confused about this whole roaming thing ..

If i just dont go on the internet then i wont be using anything will i? Or will i?

I certainly dont want to come home to a massive phone bill for doing nothing apart from having my blackberry abroad?

Thanks xx

grumbler

nataliex wrote: »

Im confused about this whole roaming thing ..

Mobile Roaming

If i just dont go on the internet then i wont be using anything will i?

If you switch it off, not just "don't go".

Or will i?

A smatrphone can use it without asking you.

Also, if you use BB messenger instead of usual texting, the messenger does use internet.

nexus2011

VERY IMPORTANT

Get data usage turned off or better still leave your mobile at home.

siamese0109

Wintermute wrote: »

What I'd do is get your BB unlocked (it'll be free if you're in contract), get a SIM with a cheap data plan when you're over there (or use wifi), install skype for your blackberry, setup and top up a Skype out account, you'll be able to use this to make calls and send text messages at a reduced rate and you can put your o2 SIM in a cheap PAYG handset for receiving texts.

There is no Skype for Blackberry in the Uk - that link is just for America and people who use verizon
I was interested in the comment about having the phone unlocked free if you're in contract - how does that work?

Wintermute

siamese0109 wrote: »

There is no Skype for Blackberry in the Uk - that link is just for America and people who use verizon
I was interested in the comment about having the phone unlocked free if you're in contract - how does that work?

Ah, sorry, not a BB user

If you call up O2 customer services and ask about getting your phone unlocked they'll be able to do it free of charge, it'll probably take a few days as they'll have to send the request off to blackberry for the unlock code, but it wont cost you anything.

siamese0109

Thanks - I'm with Orange though - didn't realise you were talking about O2! Orange charge for everything