PAYG microsim for UK visitor

morg_monster

My Canadian aunty is coming to the UK for about 3 weeks on Wednesday, my uncle has asked if I can sort out a microSIM for her to use in her Canadian samsung smartphone while she's here and travelling around visiting family.
She'd like a little bit of data just to check her emails, but more importantly UK call minutes (maybe 200 or 300) and a bunch of texts. Ideally I'll pay £10 or £20 and that'll cover her for the whole visit - she won't want to faff about with topping up at all. (But if I can buy it from a high st shop and top up for her before I give it to her that'll be fine.)

It's been a while since I had to use a proper PAYG sim card... I've been looking but keep finding sim only pay monthly deals, obviously not searching properly! Usually I'd just do all the research myself but as time is a bit short (I need to buy it tomorrow! I'm in central London so have access to lots of shops.), I thought I'd tap the MSE hive mind. Any tips? THANKS! :j

PS I'm assuming it's unlocked so I can use any network...

Rusty!

Have a look at Giffgaff, £10 Goodybag sounds ideal.

morg_monster

Rusty! wrote: »

Have a look at Giffgaff, £10 Goodybag sounds ideal.

Do you know if I can get that on the high street or would I have to order online and pray for next day delivery? Otherwise, looks perfect. Also do they come as micro sim now or do you still have to cut down a normal sim?

Richard_T_

Giff gaff sims are usualy sent out to people on giff gaff, you can apply for one online, the latest version comes as an all in one with the usual press out standard size sim mounted in a credit card shape ( sim version1) and then that presses out as a micro sim.
as for the high street ask around, you can buy the things in the shops, but the retail outlet for the phone company may be your best bet to get the sim card up and running/odffer advice.

As for giff gaff, one word of warning it runs on the 02 network, and in my expeirience offers woeful data speeds and a lousy conection.

grumbler

In my small town one phone shop sells giffgaff sims with a big banner outside, but I don't think that they are a part of some high street chain.

Tesco mobile have good 1 month £10-12.50 sim-only contracts. Just give a cancellation notice straight after buying it.

Virgin Mobile have some good PAYG and 1-month tariffs: Store locator

CPW are likely to sell Talkmobile sim-only contracts. £8=200+500+500Mb

diamonds

Giffgaff need to be ordered, is her Canadian phone CDMA or sim though ?

If she is travelling around data access is a must so she can refer to the internet

3 do 300 mins 3000 texts unlimited data £15

£15 on Orange Canary gets 200 free evening and weekend minutes, plus 200 texts or photo messages, Orange Extras for £7.50 - 100 anytime mins, £5 on unlimited texts = £2.50 credit left for 08 numbers perhaps in emergency ? Other extras available here:

http://www1.orange.co.uk/service_plans/payasyougo/extra_overview.html

Orange Extras make things flexible, whereas 3 is more rigid for non standard calls & texts etc like 40 mins international calls for £5 for calls back to Canada, 25 mins for £1 a day, data £7.50 500MB or £12 a GB etc etc

Orange payg plans also give more freebies per top, Camel plan for instance gives 120 international mins for £15 or 240 mins for £30 for calling "home" then buy the Extras, its easy for you to manage/buy her Extras via the website aswell as she moves around

http://www1.orange.co.uk/service_plans/payasyougo/animals_overview.html

neil40

I have got some here.I can post out to you for free(giffgaff).Just pm me if you need one.

Regards. Neil

morg_monster

Thanks very much for all the advice. I think I will go for the 3 or Talkmobile one. I don't want to have to do anything else other than buy the sim, eg cancelling etc. It's extremely unlikely she'll go over any of the limits, in fact I'm sure she won't, and she'll be staying with relatives with wifi all the time so will be using Skype to call back home.
Neil thanks for the offer of the sim sorry I won't be taking you up on it this time.
Thanks again!