Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

Splott_Boy

Jumping back to data / gprs download for a moment (a belated thanks to redux for a great detailed response earlier in this thread) I learnt that Vodafone charge £5.88 per mb if you access via their preferred local network - SFR in France - £10.88 if you don't use SFR !!!!!!

Thanks for the tip re 3's £3 per mb - will get a sim only for our next trip. Doeas anyone know if you can get the £10 sim with £10 credit in store so I don't have to wait for the post ?

Interestingly it was also suggested that roaming Vodafone voice calls via SFR would be cheaper than via other networks. Apologies if its already covered, but I'd not heard this before. If its true its a useful tip for those who can't be bothered to obtain a different sim - there are settings on the phone to 'prefer' certain networks and manually select you roaming provider rather than let the phone automatically pick up (I assume the strongest ?) signal.

Splott_Boy

Also do you know if the 3 in store staff will kindly set up my smartphone with the right wap / gprs / mms settings even though I don't think it is a standard issue 3 phone (an Orange SPV M600).

Splott_Boy

Update - the 3 sim is a couple of quid in store and then you add credit so not much difference on-line.

Sadly I was told that the software meant this would only work in a '3' phone. Of course I've come away now and can't work out why 3 sell sim only if the market is restricted only to their phones.

It is possible the sales assistant was referring specifically to data download - I'd explained it was this I was specifically interested in.

As an alternative to take advantage of the £3 per mb he recommended a Skype phone (with various other benefits) at £40. If you intended heavy use then it could pay back after

40 / (5.88 vodafone sfr rate - 3 the three rate) = 14 mb usage

or

40 / (10.88 non sfr rate - 3) = 5 mb usage.

Think I'll just go easy on usage while I'm away !!!!!:rolleyes:

redux

Splott_Boy wrote: »

Interestingly it was also suggested that roaming Vodafone voice calls via SFR would be cheaper than via other networks. Apologies if its already covered, but I'd not heard this before.

This is Vodafone Passport, it's on their website, and it has a preferred network in each EU country and a few others

badhairday2005

Does anyone know what's happened to My Cherry Mobile? They don't seem to be doing business any more?
I'm off to France with my family next week and was hoping to get one of their SIMs. Will now try SIM4travel, although their outgoing text charge is higher than my current Orange one (39p/txt vs 30p/txt).

Thanks to all the advice in this thread - I now know exactly how green I am!

jon_r_2

I had heard that at & t are the cheapest network to use in the u.s. and also for phoning the u.k. can anyone advise further. thanks

redux

Sorry I missed noticing this, Jon

Riavl tariffs are fairly similar, in the range 10 to 20 cents a minute depending on the size of your top-up. Note that US networks also charge incoming calls. You can compare networks and tariffs, and find links to network websites (click logo on that page) at http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/usa.html

I wouldn't AT&T or T-mobile tariffs for calling UK directly, but use a callthrough access such as a calling card. Or some of the virtual brands e.g Tuyo have cheaper int'l calls

usignuolo

I have an Orange Pay as You go phone. (it is a modern tri-band one). I took it to New York with me earlier this year and it would not work at all, just got No Signal the whole time. When I got back I called Orange who said PAYG did not work overseas in New York only contract phones.

Now I am off to Canada for a wedding and phoned Orange to see if my PAYG it would work there (in Calgary). According to their website it should (just as the website also says PAYGs work in New York). The staff were hopelessly ill informed and said they said they did not know but in any case they do not guarantee their overseas partners will necessarily provide a service. Nor could I set it up in advance, I would have to go there and try and see if I could connect to a local service. Not a lot of use really.

Anyone got any experience of using Orange PAYG abroad and in Canada in particular? Should I buy a cell phone locally in Canada when I get there and if so which one (I haven't much time before the wedding to do this, only 24 hours). Or should I buy a UK PAYG which I can use over there, before I go? I think Virgin works there?

Any useful information please respond.

Levis_2

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice on the best option to use when in Vietnam/ Cambodia/Thailand for a few months.

Between us we have 3mobile and O2 contract phones and would like to call and receive back to the UK. (Australia as well, but I wont complicate things!)

Most of the Global SIM card websites that I have looked at dont seem to work in Vietnam & Cambodia. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

lou49

Hi,

I have a using my mobile in the USA query - similar to some previous posts so just want to check I've understood correctly.

I'm going to 2 different places in the States. Whilst I'm there I need a mobile to call a friend also in the US, who has a US cellphone, and to make short calls back to the UK (ideally so they then call me back using a lost-cost international calls service like Ratebusters).

I have a Nokia 6300 on Vodaphone. Is my best bet to get this unlocked (I understand that Vodaphone will do this for free) and then buy a local T-Mobile or Cingular pay-as-you-go sim card in the States?

Many thanks for any advice!