Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

fez27

Apologies in advance for my lack of mobile phone knowledge, but I was hoping someone might be able to help me.

I have a very basic Samsung phone on Orange (no internet capabilities or anything). I am soon going to Hong Kong, mainland China and Vietnam for 10 days. I would very much like to call home at least once a day to one number in the UK, my girlfriend who is also on Orange. Ideally, the calling would be shared, half of the time me phoning her in the UK and the other half of the time, her phoning me in Asia. My number is her Orange Magic Number for what it's worth.

What do you think the cheapest way to make these calls would be? Each one would be around 15 minutes long. I am willing to buy a handset out there and a pay as you go SIM if that will help.

Many thanks

smartphone

Hi Fez27 - do you happen to know which basic Samsung it is, and whether it is unlocked? May save you the cost of buying a phone out there.

teee_2

I wonder if anyone can help me. I have just moved to Montreal, Canada from UK and will be here for the rest of the year. In Jan 2013 I will be in US for the rest of the year.

I have an o2 monthly contract, on iphone 3g still as I would like to keep my number but need to cancel as it's costing me a fortune with incoming calls, text etc.

What's the cheapest option for incoming/outgoing calls, receive/sending text and data allowance where I get to keep my mobile number the same and would I need to change it again when I go to US?

Any advice would be gratefully received.
many thanks

grumbler

Incoming texts are always free, but all the rest will cost a fortune with a UK phone roaming in Americas. I think Vodafone are best for this, but you'll be much better off by using a local sim. To keep your UK sim alive just switch to PAYG and send a text once every 180 days.

Leon_Telford

Moving to Greece for seven months!

Any advice?

Greek sim?

HIP_Hop_2

I am shortly relocating to Teneriffe for 3-4 months. I have an unlocked HTC desire handset and want to make mobile to mobile calls to the UK.

Unfortunately there is no wifi signal in the rooms at the resort except in the reception area.

I know I can load Skype and What App to make voice calls and send text messages when I am within wifi hot spot range in reception and when I am out and about but not alas in the room.

Any recommendation on a reasonable local sim that will enable me to make cheap calls to UK mobile and to get access to cost effective data usage for basic surfing i.e emails without attachments or to use skype or what app if voice credit is low or when I am away from local wifi hotspots?

Any help would be appreciated. I am leaving my UK T-mobile monthly sim contract with my partner in the UK for her use and will be without sim card on arrival in Tenerife. I appreciate that I could spend days researching different sim card offerings but if anyone could recommend a viable solution, it would be really appreciated. I want to keep in touch with my better half.....Thanks

buglawton

There's "abroadband" SIM - 0.59 Euros per MB
http://www.abroadband.com/en/GB/home

Or pay 6 Euros per day for up to 150 MB - see http://www.europasim.com/epages/63355149.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectID=38780738

Each SIM has some start-up costs but after that it's pay as you go..

moomin82

Hi I am going to work in Seville for 4 months starting 20th April-July.

I have a T-Mobile contract £35 a month and last time I was away in Spain I ran up a £600 bill as I bought a few international bundles but I used internet and made & received frequent and sometimes long calls to and from the UK. Last time I do that again!

Still I have family at home and want to keep in regular contact. I was thinking of getting an international SIM like 0044.co.uk offer as they seem to offer English customer services to make it easier and seem like a good deal.

If I use it on my iPhone is that recommended or should I buy a cheap phone? Sorry bit clueless about all this! Also do you think T-Mobile could pause my contract or something while I am away so I don't have to pay so much!

grumbler

I cannot comment on 0044, but is you iPhone unlocked? Sometimes it takes up to 30 days to unlock it.

moomin82

Don't know yet do I just try by putting in any other SIM?