Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

buglawton

Whatever you do as an iPhone owner, after getting your phone unlocked, order a micro SIM cutter with a couple of micro SIM adapters off Ebay. A few quid, they are all the same. I did this and it cut a really neat and accurate, 'worked first time' mini SIM for an iPhone, from a standard SIM. The adapters allow you to put the same SIM back into an ordinary or cheap unlocked phone if needed.

This'll give you the freedom to select any SIM deal in future.

moomin82

Ah, I have 10 days till I go. I will call T-Mobile tomorrow for advice, but I am looking for the cheapest way to set up for abroad. Perhaps I should buy a cheap phone?

NFH

moomin82 wrote: »

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

Get a local Spanish SIM. See:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/spain.php

http://prepaidwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/Spain

NFH

grumbler wrote: »

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.

Indeed. T-Mobile USA are selling local SIMs for $2. See:

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Prepaid-SIM-Activation-Kit

neutron

NFH wrote: »

Indeed. T-Mobile USA are selling local SIMs for $2. See:

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Prepaid-SIM-Activation-Kit

Don't you need a US postal address to purchase that activation card?

HIP_Hop_2

By way of update to my earlier posting #730 I thought it might help others looking for possible solutions on what options I have found to make mobile to uk mobile calls and data offerings on Tenerife. Please feel free to add constructive feedback.

I have been offered a sim only solution of 20 cents connection charge and 8 cents/min for mobile to UK mobile and 1.5 GB data per month of 21 €

Above 1.5 GB month usage per month results in Download and upload being throttled at 128 Kbps but no additional traffic is charged. So no unexpected data charges, it would appear?

This is being offered through mobiles4spain.com as authorised distributors for BT Spain and uses I believe, vodafones network for data/voice?

when I looked on Vodafones web page for spain the equivalent costs for the same package was prohibitively more expensive even though it's their network BT are using?????.


Mobiles4 spain can't offer their solution until I have an NIE number. I don't get a work contract until 2 weeks after arriving and the sim will take a further 7-10 days to arrive after this.

Also they take up credit references in Tenerife even though I have no history in Tenerife???. So for at least 3 weeks I will be without a sim card if I rely just on BT Spain!!!

I have an opportunity to get a sim from an agent on ebay (based in Spain) for mas movil sim card activated for data,
Activated to the rate 5, on the automatic top up system using credit card". This means I get the discounted rate of 3 cents per mb for internet instead of 5!

Calls to uk mobile 14 cents plus connection 32 cents

I can get this just with a passport and sent to me before I leave the UK but with an activation date for arrival in Tenerife. But will this cause problems when I want to get my BT spain sim having got one sim on passport already?

I am not sure where to turn too and I would appreciate any follow up advice as researching different sim card offerings is proving problematic by internet research alone. So personal recommendations are helpful pointers. also thought my independent research to date may help others?

NFH

neutron wrote: »

Don't you need a US postal address to purchase that activation card?

Yes, but they also sell them in their shops.

Sharon21

Hubby has gone to France for six months for work. He has an O2 pay as you go and I have an O2 contract. Whats the best way to stay in touch? Is the O2 My Europe Extra bolt on the way to go?

grumbler

As it was said hundreds of times, the best way is to buy a local sim and then call from UK to a French mobile for as little as 2.5 p/min from a landline. When he wants to call you he dials your mobile number and you call him back from a landline.

http://callchecker.moneysavingexpert.com/intcallchecker/france-mobile/bt/all

It is worth considering £10 'Internationa fafourites' bolt-on for you in UK as well. You will get 100 minutes to call him from your mobile and a local number in France linked to your UK mobile that your husband can use to call you.

If you have smartphones, he can use free WiFi and, say, Skype.

buglawton

'Stay in touch' now means instant messaging and Skype on a modern phone. Data is the issue.