Best Sim only for US Roaming

fernando_vaz

I currently have an EE Sim Only deal, £7 a month which include 30GB data, but no roaming.

I holiday in the EU once or twice a year, and this year we are going to the USA for 20 days. If I stay with EE and want to use my phone in the US, it will cost £25 per week (£75). I think if I want to use it in the EU, it's £15 a week, which I'd use at least two weeks this year, probably 3 to 4 weeks next year.

I don't mind switching to another SIM only deal with any company or network.

Can anyone suggest which would be the cheapest based on what I've written here please? 

jbrassy

Best thing to do would be to get yourself a Three PAYG SIM card. Three allow you to use part of your allowance for free in the EU and the USA.

https://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming-and-calling-abroad/roaming-abroad

For £18 you get 18GB to use abroad which lasts one month. You only need to top it up for those occasions when you go abroad. The rest of the time the SIM card can sit in a drawer.

fernando_vaz

jbrassy said:

Best thing to do would be to get yourself a Three PAYG SIM card. Three allow you to use part of your allowance for free in the EU and the USA.

https://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming-and-calling-abroad/roaming-abroad

For £18 you get 18GB to use abroad which lasts one month. You only need to top it up for those occasions when you go abroad. The rest of the time the SIM card can sit in a drawer.

Thanks.

Does this mean I'd have a different mobile number while away? And does that then restrict me making/taking calls/texts and WhatsApp messages?

I was ideally looking to keep my number, and happy to make a permanent switch if it worked out more cost effective on an annual basis. 

Currently I pay £84 a year for calls/text and 30GB data, but assuming in a normal year, I'd go abroad in Europe for 3 to 4 weeks, with my current provider I'd be paying an extra £60 for roaming, so £144 in total each year

jbrassy

Yes, you'd have a different number while away. However, this won't change your number on WhatsApp. If you want people to ring or text you the old fashioned way, tell them your temporary number for while you're away or tell them to use WhatsApp.

I've used Three PAYG for quite a few holidays (Brazil, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore) and it's the easiest option to go for in my opinion.