UK mobile phone use while in America

QrizB

_Chris__2 said:

Yep, when I call the clients from the USA, it needs to look like I'm calling from my usual UK mobile number.

In which case, unless your "usual UK number" isn't your Vodafone mobile number, you'll need to use your Vodafone SIM on whatever roaming deal Vodafone can offer you.

BFBW

If you want to both receive and make calls, you can temporarily port your number out to a service that allows you to receive and make calls via application. That way your number stays the same. You can port it back afterwards if you wish. Call costs inclusive in the package of around £10.
Alternatively, it will cost you £47 to buy the required Extras via Vodafone.

15-day Around the World Extra

4GB data | 200 minutes | 200 texts

£28.75

one-off charge

plus

8-day Around the World Extra

2GB data | 100 minutes | 100 texts

£18

one-off charge

michele-p

We used Lebara when we were in the US for 3 weeks and have stuck with them since. You can port your Vodafone number over (they run on Vodafone network here anyway).

They have free EU roaming, which is great, and their US add on was very economical, you can buy a 2 week pass (£10) then a 1 week pass (£5). We found that more than enough for everyday use on our roadtrip.

Look for deals and links, you can often get the first few months for a few quid. I pay £7 ish a month now for 15mb of data, and unlimited calls.

We had coverage everywhere we went, and we were in the middle of nowhere a lot if the days!

MyRealNameToo

_Chris__2 said:

Hi all, I am a UK citizen, and will be in America (east side), for 3 weeks next month, on part holiday, part business. I need to use my UK mobile phone number while in America, for calling and receiving.

What would be the cheapest way for me to call UK mobile numbers from America, using my UK mobile number while in America please?

Won't these be mainly business and therefore can be expensed? 

Personally I use VOIP, my setup is such that calls from my VOIP appears as if its coming from my mobile but I've not actually ported my number. The downside is that incoming calls still come to my mobile but then I make more calls than I receive. 

If it was going to be a long call then I'd just let the call go to VM and then call the person back from VOIP.  The callerID aspect had a setup fee but no ongoing fee. Calls can be PAYG or you can pre-buy minutes. Obviously you need an active internet connection so either you are needing to be on wifi or a sim for data.

_Chris__2

QrizB said:

_Chris__2 said:

Yep, when I call the clients from the USA, it needs to look like I'm calling from my usual UK mobile number.

In which case, unless your "usual UK number" isn't your Vodafone mobile number, you'll need to use your Vodafone SIM on whatever roaming deal Vodafone can offer you.

I contacted Vodafone, they quoted £7 a day (for three weeks), hence why I'm on here to see if there's a cheaper way.

_Chris__2

BFBW said:

If you want to both receive and make calls, you can temporarily port your number out to a service that allows you to receive and make calls via application. That way your number stays the same. You can port it back afterwards if you wish. Call costs inclusive in the package of around £10.
Alternatively, it will cost you £47 to buy the required Extras via Vodafone.

15-day Around the World Extra

4GB data | 200 minutes | 200 texts

£28.75

one-off charge

plus

8-day Around the World Extra

2GB data | 100 minutes | 100 texts

£18

one-off charge

Thanks, I'm in the States for three weeks.   So, with the porting, the person calling me still calls me to the same UK number?  

I would add, that I also need to call the UK clients from a number that looks like the usual UK number I would call from.

BFBW

_Chris__2 said:

BFBW said:

If you want to both receive and make calls, you can temporarily port your number out to a service that allows you to receive and make calls via application. That way your number stays the same. You can port it back afterwards if you wish. Call costs inclusive in the package of around £10.
Alternatively, it will cost you £47 to buy the required Extras via Vodafone.

15-day Around the World Extra

4GB data | 200 minutes | 200 texts

£28.75

one-off charge

plus

8-day Around the World Extra

2GB data | 100 minutes | 100 texts

£18

one-off charge

Thanks, I'm in the States for three weeks.   So, with the porting, the person calling me still calls me to the same UK number?  

I would add, that I also need to call the UK clients from a number that looks like the usual UK number I would call from.

If you port your number, all calls will appear to be from that number and all calls to that number can be answered normally at no further cost. Of course the caveat is that you would need a data service/WiFi Hotspot to make or receive calls. Best to set it up at least a week before you go.
Alternatively the £47 cost via Vodafone Extras is considerably less than £7 daily. But is 300 minutes enough?


 

_Chris__2

BFBW said:

_Chris__2 said:

BFBW said:

If you want to both receive and make calls, you can temporarily port your number out to a service that allows you to receive and make calls via application. That way your number stays the same. You can port it back afterwards if you wish. Call costs inclusive in the package of around £10.
Alternatively, it will cost you £47 to buy the required Extras via Vodafone.

15-day Around the World Extra

4GB data | 200 minutes | 200 texts

£28.75

one-off charge

plus

8-day Around the World Extra

2GB data | 100 minutes | 100 texts

£18

one-off charge

Thanks, I'm in the States for three weeks.   So, with the porting, the person calling me still calls me to the same UK number?  

I would add, that I also need to call the UK clients from a number that looks like the usual UK number I would call from.

If you port your number, all calls will appear to be from that number and all calls to that number can be answered normally at no further cost. Of course the caveat is that you would need a data service/WiFi Hotspot to make or receive calls. Best to set it up at least a week before you go.
Alternatively the £47 cost via Vodafone Extras is considerably less than £7 daily. But is 300 minutes enough?


 

Thank you, that's appreciated.  So by porting the number over, there's no extra charges calling to or from the UK number?

What's the current recommendations for great companies to use for the port forwarding please?

300 minutes wouldn't be enough for three weeks.

QrizB

_Chris__2 said:

BFBW said:

If you port your number, all calls will appear to be from that number and all calls to that number can be answered normally at no further cost. Of course the caveat is that you would need a data service/WiFi Hotspot to make or receive calls. Best to set it up at least a week before you go.

Thank you, that's appreciated.  So by porting the number over, there's no extra charges calling to or from the UK number?

There will be data charges, unless you can guarantee that you'll always have free WiFi (eg. if you only make or receicalls from your hotel). You will need a data service for this.

_Chris__2

QrizB said:

_Chris__2 said:

BFBW said:

If you port your number, all calls will appear to be from that number and all calls to that number can be answered normally at no further cost. Of course the caveat is that you would need a data service/WiFi Hotspot to make or receive calls. Best to set it up at least a week before you go.

Thank you, that's appreciated.  So by porting the number over, there's no extra charges calling to or from the UK number?

There will be data charges, unless you can guarantee that you'll always have free WiFi (eg. if you only make or receicalls from your hotel). You will need a data service for this.

Good point, and no, I can't guarantee WIFI as will be out and about 90% of the time.

Should I be looking at port forwarding with unlimited data?