A number to use for one month

cheezy_2

Hello,

I'll be staying in the UK for one month (I'm from Belgium, and participate in a summer school at the University of Salford in Manchester), and would like to get a mobile phone number, so people can contact me from Belgium, without me paying for it as well (as would be the case when I would just use roaming).

I won't be making any calls myself (or almost none), so the price per minute doesn't really matter, I just want a low starting cost.

I have my own phone (Qtek 9090), so I only need a SIM card (which should work with this phone, of course).

It would be nice if GPRS was available, but this is not a must.

I have searched the UK mobile phone carrier websites, but if you're not used to the local terminology, this is not easy. If someone could give me some recommendations, this would be very appreciated.

knuckledragger

cheezy,
go to http://shop.o2.co.uk/shop/choosetariffs and have a look at the Pay As You Go tariffs. One of the Talk a lot one's would seem to fit the bill for you. Get your phone unlocked at a market stall if it's not already unlocked. Two posters on this forum, Browntoa and drahcir may be able to give unlocking advice.

pricefighter

Cheezy. See also https://www.easymobile.com this might suit you also.

Hunnymonster

Unlikely the handset is locked as the OP is from Belgium where the norm is to pay for the handset up front and have cheaper calls and monthly rental - rather than our norm of selling the handsets at a loss and raking back the subsidy in inflated contract/call costs.

Offer of a free SIM via PM too cheezy

s.c.

Hi cheesy, enjoy your stay.

Local markets are a good place to get sim cards,
ours has all types for £1 to £5.
I have just bought an Orange one for £1.50, with £1 of calls on it.

To register a sim you will need,

1. Your phone's IEME number, usually in with the bar-codes under the battery.
2. the SIM card number
3. A security password of your choice
4. A passcode , usually 4 numbers of your choice ( known as a PIN ....Personal Identification Number, like the one for your bank cash machine))
5. An English address, or postcode.

Call the number listed in the SIM papers, ( for example the Orange one is 0800 079 0006 to register, they will ask you the above questions and give you a number for the phone.
If they ask you for a credit card number say you will buy minutes ( top up) at the bank machine, and hopefull you will have finished.
Put the sim on your phone and they will send a text message, read it then delete it, turn your phone off then back on and you phone is ready to use.

Bacon_Sandwich_3

Don't you get charged anyway.I often go to belgium and if someone rings me and i answer it we both get charged so becareful before you buy a sim and make sure you don't get charged too much.

Hunnymonster

That's what exactly he's trying to avoid

cheezy wrote:

would like to get a mobile phone number, so people can contact me from Belgium, without me paying for it as well (as would be the case when I would just use roaming).

If someone calls him on his Belgian mobile number while he's in the UK, he's going to get charged for roaming (which he doesn't want) - if he gets a UK SIM then he gets a UK number and any callers get charged for to call the UK and he pays nothing for those incoming calls.

Bacon_Sandwich_3

lol i see what you mean now.Must wake up before posting here:o