Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: M.Ted
Date: 31 May 07 - 10:22 AM

It has takien me a little while to get the idea that my phone, with different cards, would have different coverage ranges--

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 31 May 07 - 07:54 AM

I would agree that the carphone warehouse is very good. I got a card for their 'own' network, Fresh, for £10 and it comes complete with £10 of calls and texts so it realy does cost nothing. I think Fresh actualy sits on the Orange network and I have found no lack of coverage.

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 May 07 - 07:51 AM

The one situation where it does make a difference which company you use is if you are going to very remote places. I use Orange and I know of one place where I can't use it (on the Sound of Iona in Mull) as there is no Orange transmitter that isn't blocked by a hill - T-Mobile does work, but in other places the situation can be other way round. If you are going somewhere far away from cities with rough terrain it might be worth checking with a local as to which service they use.

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: JennyO
Date: 29 May 07 - 11:28 PM

A few years ago when I was in the UK, I got a SIM card from Orange. That seemed to work well. There were plenty of places around where you could top up.

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: GUEST,BB
Date: 29 May 07 - 11:20 PM

I just did this recently. My host sent me down to the local Car Phone Warehouse with my phone in hand. For 10 pounds, I bought the least expensive Mobile World SIM card. The person at the desk showed me how to insert the card, and supplied me with a price sheet. As I recall, phone calls outgoing within the UK cost me 15p a minute. Incoming calls were free. Do you live in the US? Because, believe it or not, outgoing calls to the US cost me only 5p a minute!! What a deal!!

You ask "How much time is typically on the three to fiver cards?"
Well, I didn't find cards that cheap - five pounds was the least expensive TOP-UP amount. About the time - it depends on where you're calling. If you stick to UK calls exclusively, you'll get 66 minutes of talk.

And, "which company is most reliable?" With a Pay-as-you-go SIM card, they're all the same. If you shop around, ask for the price sheet, to see how much they're charging per minute of call.

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 May 07 - 09:23 PM

Pay As You Go makes more sense for a short visit, rather than any kind of account. I've no idea how much time is on the cards, I just top mine up at the checkout in the supermarket any time it's running low - put in five or ten quid and it lasts ages. It all depends how you use phones - my conversations rarely last more than a few seconds - "Where are you?" "Where ought I to be?"

It doesn't seem to make much difference which company you use, in my experience. O2 is as good as any.

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 May 07 - 09:03 PM

This info is quite helpful! How much time is typically on the three to fiver cards? And, if given a choice, which company is most reliable?

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 29 May 07 - 06:43 PM

There ARE SIM Card deals in all the mobile phone shops = It LOOKS like you can buy a card for about a fiver , and put a nominal amount on the supplier account . This is NOT carved in stone , but as I have only recently upgraded my Pay As You Go I saw the caeds on sale . Be orh having a look ,as Car Phone Warehouse are every where

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: Tootler
Date: 29 May 07 - 06:27 PM

My brother bought a SIM card here for his phone when he visited recently from S. Africa. I don't know where he got his or how much he paid, but I can find out. PM me if you would like me to.

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: Bernard
Date: 29 May 07 - 06:21 PM

Supermarkets such as Asda (Walmart) and Tesco - you can even get a phone for £30 complete with a prepaid SIM.

Most petrol filling stations (you call them 'gas stations' - though gas is used for cooking and heating over here...!) will top up your card for you.

Subject: RE: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 May 07 - 06:14 PM

Walk into shop. Buy one.

The best deals are in Asian-run this-&-that shops which also offer mobile unlocking services and international calling cards. Locally the going rate at those places is 3.50 pounds for a prepaid card with any of the major services (Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Virgin). From a high street shop run by one of those firms, it will cost you several times as much and you'll have to put up with a creepy spiel aimed at getting you to sign up for a contract Faust would have recoiled at.

Subject: Tech: How to buy SIM card in UK?
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 May 07 - 04:56 PM

I will be in London for a short time at the end of June, and can't live without a cell phone. I have an unlocked GSM phone, and could buy a prepaid SIM card here, but it looks like it calls would cost a lot less if I got one there--could someone explain what to look for and how it works?

I had a very bad experience "renting" a card in France last summer, had an unexpected $1000 "deposit" charged to my AmEx that took six months to get bac, and ended up being billed about three hundred dollars more than I should have--so I am a bit wary--