BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain

Subject: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 05:56 PM

My wife and her friend are heading off to Scotland and England in late April. They would like a mobile (cell) phone, but since they're only going to be there for about two weeks they don't want to buy one.

Anyone know of a rental phone at a decent price?

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 06:03 PM

Can you not enable your US one for UK roaming?

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Bassic
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 06:22 PM

Buy dont rent, try here

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 06:47 PM

Britain (and Europe, and Asia, etc.) use a different protocol than the US (and, I think, Canada). So the short answer is no, the phone can't be adapted to UK use.

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: greg stephens
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 07:07 PM

They are so cheap now, just find out where to buy, and go for it. I'm sure that's the simplest thing. Some person who understands such things will tell you where to go.

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: jimmyt
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 07:18 PM

Rapaire I will PM you with solutions but Tmobile is compatable with European service and I use it all the time for calls back to the states. If she wants a phone for use within the UK then simply adding a simcard will suffice   jimmyt

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Cobble
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 08:10 PM

WE can use our virgin mobiles in the states, and a lot more countrys you must have something compatible.

      Cobble

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Bassic
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 08:31 PM

Virgin piggybacks on the T Mobile network in the UK, the same one Jimmy refered to.

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Bassic
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 08:54 PM

Dont forget if you bring your phone you will need to buy a 240v charger when you get here unless you bring the 12v car charger, and maybe a sim as well. As I said at the begining, just go to the "Carphone Warehouse" at the airport and for less than £20 you can walk out with a new Nokia. Simple, no hastle and guarenteed to work in the UK ;-). AND you can bring it and use it the next time you come too!

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: JennyO
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 09:30 PM

When I was in the UK, coming from Oz, I just went to an Orange shop and got a simcard for my phone (an Ericsson), and bought some credit. Then when that was getting low, I could walk into any number of places and top it up.

I could have used international roaming, but the call rates were prohibitive. This was much cheaper.

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 03:56 AM

Orange have just put up their pay as you go prices. Pay as you go on a cheap phone may be the best solution. The problem is they want everything but inside leg measurement and presumably a permanent address - though passports should be good enough.

Basically they want to sell you short - work on that principle.

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 04:48 AM

I just bougt a sim for a 'retired' mobile - It cost £10 and included £10 worth of calls! Provided the phone is 'chipped' (or is in un-chipped?) to use any network can you not 'borrow' a phone from a UK catter? Hey - Send me £10 for the sim and you can borrow that one:-) Including charger and bluetooth headset:-)

How can I get it to you? Are they coming via Manchester by any chance?

Only one thing - I will need it back and if the deal is renaged on I will tell everyone that you have some nasty habits and dirty underwear;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 04:59 AM

I too have more than one redundant mobile phone you can have, no need to go buying one just a SIM card will do.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Paul Burke
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 05:09 AM

Beware - if they want to make calls back home they could end up paying an arm, a leg and a nod of the head. There are various low- cost alternatives that I've tried and work very well- you dial up a UK number, then the number you want, so there's no need to sign up or pay a fee in advance. It's usually 2-5p a minute for most destinations. Check it for mobiles though, I've only used it from a landline.

Cheap international calls

Subject: RE: BS: Renting a Mobile Phone in Britain
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 07:22 AM

Agree with Paul completely - I'd use Skype to call home if I was you. Just use the mobile for making UK mainland calls and receiving calls from home.

D.