Best PrePaid iphone Sim cards for UK and France for Data?
Jul 24, 2012, 8:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 195
Best PrePaid iphone Sim cards for UK and France for Data?
Hello, I did look through the consolidated thread but the UK part was from 2010 so I was worried it may be out of date, and I was unclear about France.
I'm in the UK for 2 weeks then France for 2 weeks, I am looking for a prepaid Sim card with the best data plan, as I will be using iMessage a lot, and hopefully uploading photos, and likely using skype for phone calls home. It may be nice to have the ability to send out a few texts too.
I'm assuming that it might be better to buy a separate sim card for each country?
I'm hoping to find good value and not break the bank.. is this possible?
I'm in the UK for 2 weeks then France for 2 weeks, I am looking for a prepaid Sim card with the best data plan, as I will be using iMessage a lot, and hopefully uploading photos, and likely using skype for phone calls home. It may be nice to have the ability to send out a few texts too.
I'm assuming that it might be better to buy a separate sim card for each country?
I'm hoping to find good value and not break the bank.. is this possible?
Jul 24, 2012, 9:25 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Chicago
Posts: 578
Yeah. Just get a separate sim card for each country. You can check each country's providers page for the best deals, as it changes quite often.
Jul 24, 2012, 10:06 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Three UK (www.three.co.uk) has an unlimited 3G data SIM-only package for about 15 pounds, good for a month. It includes 600 calling minutes and 3000 texts. You can buy micro-SIMs or regular SIMs through them, including at vending machines in Heathrow.
Jul 24, 2012, 11:05 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 195
Perfect, that's exactly what I was looking for... UK down, thank you... now.. anyone have anything similar with France?
Jul 24, 2012, 11:29 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Three UK (www.three.co.uk) has an unlimited 3G data SIM-only package for about 15 pounds, good for a month. It includes 600 calling minutes and 3000 texts. You can buy micro-SIMs or regular SIMs through them, including at vending machines in Heathrow.
and how long is the Sim good for until the number expires ?
Thanks for the info
Soarer
Jul 24, 2012, 11:54 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 195
Oh I just realized, I'm flying into Gatwick, do you think I'll be able to get a sim card there?
Jul 24, 2012, 12:32 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Atlanta Ga
Posts: 107
i have to agree three uk is the best one great plans i used the 15.00 pound for 1 month with unlimited data when i visited and i used the tether for me and my wifes tablets
Jul 24, 2012, 12:34 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Atlanta Ga
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Jul 24, 2012, 2:09 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2006
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go to giffgaff and order a sim card from them. They use the o2 network and it's a lot more reliable than 3
Jul 24, 2012, 4:28 pm
#11
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Jul 28, 2012, 1:20 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2010
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Last time I was in LHR (about 20 mo ago) I recall there was a machine (probably was a VendPoint) by the stairs next to the Yotel.
Most SIMs I've gotten in Europe are good for 6 months from last usage. If you use it every 6 months then they're probably good indefinitely (as long as there's credit).
Most SIMs I've gotten in Europe are good for 6 months from last usage. If you use it every 6 months then they're probably good indefinitely (as long as there's credit).
Aug 6, 2012, 9:58 am
#13
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FWIW, I'm in the midst of a UK/France trip now, and here's what I've experienced...
UK
Getting a SIM in the UK was ridiculously easy. There are vending machines at Heathrow selling several carriers' SIMs. SIMs are also available at any Boot's pharmacy, Carphone Warehouse, and others. The best deal is Three, which will sell you a standard SIM or micro SIM for I believe 5 pounds (I happened to have bought one ahead of time on eBay). Charge it with 15 pounds of credit and you can get their 15-pound add on, which gives you 300 minutes of calls, 3000 texts , and unlimited 3G data for a month. The minutes and texts are only good for calling/texting UK numbers, not back home. The network in and around London was fine. Some dead spots, but nothing horrible or long-lasting.
I topped up my Three SIM at a Boots pharmacy in Heathrow with 20 pounds, got the 15 pound add on, and had another 5 pounds for credit to text back home (which I didn't use much, since I texted via Google Voice).
France
Getting a SIM in France was more of an ordeal. I first went to an SFR store, and they told me that their entire prepaid system had been down for a few days due to unknown technical problems, so they wouldn't/couldn't sell me a prepaid SIM.
Next, I went to Orange. The guy there flat-out refused to sell me a prepaid SIM for an iPhone, saying that with a smartphone I'd burn through all my data allowance in "five minutes". This despite the sign by the cash register showing prepaid SIM options, including an iPhone micro SIM with 200 MB of data. The flyer also said that it would take 48 hours for the data service to be activated, which is awful, so I didn't press the guy at Orange.
Finally, I went to Bouygues (pronounced "boog"), and they were happy to sell me a microSIM. He said it was 10 euro for the SIM and then I could buy more credit, but looking at my account online shows that that 10 euros is indeed reflected in my available credit. In any case, I got the "2 fois" plan, which allows free SMS in France and calls at EUR 0.45/min - a bit steep. There is a data add on of EUR 10 for 200 MB. Once you're out, you get an SMS from Bouygues and you can dial 630 to top up or buy another 200 MB with existing account credit.
Bouygues service is not the best. In the middle of Paris, I'd have inexplicable data outages despite showing full 3G signal. I frequently drop down to EDGE or get No Service intermittently, only to quickly bounce back to full 3G signal. They also block VPN connections. Still, it more or less works and is fine for short term.
Hope this helps someone.
UK
Getting a SIM in the UK was ridiculously easy. There are vending machines at Heathrow selling several carriers' SIMs. SIMs are also available at any Boot's pharmacy, Carphone Warehouse, and others. The best deal is Three, which will sell you a standard SIM or micro SIM for I believe 5 pounds (I happened to have bought one ahead of time on eBay). Charge it with 15 pounds of credit and you can get their 15-pound add on, which gives you 300 minutes of calls, 3000 texts , and unlimited 3G data for a month. The minutes and texts are only good for calling/texting UK numbers, not back home. The network in and around London was fine. Some dead spots, but nothing horrible or long-lasting.
I topped up my Three SIM at a Boots pharmacy in Heathrow with 20 pounds, got the 15 pound add on, and had another 5 pounds for credit to text back home (which I didn't use much, since I texted via Google Voice).
France
Getting a SIM in France was more of an ordeal. I first went to an SFR store, and they told me that their entire prepaid system had been down for a few days due to unknown technical problems, so they wouldn't/couldn't sell me a prepaid SIM.
Next, I went to Orange. The guy there flat-out refused to sell me a prepaid SIM for an iPhone, saying that with a smartphone I'd burn through all my data allowance in "five minutes". This despite the sign by the cash register showing prepaid SIM options, including an iPhone micro SIM with 200 MB of data. The flyer also said that it would take 48 hours for the data service to be activated, which is awful, so I didn't press the guy at Orange.
Finally, I went to Bouygues (pronounced "boog"), and they were happy to sell me a microSIM. He said it was 10 euro for the SIM and then I could buy more credit, but looking at my account online shows that that 10 euros is indeed reflected in my available credit. In any case, I got the "2 fois" plan, which allows free SMS in France and calls at EUR 0.45/min - a bit steep. There is a data add on of EUR 10 for 200 MB. Once you're out, you get an SMS from Bouygues and you can dial 630 to top up or buy another 200 MB with existing account credit.
Bouygues service is not the best. In the middle of Paris, I'd have inexplicable data outages despite showing full 3G signal. I frequently drop down to EDGE or get No Service intermittently, only to quickly bounce back to full 3G signal. They also block VPN connections. Still, it more or less works and is fine for short term.
Hope this helps someone.
Last edited by gfunkdave; Aug 6, 2012 at 10:03 am
Aug 10, 2012, 4:17 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 195
Thanks for the heads up, Three has been awesome in the UK btw, I highly recommend them as the all you can use data is perfect!
As for France, I'm a little discouraged seeing that it's so difficult to find a SIM card with a decent data plan, my backup is to get a Vodafone SIM card here in the UK which is 2 pounds per day for 25MB.
I'd love unlimited data or at least more data for France but it feels like I'm running out of options.
As for France, I'm a little discouraged seeing that it's so difficult to find a SIM card with a decent data plan, my backup is to get a Vodafone SIM card here in the UK which is 2 pounds per day for 25MB.
I'd love unlimited data or at least more data for France but it feels like I'm running out of options.
Aug 10, 2012, 3:37 pm
#15
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I posted somewhere in another thread, but when I was in the UK last (May-June), I picked up an O2 sim card for my old iPhone 3 for GBP 10, and it was good for nearly unlimited data/text, and I used it for a couple of UK calls. The entire purchase process took no more than 5 minutes, and that included them helping to change out the sim card.
We went out to the Stratford Mall (near the Olympic Park), and there's shops for nearly every UK provider...many of them either beside each other or just across from each other.
We also went to Germany on this trip, and it is a bit more challenging there. I did get an O2 sim card, but I think it was E30, had to provide a passport, address (the clerk just used his), and in general it took about 30 min to do it all. The odd thing was, the first O2 store I went in they just said they were out of sim cards and come back tomorrow. I kept walking, was about to go into an Orange shop, when there was another O2 shop, where they had one.
We went out to the Stratford Mall (near the Olympic Park), and there's shops for nearly every UK provider...many of them either beside each other or just across from each other.
We also went to Germany on this trip, and it is a bit more challenging there. I did get an O2 sim card, but I think it was E30, had to provide a passport, address (the clerk just used his), and in general it took about 30 min to do it all. The odd thing was, the first O2 store I went in they just said they were out of sim cards and come back tomorrow. I kept walking, was about to go into an Orange shop, when there was another O2 shop, where they had one.