gfunkdave

I'm going to the UK on Friday and have a Three SIM all ready. But I can only top up with a UK credit card online - or with a Top Up card paid for in cash in person. The funny thing is that my UK friend tried to put her credit card on the account and top up, and it still wouldn't take.

Why do UK mobile providers require a UK credit card?

richarddd

Some vendors require a credit card from their country, likely for fraud prevention issues.

Have you tried every card you have? Last year I managed to buy a Spanish train ticket with a BankDirect debt card enrolled in Verified by Visa (adds a password for online purchases). I'd tried a large number of other cards without success.

h15t0r1an

Phones and phone cards are a bit special. Key reason might be that mobile networks only sign contracts for territory one country at a time currently. Because prices for phones and network time/data can differ greatly for the same product/service between countries, legally they must - and of course are very interested in - preventing arbitrage. So it's perfectly natural for networks to restrict the origin of methods of payment to the territory for which they have the relevant network licence.

Additionally as mentioned by other poster above there are quite serious fraud issues when accepting foreign credit cards, or cards of certain types, for some products and services (not just mobile but many other products).

As I mentioned in another thread here recently, it is extremely easy once in the UK to obtain top-ups at every supermarket, newspaper shops (eg WH Smith) most petrol stations and many other outlets (eg Boots pharmacies). Even SIMs are pretty easy to get hold of. Just say at the cash desk which network you want and how much £.

richarddd

I topped up a UK tmobile SIM with a US credit card earlier this year

mrcamp

Which UK sim, which CC, and where did you do the topup (her or in the UK)? There should NOT be any problem doing it in the UK with a US issued CC. Online is another story.

richarddd

Online from the US. Is there more than one UK tmobile?

mrcamp

Sorry. I read it too quickly and thought you did not specify the carrier.

I have heard of some people with American Express and may be Discover having success topping up UK sim cards online from the US

cordelli

• To cut back on fraud
• Exchange fees they may have to pay

YVR Cockroach

T Mobile in the U.S. won't accept anything but a U.S.-domiciled CC online. Can phone in however.

gfunkdave

Thanks all...but if I'm not mistaken, the cardmember pays the forex fees, not the merchant.

Also, I had a friend in London try it. She added her UK credit card to my account online and it wouldn't take. I had also tried my SPG Amex after calling Amex and adding my friend's UK address to my account as an alternate address on the account.

I'll just buy a Top Up card or visit a Three store when I get there...

weekilter

It's not just the UK. Canadian mobile operators won't take non-Canadian credit cards either. Foreign credit cards are not accepted by US mobile operators either though if you have a foreign credit card you can still use PIN vendors like callingmart.com .

nubudu

I have a UK T-Mobile sim and can top up online with my US Amex card.

Dubai Stu

I had a Rogers contract SIM for 3 years that was being paid by my US credit card. I still have an Orange UK contract SIM card (OVP Virgin -- essentially PAYG with a statement) and pay it with my US card.

youreadyfreddie

This drives me nuts whenever I'm in the UK. I have to schlep to the Vodafone, Virgin, Carphone Warehouse, or other store, in person to top up my phone. I always have problems trying to get train tickets in advance as well. In both cases, I have had an "account" with my actual contact information, but still can't use the card. I haven't tried in the past two years, a friend got my train tickets for me and I reimbursed them. I don't understand why I can walk up to the clerk at the phone store and use my card, or go to the train ticket machine and buy a ticket, but can't do the same on line or via phone. I wonder if it is as difficult for folks from the UK trying to do the same thing here?

YVR Cockroach

Yes, no to go off topic but HA doesn't accept anything but NAFTA-based credit cards.