CDTraveler

I need a phone for a 2 week trip to the UK. All that is needed is voice service on a basic phone for calls within the UK, don't need data plan (will have iPad), camera or any apps. I'm looking at the "SAMSUNG SGH A157 UNLOCKED GSM GLOBAL QUADBAND WORLD Cell Phone AT&T T-MOBILE" listed on eBay for $25.97.

My questions are:

1. is an AT&T phone a good choice for the UK?

2. I've not bought a sim card outside the US before; can I buy a prepaid one with cash and not link it to my credit card? I'll have minimal need for the phone for 2 weeks and then I'd be done with it.

3. where can you buy an AT&T sim card in central Birmingham? what type of store do I need to find - electronics, phone, tobacco shop, or ???

Anybody have an alternative suggestion for a low cost, voice only phone for short term use?

gfunkdave

1. It is if it's unlocked to accept any SIM and supports international voice frequencies. This particular samsung does.

2. Check out the prepaid SIM threads list that is a sticky thread at the top of this forum.

3. You can't. You will need to buy a SIM for a local UK carrier. You will get a UK number.

CDTraveler

gfunkdave thanks for the info. I've bought the Samsung and will pick up a sim card on arrival in the UK. Can you suggest a source for a quick run-down on the British phone system? My experiences with phone numbers on the continent are sometimes, but not always, you have dial multiple codes (region/city) in addition to the number, even when you are in the same city you're calling. How do the Brits set things up?

gfunkdave

There are area codes (often called city codes) and local numbers, just like here. In most countries outside North America, you dial zero, then area code, then number, whereas here you dial a one first. In most countries, that leading zero is part of the area code itself (I.e., area codes all start with zero). British area codes can be 3-6 digits long depending on the size of the exchange. London's area code is 020.

When calling to a country from outside that country, you drop the leading zero from the area code.

That's about it.

You can buy SIMs from any Boots pharmacy, Carphone Warehouse, or grocery store. Or from vending machines in the airports. Check the Prepaid SIM - UK thread for details.

Aviatrix

You don't really have to remember any of this... if you familiarise yourself with, and store numbers in, the agreed international format. This works on cellphones in both Europe and North America (and probably elsewhere in the world as well, though I have no direct experience of other countries)

The international format is

+[country code][area code][subscriber number]

So - for a number in London (UK area code 020) the international format is +44 20 12345678. For a number in Berlin it's +49 30 12345678. For a number in New York it's +1 212 1234567. It doesn't matter where you are, or whether you're dialling nationally or internationally, this always works.

It's actually 2-4, excluding the zero (which, strictly speaking, is an access code rather than part of the area code). It's a long time since we had area codes that were longer than that as all the smaller exchanges have been merged with larger ones.

Silver Fox

If you check out this thread and want a giffgaff SIM posted to you before you travel just PM me.

CDTraveler

I'm not really understanding what you are saying. If I am in London, calling a London number, with a phone with a sim card bought in a different city, do I really have to dial the entire international format? I won't be making any calls between countries, just within England (not even Scotland or Wales). It's not likely I'll be storing any numbers, just calling for reservations, opening times, and things like that on a one time basis per location, but we will be moving around to different cities, so that's why I asked about area codes.

The other problem is there doesn't seem to be a standard format for the way guidebooks and websites list phone numbers. Some books include the area code with every number, and others don't - see why it isn't clear what I need to dial?

Silver Fox, am sending PM.

boberonicus

Within the UK, with a UK SIM card, calling a UK number, you'll always start with a zero. Just drop the country code (44).

If you see something like this: +44 20 12345678, you'll dial 020 12345678.
But within the UK, you'll usually see exactly what you need to dial. Here's an example from a nice restaurant you should visit (assuming you're an adventurous diner, and assuming you're not a vegetarian).

Silver Fox

@CDTraveler - I replied to your PM about giffgaff but re-reading the thread it might be something like a Lycamobile bundle that is just talk and texts that suits you better. You can pick up SIMs (for a lot of vendors) at almost every sweet shop/newsagents in the country, at the phone stores, at supermarkets, and you can buy a top-up voucher at the same time. In some cases they will even activate it for you so you walk away with a fully active phone.

Silver Fox

You can dial either from a mobile phone and it will work.

CDTraveler

Thanks for the phone info. As for the restaurant, well, I am an adventurous dinner, but that place violates one of my two absolute dining rules: I don't eat anyplace that serves snails. I absolutely loathe snails <shudder> and the thought of watching someone eat them is too ghastly for words. (... and that explains why I've never been to France ).

boberonicus

Is the SIM free?

Silver Fox

Certainly by post, not sure about the shops though, but I would be surprised if not.

Aviatrix

You don't have to... but if you store numbers in a telephone then storing them in the standard international format is a good habit to get into. It means you never have to worry about area/country codes again, you just dial the stored number which is the same no matter where you are.

For one-off calls there is no real need to dial the full interntional number, but if you want to store numbers it makes a lot of sense to store them in the international format. All my numbers, on all my phones and all my SIM cards, are stored in that format.