May 30, 2013, 7:52 pm
Last edit by: Silver Fox
This is a stub Wiki for this thread - the idea is that any member can edit it to keep it up to date as a distillation of the best info from the thread.
3 - 200MB Free data SIM
3 - 15 pounds for 300 minutes, 3000 texts, and unlimited 3G data for a month (http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchSimOnly?tariff=112) The deal might not be dead but to buy the addon you need to switch WiFi off (!!) and open http://three.co.uk/my3 on your device as this unlinked support page says. Three customer service and store both says this doesn't work with tablets -- however customer service are idiots and doesn't know what is a tablet only knows phones and iPads (both phone and chat -- this is apparently company level). Tread carefully. Anyways, this method still worked on January 13, 2015.
Note the GBP15 all you can eat deal has now been pulled(Note 8/3/16: All in one with All you can eat data is now GBP25): http://www.threemicrosites.co.uk/AIO20B
If you don't want to buy a bundle or a plan, Three's flat rate for calls is now 3p per minute. The expiry time of one month or three months for topups has now been removed. So you pay only 3p per call minute for what you use.
Three's data is only 1p per MB, and you can buy packages (eg 500MB for 5 pounds). The packages ("add-ons") may not save money directly, but those data packages are eligible for use in "Feel at Home" countries (Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Indonesia, Macau, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Sweden, USA) at no extra charge. See http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-...se=EXT(EM11925)
EE: http://shop.ee.co.uk/price-plans/free-sim
Vodafone: https://freesim.vodafone.co.uk
O2: https://www.o2.co.uk/freesim/
giffgaff: www.giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/nfh (£5 free credit) or www.giffgaff.com/orders/free-sim (no free credit)
Three: https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order
How do I top up with an overseas card, or can I use PayPal?
Strangely, some firms insist that you must use a UK issued credit card to topup. Some do take PayPal:
Giffgaff
Vodafone
But it is not as prevalent as it should bein this day and age admittedly. There is a firm that some people have reported success with and they are:
https://www.mobiletopup.co.uk/
What frequencies are used in the UK?
There are a total of 5 different frequencies used in the UK used by the mobile networks to deliver their 2G, 3G and 4G mobile services.
800MHz (Band 20)
900MHz (Band 8)
1800MHz (Band 3)
2100MHz (Band 1)
2600MHz (Band 7)
Here's a chart for iPhones and which bands each model can use. http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
If you're not sure which model you have, look on the back of your iPhone or go into Settings-->General-->About-->Legal-->Regulatory
iphone 5 users note that: iPhone 5 cannot get 4G/LTE on the 800MHz or 2600MHz frequencies but it can on the 1800 frequency.
For other users there are a number of resources to check the frequency your phone supports including:
Global Certification Forum
As an example this is the data for a Samsung J1 Ace SM-J111F
GSMARENA
What frequencies do the different operators use?
Each operator in the UK utilises different frequencies to deliver their mobile networks with the core networks being EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Then there are also operators, called mobile virtual network operators (MVNO), who utilise the backend of the core networks to offer their own services.
The frequencies used by the major UK networks are:
EE (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 1800MHz & 2600MHz
O2 (2G) 900MHz & 1800MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
Vodafone (2G) 900MHz & 1800MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz & 2600MHz
Three (2G) N/A (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz & 1800MHZ
The frequencies used by UK’s MVNO’s are listed below:
Asda Mobile (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) N/A
BT Mobile (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz, 1800MHz & 2100MHz
iD Mobile (2G) N/A (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 1800MHz
Freedom Pop (2G) N/A (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz & 1800MHz
GiffGaff (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
Lebara Mobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) N/A
LycaMobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
TalkMobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) N/A
TalkTalk (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
Tesco Mobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
The People’s Operator (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz, 1800MHz & 2100MHz
Virgin Mobile (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz, 1800MHz, & 2600MHz
Please add and edit!
3 - 200MB Free data SIM
3 - 15 pounds for 300 minutes, 3000 texts, and unlimited 3G data for a month (http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchSimOnly?tariff=112) The deal might not be dead but to buy the addon you need to switch WiFi off (!!) and open http://three.co.uk/my3 on your device as this unlinked support page says. Three customer service and store both says this doesn't work with tablets -- however customer service are idiots and doesn't know what is a tablet only knows phones and iPads (both phone and chat -- this is apparently company level). Tread carefully. Anyways, this method still worked on January 13, 2015.
Note the GBP15 all you can eat deal has now been pulled(Note 8/3/16: All in one with All you can eat data is now GBP25): http://www.threemicrosites.co.uk/AIO20B
If you don't want to buy a bundle or a plan, Three's flat rate for calls is now 3p per minute. The expiry time of one month or three months for topups has now been removed. So you pay only 3p per call minute for what you use.
Three's data is only 1p per MB, and you can buy packages (eg 500MB for 5 pounds). The packages ("add-ons") may not save money directly, but those data packages are eligible for use in "Feel at Home" countries (Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Indonesia, Macau, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Sweden, USA) at no extra charge. See http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-...se=EXT(EM11925)
EE: http://shop.ee.co.uk/price-plans/free-sim
Vodafone: https://freesim.vodafone.co.uk
O2: https://www.o2.co.uk/freesim/
giffgaff: www.giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/nfh (£5 free credit) or www.giffgaff.com/orders/free-sim (no free credit)
Three: https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order
How do I top up with an overseas card, or can I use PayPal?
Strangely, some firms insist that you must use a UK issued credit card to topup. Some do take PayPal:
Giffgaff
Vodafone
But it is not as prevalent as it should bein this day and age admittedly. There is a firm that some people have reported success with and they are:
https://www.mobiletopup.co.uk/
What frequencies are used in the UK?
There are a total of 5 different frequencies used in the UK used by the mobile networks to deliver their 2G, 3G and 4G mobile services.
800MHz (Band 20)
900MHz (Band 8)
1800MHz (Band 3)
2100MHz (Band 1)
2600MHz (Band 7)
Here's a chart for iPhones and which bands each model can use. http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
If you're not sure which model you have, look on the back of your iPhone or go into Settings-->General-->About-->Legal-->Regulatory
iphone 5 users note that: iPhone 5 cannot get 4G/LTE on the 800MHz or 2600MHz frequencies but it can on the 1800 frequency.
For other users there are a number of resources to check the frequency your phone supports including:
Global Certification Forum
As an example this is the data for a Samsung J1 Ace SM-J111F
GSMARENA
What frequencies do the different operators use?
Each operator in the UK utilises different frequencies to deliver their mobile networks with the core networks being EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Then there are also operators, called mobile virtual network operators (MVNO), who utilise the backend of the core networks to offer their own services.
The frequencies used by the major UK networks are:
EE (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 1800MHz & 2600MHz
O2 (2G) 900MHz & 1800MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
Vodafone (2G) 900MHz & 1800MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz & 2600MHz
Three (2G) N/A (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz & 1800MHZ
The frequencies used by UK’s MVNO’s are listed below:
Asda Mobile (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) N/A
BT Mobile (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz, 1800MHz & 2100MHz
iD Mobile (2G) N/A (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 1800MHz
Freedom Pop (2G) N/A (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz & 1800MHz
GiffGaff (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
Lebara Mobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) N/A
LycaMobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
TalkMobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) N/A
TalkTalk (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
Tesco Mobile (2G) 900MHz (3G) 900MHz & 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz
The People’s Operator (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz, 1800MHz & 2100MHz
Virgin Mobile (2G) 1800MHz (3G) 2100MHz (4G LTE) 800MHz, 1800MHz, & 2600MHz
Please add and edit!
Prepaid SIM - UK/Great Britain/England/Scotland/Wales
Sep 27, 2013, 10:58 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA, AA, FB
Posts: 556
Your link took me to a page where they were selling the card without any balance for $6.99. If £5 had been enough calling credit for me then the $17 offer would be ok, but since I need more paying $10 for £5 is a bit steep!
Sep 27, 2013, 11:00 am
#77
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
As I have twice before, on my most recent trip last month, I just stopped by the O2 store in the Stratford mall. GBP 10 will get you a SIM card, a UK phone number, and I didn't even come close to using that much in 9 or so days. Even that was with uploading a bunch of pictures to Facebook.
If by some chance you do need more money on it, O2 regularly texts with top-up offers, most for double money (you put GBP10, get 20 worth).
Sep 27, 2013, 12:42 pm
#79
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
You should also register a US number for the phone before you go if you want an easy way to be accessible from the States. Depending on how easy you want that access to be, you could forward your US cell number to the Toggle US number or just give people the US Toggle number and receive calls from the US for free. (It's free for the calling party, too.) And calls from your Toggle phone to US numbers are only 3p/minute.
-Andy
Sep 27, 2013, 3:35 pm
#80
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA, AA, FB
Posts: 556
Thanks - I had seen the US number option. Another reason why I would like to set this up before I leave. The data is of less interest to me as I don't have a smartphone!
I actually got a fairly prompt reply from toggle customer service. They offered some variations to try ordering again or sending address and cc info to them by email. Didn't really want to bother with the former and don't like doing the latter, so ended up ordering from gosimcard.
I actually got a fairly prompt reply from toggle customer service. They offered some variations to try ordering again or sending address and cc info to them by email. Didn't really want to bother with the former and don't like doing the latter, so ended up ordering from gosimcard.
Sep 27, 2013, 3:51 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
Mine took several hours to show as registered on the Toggle web site and even then, the phone did not automatically "latch" to my USA profile. This cost me most of my leftover credit when a six-minute call was billed at £1.23/minute instead of the 6p/minute it should have cost me. I documented my misadventure and Toggle's terrible response here.
Sep 30, 2013, 12:50 pm
#83
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
I believe the best way to verify that you're on the right network is to call Toggle's support line from the phone at +44 7438 646322 . If I understand correctly, this is always a toll-free call. You should get that confirmed by Toggle before placing the call.
Oct 5, 2013, 4:36 am
#85
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 25
For unlimited data I use the Three £15 prepaid plan noted in the stub wiki. I have used in London. And others I know have used 3's similar offering in Ireland.
It also allows tethering, so your 3g phone can provide internet access to your laptop. I've found that to be more reliable than trying to find WIFI hotspots.
In London the coverage seems good. Although, I have experienced a dead spot on multiple visits between Picadilly and Pall Mall.
I don't believe you can readily get in advance of a visit. However, it is easy to find a Three shop or a Carphone Warehouse branch. They are both ubiquitous. You can should you want to make toll calls, i.e., international calls, you will need to put additional funds on the SIM. Although, I've been happy using Skype for all toll calls.
Also note the stub wiki is currently in error. The £15 plan only included 300 talk minutes not 3,000. However, 300 minutes of local call should work for most who are on a vacation. Note the free minutes exclude 0800 numbers such as those used by airlines and the like. You might want to initially put £20 on the SIM, using £15 for their "all in one 15" add-on and £5 extra for toll calls including international calls. After you've used up that £5 balance, you can top up a £10 minimums at many convenience and newstands.
Lastly the Three website says that you can not use tethering with the "all in one" data plan. I'm doing that right now on an iPhone 5 as I type this on my Mac. So contrary to their website at this moment it does work. However, I have also used the same Three SIM when roaming in France and Italy for data which is unlimited for £5 per day. Last year you could tether a computer to your phone, this year they were enforcing the no-tethering rule when roaming. So they might start enforcing in the UK and Ireland at some point.
It also allows tethering, so your 3g phone can provide internet access to your laptop. I've found that to be more reliable than trying to find WIFI hotspots.
In London the coverage seems good. Although, I have experienced a dead spot on multiple visits between Picadilly and Pall Mall.
I don't believe you can readily get in advance of a visit. However, it is easy to find a Three shop or a Carphone Warehouse branch. They are both ubiquitous. You can should you want to make toll calls, i.e., international calls, you will need to put additional funds on the SIM. Although, I've been happy using Skype for all toll calls.
Also note the stub wiki is currently in error. The £15 plan only included 300 talk minutes not 3,000. However, 300 minutes of local call should work for most who are on a vacation. Note the free minutes exclude 0800 numbers such as those used by airlines and the like. You might want to initially put £20 on the SIM, using £15 for their "all in one 15" add-on and £5 extra for toll calls including international calls. After you've used up that £5 balance, you can top up a £10 minimums at many convenience and newstands.
Lastly the Three website says that you can not use tethering with the "all in one" data plan. I'm doing that right now on an iPhone 5 as I type this on my Mac. So contrary to their website at this moment it does work. However, I have also used the same Three SIM when roaming in France and Italy for data which is unlimited for £5 per day. Last year you could tether a computer to your phone, this year they were enforcing the no-tethering rule when roaming. So they might start enforcing in the UK and Ireland at some point.
Last edited by rkv; Oct 5, 2013 at 5:02 am Reason: added correction on number of minutes and tethering
Nov 5, 2013, 12:36 am
#86
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 3
Cell Phone-Glasgow, Scotland-Study Abroad
My daughter is doing a study abroad in Glasgow, Scotland for 5 months from 1/19/2014 to 5/28/2014 and I will be buying a GSM smart phone for her on eBay and I am very confused how or what to do to obtain a plan or SIM card for it that is reasonable. She will be traveling the UK and maybe even other close countries on breaks and will need only local text, calls and data for GPS and maybe some local emails and internet use mostly when in range of WiFi. I want to keep the cost down too. She will use Skype and Magic Jack for contact with us back home here in the US and not the cell phone for calls to us or text us unless she uses Skype or Magic Jack from her cell by using the internet only. So no text or voice calls to us from her cell. What do I need to do for a SIM card and what plan with who do I use and cost. Can they send SIM card here to me to set up phone before she leaves too. The phone I'm looking at is Model S9920 Unlocked Android SmartPhone MTK6577 Dual Core 3G+GSM Cell Phone and if you have another suggestion I'm open to comments. Thanks in advance for any help.
Nov 5, 2013, 7:26 am
#87
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
My daughter is doing a study abroad in Glasgow, Scotland for 5 months from 1/19/2014 to 5/28/2014 and I will be buying a GSM smart phone for her on eBay and I am very confused how or what to do to obtain a plan or SIM card for it that is reasonable. She will be traveling the UK and maybe even other close countries on breaks and will need only local text, calls and data for GPS and maybe some local emails and internet use mostly when in range of WiFi. I want to keep the cost down too. She will use Skype and Magic Jack for contact with us back home here in the US and not the cell phone for calls to us or text us unless she uses Skype or Magic Jack from her cell by using the internet only. So no text or voice calls to us from her cell. What do I need to do for a SIM card and what plan with who do I use and cost. Can they send SIM card here to me to set up phone before she leaves too. The phone I'm looking at is Model S9920 Unlocked Android SmartPhone MTK6577 Dual Core 3G+GSM Cell Phone and if you have another suggestion I'm open to comments. Thanks in advance for any help.
Nov 5, 2013, 7:36 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,224
Giff Gaff currently has excellent SIM only rates and probably would work well with the described usage (it piggybacks off O2). Alternatively go with Three. Check their coverage maps for where your daughter will be.
If she really intends to use it also in Europe, then the equation changes substantially, as will the costs. It would probably be better to rely on Skype when abroad.
If she really intends to use it also in Europe, then the equation changes substantially, as will the costs. It would probably be better to rely on Skype when abroad.
Nov 5, 2013, 9:36 am
#89
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 3
Thanks for your input it will be useful!
No phone yet looking at the one I mentioned. Thanks
Thanks for your input it will be useful!
Giff Gaff currently has excellent SIM only rates and probably would work well with the described usage (it piggybacks off O2). Alternatively go with Three. Check their coverage maps for where your daughter will be.
If she really intends to use it also in Europe, then the equation changes substantially, as will the costs. It would probably be better to rely on Skype when abroad.
If she really intends to use it also in Europe, then the equation changes substantially, as will the costs. It would probably be better to rely on Skype when abroad.
Last edited by gfunkdave; Nov 5, 2013 at 9:45 am Reason: merged consecutive posts
Nov 6, 2013, 8:53 am
#90
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
Take a look at ovivo.co.uk's Freedom plan. Initial £20 payment for SIM card includes £15 deposit for chargeable calls, e.g. international.
http://ovivomobile.com/offer/ovivo-for-phones/
150 free UK minutes per month, 250 UK texts per month, 1,000 MB per month. Other packages are available. Works off the Vodafone network. It is possible the unused deposit is refundable but you'd need to check.
If you want to pay, the Three 1-2-3 plan is good. 3p per minute for UK calls, 2p per UK text, 1p per MB.
http://www.three.co.uk/Store/Pay_As_You_Go_Price_Plans
Be careful with Three. They have several price plans. The 1-2-3 is likely to suit.
Then there's Togglemobile.co.uk. Their SIM works in several European countries plus the US and Australia. You need to go through a routine to get local numbers in France, Switzerland, Italy etc. When you do, you get calls to landlines in Toggle markets for 3p per minute and calls to cellphones for 3-9p per minute.
http://www.togglemobile.co.uk/home/en
I don't know which of these works in advance. Possibly Togglemobile as the US is a Toggle market
http://ovivomobile.com/offer/ovivo-for-phones/
150 free UK minutes per month, 250 UK texts per month, 1,000 MB per month. Other packages are available. Works off the Vodafone network. It is possible the unused deposit is refundable but you'd need to check.
If you want to pay, the Three 1-2-3 plan is good. 3p per minute for UK calls, 2p per UK text, 1p per MB.
http://www.three.co.uk/Store/Pay_As_You_Go_Price_Plans
Be careful with Three. They have several price plans. The 1-2-3 is likely to suit.
Then there's Togglemobile.co.uk. Their SIM works in several European countries plus the US and Australia. You need to go through a routine to get local numbers in France, Switzerland, Italy etc. When you do, you get calls to landlines in Toggle markets for 3p per minute and calls to cellphones for 3-9p per minute.
http://www.togglemobile.co.uk/home/en
I don't know which of these works in advance. Possibly Togglemobile as the US is a Toggle market