prepaid SIM-buy at Heathrow or wait
Mar 5, 2017, 7:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA, BA, SPG, FFFWP
Posts: 171
prepaid SIM-buy at Heathrow or wait
Is it okay to buy a sim at Heathrow or better to wait until I get into town? Someone posted that they have SIM vending machines at Heathrow? Or you can buy them at WHSmith?
Mar 5, 2017, 11:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,188
Forget about the vending machines and that mobile shop in arrivals,they are overpriced. WH Smith in arrivals sells the same thing at normal high street prices.
Mar 6, 2017, 1:22 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,106
If the WH Smith doesn't have one you like, many shops in London will sell you a wide selection of prepaid SIMs - supermarkets, corner shops, branded mobile phone shops, independent mobile phone shops, etc. You do not need to use the (expensive) mobile SIM vendor stall in the airport.
Mar 6, 2017, 1:29 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,188
If the WH Smith doesn't have one you like, many shops in London will sell you a wide selection of prepaid SIMs - supermarkets, corner shops, branded mobile phone shops, independent mobile phone shops, etc. You do not need to use the (expensive) mobile SIM vendor stall in the airport.
The exception is Paddington area,where almost everyone shop will try to sell the sim for you for £5. The sim is free if you buy it at the phone network branches directly and £1 if you buy them from the retailers (Tesco,Sainsbury etc).
Mar 6, 2017, 2:06 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
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You might find this thread interesting too: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...and-wales.html
Mar 9, 2017, 1:00 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 886
When we visited in November, we really wanted to be able to use our phones immediately on arrival, so I bought two new Three SIM cards from a UK seller on ebay for around USD8 including shipping. I was able to activate them online from the US, but was not able to top them up, so we had to buy two top-up vouchers at the WHSmith in T5. But we were calling and texting away shortly thereafter.
For us, the All in One 10 add-on was plenty for a week, Wi-Fi was plentiful everywhere we went.
For us, the All in One 10 add-on was plenty for a week, Wi-Fi was plentiful everywhere we went.