# Prepaid mobile in UK.



## hawkinob (7 Aug 2013)

Hi,
Not the correct section of the Forum but probably better read so I'm asking here as well as the "non topic" section.

Visiting Uk in September and need information about the best mobile phone rate please.
Phone only as an emergency thing - no calls outside UK. wifi and web not needed. For 4 weeks.
Here in Oz I can pay $2 (1.20 pounds) for a sim card and $10 (6 pounds} for calls for a 90 day period. Only allowed $10 worth of calls without recharging. 
Looking for something similar
Thanks,
Bob H..


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## marcros (7 Aug 2013)

you should be able to get a free sim, and then put whatever you need onto it- probably £10 minimum. it wont expire in 4 weeks.


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## Graham Orm (7 Aug 2013)

Tesco 
Samsung http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-mobile-samsung-e1200-black/164-2461.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=164-2461

Nokia http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-mobile-nokia-100-black/215-7201.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=215-7201

Tesco stores are everywhere, but not all will do the phones. A quick online search for the area you are staying will find you one. The text is misleading, you don't have to sign up. You can buy as much credit as you choose.

Good luck ;-)


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## marcros (7 Aug 2013)

giffgaff seems to be as cheap as anybody. I believe that it is one of these relationships where a user recommends you and you both get a benefit. I am sure that somebody on here will be a member.

If it helps, I can get you a free sim from 02, and pop it in the post to your hotel so that it is there when you get there. then you can top it up at an atm, corner shop etc.


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## richard56 (7 Aug 2013)

Check the coverage too. I was on O2 and could get a signal pretty much anywhere.
I am on 3 network now and coverage seems quite patchy.


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## ChrisR (7 Aug 2013)

I only use a mobile phone infrequently, so I use pay as you go (Orange), I don’t know if they have the most competitive rate. But they do not cut you off for infrequent use, I last topped up my account over five years ago with £25.00, when I retired from work, the last time I checked there was still about £21.00 in my account. With no pressure from (Orange) to use or loose.
I think their coverage is fairly good, but as I don’t travel the country, I can’t confirm this.


Take care.

Chris R.


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## Hivenhoe (7 Aug 2013)

http://ovivomobile.com/offer/ovivo-for-phones/ may be worth a look?


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## Steve922 (7 Aug 2013)

Giffgaff seems to be the best rate-wise. Orange seems to be the worst - it certainly was for me charging a minimum of £2 per day for Internet use (even if only for a few seconds) and 25p per minute to call their help-line!

As marcros said ... if you go with giffgaff, get someone to have a card sent to you and you'll both get £5 credit each.


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## mseries (7 Aug 2013)

I am with giffgaff and I can arrange a card for anyone who wants one. PM me.


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## hawkinob (9 Aug 2013)

Hi All,
Thank you for the responses. I've got what I want, information. 
All i'm hoping for now is some decent weather in September - Indian summer as we used to call it!!
Thanks again.
Bob H.


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## boysie39 (9 Aug 2013)

Bob , I dont know anything about rates in the UK ,but if you are thinking of coming to the Beautiful Emerald Isle , let me tell you that even smoke signals are expensive .I think it's cheaper to drive to whoever you want to talk to wherever they may be . :lol: :lol: :twisted: :mrgreen: 

Hope you enjoy your trip to UK.


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## John51 (17 Aug 2013)

I'm on the Giffgaff Hokey Kokey package. £5 gets you 60 minutes/300 texts per month with 0800 numbers free. No contract so doing it as a one off is fine.

Another bonus is that you get a minute added for every minute of non Giffgaff calls to you. I now keep the sales calls to me going for a while.


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## heatherw (17 Aug 2013)

boysie39 said:


> Bob , I dont know anything about rates in the UK ,but if you are thinking of coming to the Beautiful Emerald Isle , let me tell you that even smoke signals are expensive .I think it's cheaper to drive to whoever you want to talk to wherever they may be . :lol: :lol: :twisted: :mrgreen:
> 
> That's interesting, we're off to Ireland at the end of august. I was wondering whether it was better to get a SIm or do roaming.
> 
> Is it really hard to get a cheap rate SIM in EIre? I've got one for UK.


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## boysie39 (18 Aug 2013)

heatherw":uanlxfzu said:


> boysie39":uanlxfzu said:
> 
> 
> > Bob , I dont know anything about rates in the UK ,but if you are thinking of coming to the Beautiful Emerald Isle , let me tell you that even smoke signals are expensive .I think it's cheaper to drive to whoever you want to talk to wherever they may be . :lol: :lol: :twisted: :mrgreen:
> ...



Will do a bit of checking Monday ,we have all the usual suspects here .I'm with o2 and have been for years , but I haven't roamed in years :lol: :wink: .will let you know asap . Who do you use by the way ?.


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## heatherw (18 Aug 2013)

Hi Boysie,

We've got Spanish Vodafone and Tesco Mobile which I think is the O2 network. Not intending to use it much, but we always get slammed for loads when we do use it, probably works out at about 20 quid per call.....

We're going to see a friend in Sligo, Another friend in Belfast, and Alberto wants to explore the Emerald Isle from top to toe, he's never been there before. Gutted that the good weather is off, but only to be expected, I suppose, otherwise it wouldn't be emerald.

Threadjacking again, sorry, but at least it keeps it live.


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## boysie39 (20 Aug 2013)

HeatherW. I know how you feel ,I lived in Spain for some years and when I was ringing Scrollers :wink: here it nearly bankrupt me , :shock: :roll: 
It seems to me that all mobile co.s here are much the same now .You can buy a sim for 20 euro and get a months free local calls to their networks . 
When you arrive here check it out with any of the robber's :mrgreen: 

Hope you have a great trip over here , the weather will be good in Sept. with the usual floods and heavy rain we always give visitors a good Cead Milea Failte .


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