<Whinging Pom>
Yo peeps,

We are heading back to the UK soon for a few weeks for sociable reasons totally lost on me. It's been 6 years since the last visit and apparently it's a good idea to go now before the kid hits High School (yes, time flies).

Anywho we need to be connected to the rest of the planet for ... reasons ... and need some kind of mobile plan thing.

Any recommendations on SIMs? Not the virtual computer people, the things that slot in the back of those rectangular things that everyone seems to be talking at instead of walking or driving in a straight line.

As an aside, did anyone read the BBC News article about the "Ping Pong Poms"? I found it an amusing read this morning in any case.

Hmmm, really should get a passport as the trip is about 3 weeks away. Can you tell I'm hyped for this trip?

My best UK mate drinking buddy is now sober and I have to visit Chatham. I fly more in hope than expectation. Maybe a decent beer (sans f***ing Pokies) and a top curry will sort me out.

I trust all are well, apologies for not posting more but I have been busy, er, washing the dog. And a mid-life crisis. And fighting ISIS. And trying to sell Girl Guide biscuits.
</Whinging Pom>

EE are good

Decent 4G coverage everywhere I went

They're all pretty much of a muchness I think. I have O2 and the DH has 3 and he sometimes gets coverage in places I don't and vice versa. Also have an EE and same thing goes - don't think I have used any that give you coverage absolutely everywhere. I guess it also depends on things like how much data you expect to use where I think 3 might just have the edge on payg. You can get a nice range of sim options in Tesco

We still use prepaid sims for the iPads, we live in the countryside and coverage is poor but the best experience by far has been with Three. About £15 for three months, there is a limit in data but nothing I have ever exceeded. I buy a new sim each time as the renewal is nothing like as good as the original purchase.

As an aside we arrived in Sydney last night and went to buy $30 SIM cards for iPad this morning. Well .... we were asked for passports, driving licences, proof of normal address, proof of address in Australia (as holiday makers!). Never been asked for anything in UK other than payment!

https://www.simcorner.com/shop/uk

They are all supposed to, but only some do. If you don't fancy the 3rd degree then just get a SIM pack from somewhere else.

Why would I go around other places? Surely that would take longer than producing my passport, driving licence and proofs of address? My point was thta it seemed like an awful lot of unnecessary red tape for something that is so easy in UK.

It is.

Up to you, but having bought SIMs from various places, I know that many don't bother with the red tape.

We got our daughters Aussie SIM card from ALDI, it uses the Telstra network and works out very cost effective. I wonder if ALDI in England have a similar deal ?

Giff gaff . Can't go wrong imo. Cheap, casual, easy (!) and on the 02 network I believe, so good coverage. I get good reception on mine where others get nothing. You can order a sim, free, online and have it waiting for you at your UK address when you arrive. www.giffgaff.com (They should be paying me for this.) (But they're not.)

PS free calls and texts from giff gaff to giff gaff so great for you and wife, kids etc.

Thanks y'all, hmmm Giff Gaff sounds alright, ta.

I used O2 last time as with the add on I was paying about £20 a month for unlimited calls, texts and all you can eat data it worked out very cheap for me

Thanks, the other half has vetoed all my plans and bought some international roaming SIMs for us all.

She seems to have forgotten that my desire to roam anywhere other than a pub and curry house is minimal.

Plus when I was there if you recharged 20 pounds you got unlimited data.

Well, looks like you got vetoed but when I was travelling in Europe the best was the Three prepaid as it was 15GBP for limitless texting and data and 3000mins of calls to UK numbers. Can't really beat that.