I may be lickle technically challenged but i can't seem to be able to text the UK from my new cell. I'm in ON and on the Koooooodooooo network, coverage is good and i have a unlimited text's package. What prefixes the uk cell number? Sorry if this has already been answered.

Hi. I believe it is +44, drop the 0 at the start of the number, then the mobile number. I text friends back home with no problems, just save their number in that format on your phone.

You should also check whether you are able to make international calls from your phone - if all international numbers are blocked, you can't do it (calls and texting work the same here)

not necessarily.
there are payg providers who allow all international calls but sending text messages works only to certain countries / country networks.
might be a technology (cdma / gsm) thing, settings for plans might be different and i think it's less of a problem with the uk (size) - but, communicating on a cdma network (better coverage here), i clearly wasn't able to text my friends in dublin.

Hi. I know that some companies just do not let texting to the UK. But some companies also have different plans. There are also different switching network providers (not sure if that is the correct name or not) My roomie who had a monthly plan with a company here, sasktel, could not text his brother in the UK. But he could text his brothers roomate.

I have a prepaid mobile also from Sasktel and have never had a problem texting anywhere in the UK, including Wales and Scotland. The interesting thing about this, is that up to a couple months ago my texting was unlimited, for $13CND a month. That included all my texting to the UK, but a month before christmas I received a letter in the mail saying that I would now be charged for International texting, 20cents for every out going message. Free incoming. I am still not certain that they are actually deducting my account 20cents each text.

My number also does not always show on the other end, instead it is a number from one of the switching stations.

As for the dialling, I just checked my mobile, and some are set with just 44, and others with 01144.

Just checked the Sasktel site. They seem to have a free texting service, online. I tested it, and it worked, between two of the same plans.

http://www.sasktel.com/sms/SendMessage