Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

hi - I am in UK but we have some Canadian cousins coming over for a couple weeks and I’m trying to find best solution for them to use their phones while here. They will be staying somewhere with no WiFi for a while and we’ll need to be in touch with them. What’s the best option for data from experience? TIA.

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

Before I left the UK, 12 years ago, I had a pay as you go deal with Orange. 25 quid a month for unlimited international everything. I have no clue about UK deal these days.

Pointless post probably.

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

Tesco Rocket pack sim for 15 ukp gets you 6 gig of data and a stupid amount of calls/texts.
thats what I have been using when I have been in the uk

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

This - or other similar offers - seems to be the received wisdom. One thing, though, is that you'll need to check that your cousins have their phones carrier-unlocked, otherwise they won't work with a third party SIM. This is now a service that Canadian carriers are obliged to offer at no charge to consumers, but few do so by default - they'll likely have to go to a service counter and ask for the phones to be unlocked.

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

ok great thanks folks.

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

Carriers are actually required to sell all new phones since Dec 1, 2017 as unlocked so if its a relatively new handset it will be unlocked by default. Otherwise they will have to contact their carrier and get it unlocked free of charge

For the lazy - all the big three Canadian wireless providers offer "Roam Like Home" for $12/day in Europe. Very expensive compared to a local SIM but sometimes it's the easiest option.

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

Last time I was in the UK I went to an Iceland and chose a SIM package off the rack for 99p. There were lots of them. I chose a company called EE. I added £10 credit at a post office and installed an app to monitor usage. It was more than enough data and talk time for me for over a week. There are probably cheaper services.

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

THey can order a GIFFGAFF Sim card and get it sent to them in Canada. A 30 day "goody bag" is between 5-25 GBP depending on what you want,
I've had one for a couple of years. You just buy a month at a time and away you go. Last trip I bought 10 GBP worth of data and texts - it was fine. Whatsapp uses very little data, so we just text using that.......

Re: Canadian in UK - what mobile/cell solution?
 

How long did it take for you to receive it in Canada? Do keep the same SIM card for years and simply top it up online before a trip?