Imz

Hi Guys,

I want to keep in touch with my parents and best friends who are in the UK via text messages. Whats the best pay as you go sim card that my parents should buy which would mean they can text me in Nz and also recieved texts.

What packages should I go on in Nz to send texts back and forth to the UK?

bourbon-biscuit

Mmm, I hope you get some knowledgeable replies because I'd be interested in this too!

bevissa65

Don't know about UK sim cards but here in NZ I'm with 2 degree's and I only pay 9cents a text to Uk which I think is pretty damn good!!! OH is in UK at moment and he is using talkmobile and its costing him 20p (40c) to text me!!! Needless to say, I send more than I receive!!! Nice to know something here is cheaper than there Bevissa

sirplug

What about Skype??

You use Skype on the PC here and get your folks to buy a Skype mobile in the UK. The messages are then free. I don't think they're sent as txt but you use Skype like windows messenger and just have a typing conversation.......or even voice!

sirplug

Try this link for more info..

SKYPE or here

LukeandJo

We bought my mum a webcam for her birthday and showed her how to use skype.

simonsi

Don't you need to buy data for the mobile as that is how the skype msgs get sent, as data rather than txts? Not sure how that costing would work out vs txts but I can't believe the mobile networks would allow anything for free

sirplug

You buy credit, as with any mobile phone and for the time you have credit on the mobile and use it as a normal mobile, the Skype bit works for free.........

bourbon-biscuit

OK, I stopped being lazy and researched it. I'm on vodafone supapre-pay because I use the 'bestmate' with my husband I currently pay 31c per text to the UK. If I buy the international text add-on ($8 per month) I can send 100 texts per month to 30 selected countries. A skype text costs me 19c, but obviously I need to be at my PC to use that because my phone is like something from the dark ages because I don't value mobile phones and always buy the cheapest (no camera etc) possible.

So if you can skype from your phone then texting via skype sounds pretty good, but if you already use vodaphone supaprepay (this is a good plan if you want a phone for communicating heaps with 1 or 2 ppl and very rarely with anyone else but make use of the free weekends and all the other add ons) and would make use of 100 texts then that's 8c per text- outrageously good value imo. Otherwise there's the O2 option mentioned above.

simonsi

I guess thats my real question, the data skype uses isn't counted as data from the mobile networks point of view so doesn't use up any credit on the phone??

As I said, I'm stumped that the networks don't charge for the data used...

sirplug

My Dad has Skype on his phone. The only catch he told me about was that you have to top up every 30 days, then Skype remains free

simonsi

From skype.com regarding skype on mobile phones:

"*WiFi connection or mobile data plan required for all devices except the 3 Skypephone."

This means it will either use a WiFi connection and run down a landline broadband internet connection (in fact just like normal pc skype), or else it requires a data plan which has a cost - unless your dad has found a special deal somehow involving the regular topup...?

Jo_Paul87

It doesn't cost much for me to text the UK with my Orange UK phone but I very rarely do as I do not know how much it will cost my friends to RECEIVE the text. Any ideas? I suppose it depends on what network they use. In NZ I use my really, really old phone and just have my NZ numbers on it.

simonsi

AFAIK there aren´t any charges anywhere for receiving an international text, that is why the sender gets clobbered

sirplug

He's on 3................