freddie_freeloader

All

Well the time has come and i am finally departing for the US this Sunday. Most things are ticked off the list but i still have a few odds and ends - some of which are pretty important.

I currently have a UK mobile phone, an 02 Blackberry, that i use for business purposes (calls, data and email). Its on a corporate plan. I will be in US most of the time and back in UK every 6 weeks for 1 week. As i am the only one in the firm in the US from day 1 (soon to grow) i am unsure the best way to organise my mobile phones so i dont spend a fortune.

If you are based in USA but still travel frequently to the UK i am intrigued to know how best to arrange the mobile / cell phone arrangements. What i do know is Americans dont like calling international numbers esp cell phone numbers and they really want a number they recognise as local. I know a couple of people who bought local skype numbers precisely for this reason - ie a US and a UK skype number and then use call forwarding so people always dial a local number whereever they are.

Thoughts welcomed.

Thanks

Freddie

penguinsix

Two numbers, two SIM cards, one phone.

That's how I handle my mobile calls. I've also switched to Skype In/Out functions so I have a phone number in the US and an 0207 number in London that forwards to my mobile (whichever one is in my hand) when I'm not online. This costs me a few pence per minute to forward others calls, but it is easy to have just a constant number no matter where I'm set up.

freddie_freeloader

Is it a blackberry you swap sims in or just a regular mobile / cell phone?

Philgr

There are a few phones out there that you can have two SIMS in at the same time. I have no experience with them but you may want to investigate - sounds as if you would be an ideal user profile.

penguinsix

In the past I did it in my phone, just using the same phone with different SIMS in both countries. Now that I have a locked iPhone I carry that and an unlocked phone. I think you can unlock a Blackberry so you can do it in their as well (note: whatever device you choose it will have to be unlocked for this to work).

However, since I switch to Skype for most of my calls, my phone usage in the UK is really quite minimal. Just last minute quick mobile calls when I need something, but by and large people call in on my Skype number and I have most of my transatlantic calls on the Skype (it's far cheaper than calling on a mobile).