BigK

Hello all. We will be traveling to the UK and Scotland this summer and would like to use our phones there (they will be unlocked). What are some reasonable prices to pay for a SIM that has both voice and data? Any company suggestions also welcome. The idea is really to be connected via data and use voice call only as needed.

Thanks

Guindalf

giffgaff.com

andrewlohnes

Just get a Tesco sim I'd say! My contract runs out with Vodafone 2 months before I move so I'll just get a Tesco PAYG sim for those 2.

yellowroom

I was on giffgaff - the business model is great but unfortunately you're at the bottom of the pile for signal and bandwidth vs O2 customers. Fine if you just want to do the odd call and text, but you'd struggle if you depended on it for data.

I moved to EE - I had to grit my teeth due to previous experience with Orange, but they really do seem to have the best 4G signal around the UK including Scotland (my experience being a line between Glasgow and Edinburgh and areas south. Even getting a 4G signal in rural Ayrshire). I'm on a PAYG sim only deal, £15pm.

Lanyu

Lebara mobile is also good which is what I have used for about 3 years now they use Vodafone network I'm on the £7.95 plan PAYG

chuckles67

if you have T-Mobile USA subscription for a Simple plan, (slow) data and texts are free when roaming in UK, I think voice calls are 25 cents per minute.

lansbury

I was checking that earlier this evening, calls are 20 cents a minute. At those rates not worth messing with a UK sim if you have T-Mobile in the US.

hungryhorace

Not sure I agree, given the data speed when roaming on T-Mobile is essentially unusable.

bluedaze

If you have iphones then the only option you have is the 3 network. All other over the counter sim cards are to big for the iphone.
We had this issue when we brought our unlocked iphones back from the States in November.

yellowroom

rubbish, all of the networks do nano-sims for iphones and ipads.

bluedaze

You go into Tesco and try to buy one then.
You can order them online but you cant get them from a shop!
Trust me we went to Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys on Nov 6th 2015 when we arrived back in the UK from 3 years in the US.
Whist in Tesco the mobile phone saleperson told us you can only get them over the counter on 3, why would they say that when they have their own network?

yellowroom

If I want a mobile phone SIM card I go directly to the mobile phone company, not a supermarket because you get people who know what they are talking about! Did you try going directly to the phone company shops, eg EE, Vodafone, 3, O2 etc, or somewhere like the Carphone Warehouse?

all of them will also let you order nano-SIMs online either free or for the cost of the first month top-up.

andrewlohnes

Just order a sim card before you come over and then put it in your phone when you get here. That's what I did when I went the other way.

bluedaze

We called O2 and they wanted to do a credit check etc even for pay as you go before they would mail us one, as we had just arrived in the country we needed something there and then, 3 gave us that opportunity.
We topped up £15 and had unlimited mins, texts and 500mb of data for 30 days which is perfect for someone visiting the country.
Please, I challenge you to get a Nano Sim from 02 with no questions asked.

bluedaze

By the way, Tesco have a dedicated Mobile Phone Team in store as they have their own network.