Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

I have T-Mobile in the US

My US-UK calls I use www.comfi.com (Bizon) they are calling cards you buy online with 1-800 access or local access. I use them with my mobile and landline I pay 2 cents per min for UK calls.

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

Any GSM provider in the USA should allow you to text a UK mobile and vice versa (AT&T does). Verizon wont, because its not GSM and therefore no Verizon service will work outside of the USA.

Personally I use sipgate.co.uk which is a voip provider. They will give you a FREE UK phone number (Have most major towns and cities) and you can either use their software based voip client (with a headset) or use a VOIP adapter which you can pick up at anywhere like staples for around $40, that will allow you to plug any cordless phone in to it and make and recieve calls to the UK.

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

I don't see why what kind of service it is makes any difference to whether you can send texts abroad or not. Surely once the text gets to your own provider's servers it goes from there over the standard IP network to whichever UK provider's servers host the UK mobile account, and it gets texted to the UK user from there.

I don't see how GSM or any other type of service has anything to do with it. Unless I am overlooking something obvious.

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

some services don't allow international text more than not being able to do it unless you stump for money.

Verizon, depends on the phone and plan, if it's a dual phone if can roam abroad

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

Well it makes a difference because the text messages travel over a GSM/CDMA network, and therefore there has to be a CDMA->GSM gateway somewhere to allow text messages from Verizon phones to be recieved by a UK mobile phone which is GSM, text messages are transmitted over the mobile network.

In any case let me clarify, Verizon (AKA VodaPhone) WILL allow you to send text messages destined to a UK mobile, but they use a third party gateway provider to do it. Of course vice versa a verizon phone of any kind is a brick anywhere outside of the USA, so text messaging is not possible.

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

I recall being able to send txt messages to my bird in USA from UK, she was on Alltel. However she could not reply. It said sent but I never received any until she switched to T-mobile USA.

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

I use freecall. All calls to UK landlines are free - well the 0870 numbers are not :( - and you can use it from your mobile/cell phone too to call abroad without paying a penny. I have also found another service provider to call UK mobile phones free. If interested let me know. :)

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

I use nobelcom.com. Cheap and reliable.

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

Thanks Everyone. So many choices :ohmy:

Re: Which mobile phone to get to call/text UK
 

This is what we do. We use MyChitChat, which is also an online calling card. I think it costs about 3cents/min though, so we may have to look into the Bizon.

We are with Verizon (it's the only provider with reception in our rural area) and my hubby and I receive/send TXT to his folks in the UK and his sis in South Africa pretty often.