I will not be using my US cell phone while in England. However, I would like to be able to call my companion if we get separated or call a restaurant while I am there. I am thinking of buying a "burner" phone when I arrive for that purpose. Does anyone have any advice as to how much they cost, can I buy one at Heathrow or should I wait to get one at our first destination? Also, is this a good plan in general?
Thank you
Posted by
Yorkshire
1359 posts
If you phone is not locked to your US cell company tbe best answer is buying a UK SIM.
It takes barely 5mins to activate a UK SIM and even the worse deals here would be better than what US cell providers think is thier best deal.
That all said Argos are worth a look for phones ,for as low as £13 including a SIM with UK calls unlimited UK txt .
Most high streets will have a phone repair place selling old models at good prices that's another route
Texting is tons easier on a touch screen keyboard than the old fashioned buttons.
Posted by
Yorkshire
1359 posts
Other route hit US ebay and buy an unlocked quadband phone.
Then just buy a UK SIM most small stores/ all supermarkets have plenty of choice of companies and plans
I will plug Giffgaff as I have used them over a decade
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you. Good advice.
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
Be careful buying an old phone off eBay. The advice to get a quad band phone, which used to be true, may no longer work. Things are not as simple as they used to be because phone companies use different radio frequencies and technologies these days. They are stopping support for the older technology. 2G and 3G technology have been turned off or will be turned off soon.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
solidago99, I prefer having mobile service everywhere when I travel without needing to depend on WiFi. But...you can still make calls while on WiFi with services like Skype or Google Voice. E.g. if you want to call a restaurant, while on WiFi, call them with Skype. Skype to Skype calls are free, but you can buy credit ($10 blocks) and call regular phone numbers from Skype for a few centers a minute. (Google Voice is similar.) If you two get separated, you could just each find WiFi perhaps (not always convenient I know) so you can communicate that way.
WhatsApp is also very popular in Europe - you may be able to call hotels and even restaurants with WhatsApp for free, while on WiFi.
Posted by
Near a Man-made Island
17 posts
I'll echo the advice for a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) SIM card. They're cheap and you have access to your phone with all your usual apps and info. One company offers a SIM with unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and 8GB of data for 10 GBP. Other companies have options in that ballpark. Easy peasy.
I believe buying one in the city is usually a better deal than buying one at the airport. You can shut off mobile data until you buy the new card to avoid roaming charges.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you all for the advice. I'm not using my US cell phone because it is a locked SIM card and although I probably could get the provider to unlock it, it is a bit of a process with this service provider. I'd rather buy a pay as you go once I'm in the UK or, as some have said, use Whatsapp. I did use that in Paris very successfully. But Paris has WiFi everywhere in the city (Why do we not have that in the US????) and I'll be not only in London but in rural areas as well.
Cindy