Phone plans ?

Can you clarify?

Regular calls to whom and where are they located?

In the UK? In the US? China? Mexico?

Are you in the UK now? I would go to a mobile phone shop and ask them to help you. It might not be the cheapest option but it will get you going.

You don’t need a different SIM card at all to use WhatsApp calling as that will work on wifi.

Claudia, local calls - say to restaurants or generally local businesses

In the UK, as that’s where I am now - sorry!

I use What’s App to call home, and that’s pretty much it

Thanks!

Can you clarify? Regular calls to whom and where are they located? In
the UK? In the US? China? Mexico?

Helen, I am….I’ll Google to see oh there are any in Tunbridge Wells that are open this weekend

Oh I know - I’m sorry if I was unclear. I use What’s App only to call home when I’m overseas. The E-sim is only so I can make local calls and use the internet

Thanks!!

Are you in the UK now? I would go to a mobile phone shop and ask them
to help you. It might not be the cheapest option but it will get you
going. You don’t need a different SIM card at all to use WhatsApp
calling as that will work on wifi.

I believe a lot of visitors use Lebara, it may be worth checking them out: https://www.lebara.co.uk/en/home.html

I have not used this service before but I've seen them selling sim cards for travellers at Heathrow.

Good luck!

yeah, it's confusing.

First question is: Is your phone locked to the Xfinity network? If so, your only options are to use the expensive Xfinity plan, or make calls with Wifi Calling (see below). If not locked, and you can use esim (sounds like yes), then your options are:

1. Go to a shop, buy a sim card, have them put it in and activate it. You will not be able to use your "normal" number anymore. You will have a UK phone number, handy for calling within UK to restaurants, etc...

2. Go online to someone like Airalo, Holafly, Roamless, etc... and buy, download, and install an esim. Can be a little tricky, you have to install their app, and follow directions to activate the esim. You would then have no UK number, but you would have data. To make calls or text, you could use Wifi Calling (see below) or Whatsapp, and it would be your "normal" number. You would have to use country codes to call local hotels, etc...

3. With your current Xfinity sim card, connect to wifi at the hotel or restaurant, activate Wifi Calling on your phone, and call or text like normal, with your "normal" number. Note, this only works if Xfinity and your phone, support wifi calling, and you activate it on your phone. This will probably be free, but some carriers charge a per minute or per text charge. You'd have to look into your cellphone contract.

4. As mentioned, you can always use Whatsapp, using wifi or cellphone data. It would be free. But long phone calls would use up a bit of data, and the esim or UK sim will be giving you a fixed amount of data. And you can't call people who don't have Whatsapp.

5. Get your data from a UK sim or esim, and make calls using a free app such as Google Voice, or Textnow. This is free, and just uses data. It would be a U.S. number, not your "normal" number, so there might be confusion at first when calling/texting folks back home. You would need only data to do this. And you could call anyone. To call a UK hotel, you would add a country code to their number.

Hope it works out for you with minimal headaches...

Check out 3, O2 and Orange. Their sims should include a telephone number which will allow you to make and receive telephone calls and texts while in the UK. Good luck.

Cat, I’ll check them out - thank you!!!

believe a lot of visitors use Lebara, it may be worth checking them
out: https://www.lebara.co.uk/en/home.html I have not used this
service before but I've seen them selling sim cards for travellers at
Heathrow. Good luck!

Traveler

The phone I want the e-sim card on is unlocked (the phone’s previous provider was Verizon).

I have two phones - the one above, the older phone, is paid off, that’s why I it was unlocked, and why I can put an e-sim on it. At home, o only use it for the internet.

The newer phone, which hasn’t been paid off, is the one where I’m using the Xfinity plan temporarily

First question is: Is your phone locked to the Xfinity network? If so,
your only options are to use the expensive Xfinity plan, or make calls
with Wifi Calling (see below). If not locked, and you can use esim
(sounds like yes), then your options are:

Are you referring to a physical card?

I’d rather keep my number, but maybe it doesn’t matter since I can use What’s App on the newer phone

Go to a shop, buy a sim card, have them put it in and activate it. You
will not be able to use your "normal" number anymore. You will have a
UK phone number, handy for calling within UK to restaurants, etc...

Holafly was a nightmare (see above), but I will try Cat’s suggestion and Airalo, I’m still working with Giff Gaff, too. I don’t understand why everyone on another board who advised me (I’m grateful) made it sound like it was so easy. Maybe I misunderstood all along - with e-sim cards, none of them allow you to make local calls with your own number just by dialing as usual ? As opposed to having to use What’s App?

Go online to someone like Airalo, Holafly, Roamless, etc... and buy,
download, and install an esim. Can be a little tricky, you have to
install their app, and follow directions to activate the esim. You
would then have no UK number, but you would have data. To make calls
or text, you could use Wifi Calling (see below) or Whatsapp, and it
would be your "normal" number. You would have to use country codes to
call local hotels, etc...

I will look into everything you mentioned - thank you so much!!!!

Funpig, I will - thank you!!!!

Check out 3, O2 and Orange. Their sims should include a telephone
number which will allow you to make and receive telephone calls and
texts while in the UK. Good luck.

You have to pay attention, if you want a local number, to whether you are getting a data-only capable Sim -- if that is the case, indeed, you will only be able to use WhatsApp when you have a data connection, not make calls or texts via a number.

From reading about Airalo on earlier threads, I am almost certain that it is also a data-only provider, and therefore won't be what you want. (I can't be bothered to go back and check if I remember correctly that it is data-only,; maybe someone who has used one will chime in).

Take a deep breath and good luck finding a resolution that will satisfy you.

Do you really need to make calls? I never call anybody. Restaurant bookings are all online, ticket sales are online…Data is essential.

You can.buy a paper credit slip for giffgaff.
It has a 16 digit code on.it.
Any supermarket will sell Sims .
Instructions are on.the packaging of the SIM
Go somewhere with wifi.
Set up an account online takes 2 mins.
Then buy a Goodybag with the credit.
£10 should likely be a good enough package for a month

The Goodybag options give much better value than using the credit on a pay as you go tarrif.
Going thus route means not having to reguster any US bank card

It’s been such a crazy day, that I may mixed myself up ….

I need a plan to be on my older phone, the one that’s been paid off and unlocked, so I can use What’s App and the internet. My newer phone would just be internet only (so I don’t have to pay $10 a day for 90 days)

Right now, my older phone is internet only (as it’s been for awhile), and my newer phone is now on that very expensive plan (so at least temporarily I can make calls)

Thanks!

Do you really need to make calls? I never call anybody. Restaurant
bookings are all online, ticket sales are online…Data is essential.

Kim, thanks!

I’ll figure it out- and keep everyone posted!

Richard, I’m in the UK for 3 months, so I really need a plan that will give me many GB (not just for calls, but for internet, too)

Are you referring to a physical SIM card?

I think I’m confused. I was told that the Giff Gaff pay as you go plan is the same as a goody bag

Thanks!

You can.buy a paper credit slip for giffgaff. It has a 16 digit code
on.it. Any supermarket will sell Sims . Instructions are on.the
packaging of the SIM Go somewhere with wifi. Set up an account online
takes 2 mins. Then buy a Goodybag with the credit. £10 should likely
be a good enough package for a month The Goodybag options give much
better value than using the credit on a pay as you go tarrif. Going
thus route means not having to reguster any US bank card

Oh….someone just told me that ALL e-sims are data only

So if I get an e-sim on my older phone, I will be able to use the internet AND make calls via What’s App?

Which, as Helen pointed out, should be sufficient because restaurants, etc…are all on-line?

Thanks!

Betsy, most esims are data only, but some will give a local phone number (those cost more). Here are a few possibilities I checked on a few months ago:

==Data Only==

Airalo

Holafly

Nomad (worldwide)

Roamless (worldwide)

Ubigi

==Data and Phone Number==

Airhub

aloSIM

I'd suggest searching for one or more of those (they are easy to find), and if you can buy an esim with your credit card, then download the app for that esim company. The credit card can be a problem. When I bought a couple of esims last year, I had to try several credit cards. I believe the one which worked was a savings bank debit card. My credit union debit card didn't work, and my Citibank Mastercard didn't work. if a vendor takes Paypal, I'd go for that.

I believe any Sim card will be data and phone number. And don't forget you can make phone calls for free with Google Voice or TextNow or a few other apps, if you need to call a local restaurant or hotel. If you are an Android person, then Google Voice would be easy to set up. If not, TextNow lets you create a free account with an email address.

Edit: Richard suggested a GiffGaff sim with a "Goody Bag". Excellent suggestion. GiffGaff is a Pay As You Go plan, where you put money in your "wallet", and money is subtracted when you make a call or text or use data. The rates are ok if you make only a few calls or texts, and the credit lasts forever. But you can buy a "Goody Bag" with your credit, which gives you much lower rates for a period like 30 days. That would be much cheaper for you.

"if I get an e-sim on my older phone, I will be able to use the internet AND make calls via What’s App?"

Just to be clear (and sorry to add to the confusion), whatsapp only uses data, for messages and calls, so the answer to this question is yes.

I can't imagine a circumstance where you'd need to phone a restaurant- you will just book on their web site.

Traveler, it’s all so confusing to me. I don’t know squat about phone technology - I’m trying not to be overwhelmed, lol, but it’s so hard.

I need a plan mostly for the huge internet usage - which will let me use What’s App to call home. This would be on my older phone.

Sadly, Giff Gaff won’t work. As I mentioned in the OP, it’s refusing my credit cards. Also, I was trying to buy the pay as you go, but it’s not like you described. The idea was to buy a plan per month - and just buy again as needed; I didn’t see anything to do with putting money in a wallet for withdrawal.

Thanks!

Edit: Richard suggested a GiffGaff sim with a "Goody Bag". Excellent
suggestion. GiffGaff is a Pay As You Go plan, where you put money in
your "wallet", and money is subtracted when you make a call or text or
use data. The rates are ok if you make only a few calls or texts, and
the credit lasts forever. But you can buy a "Goody Bag" with your
credit, which gives you much lower rates for a period like 30 days.
That would be much cheaper for you.

I use giffgaff, and you can add credit to your account and pay as you go or choose a plan, either month by month or a longer contract. Pay as you go is more expensive
But none of that helps if they won't take your card. Not sure why...

Simon, I wish I knew….i think they’re still working on it, but they suggested a voucher…instead of trying to figure out why their company is rejecting my cards.

I use giffgaff, and you can add credit to your account and pay as you
go or choose a plan, either month by month or a longer contract. Pay
as you go is more expensive But none of that helps if they won't take
your card. Not sure why...

Betsy, do you really need local phone calls? I spent 6 weeks in the UK traveling around like you, and never once made a local phone call. Every booking I made was either by email or on their website (or occasionally in person).

I made phone calls back home via FaceTime Audio, but obviously WhatsApp works well for that, too. I honestly don't know why you would need to make any local calls. FWIW, many businesses do have WhatsApp numbers.

I need a plan to be on my older phone, the one that’s been paid off and unlocked, so I can use What’s App and the internet.

If it's an older phone, it most likely uses a physical SIM. it's unlocked - so go to a reputable phone store and BUY a physical SIM with a decent data plan and a UK phone number - have them install it, and be done with it. You have wifi where you're staying? So you only need data for Internet when you're out and about.

Mardee, I need to be able to use What’s App at least to call//text home, etc…. But you’re right - as Helen mentioned yesterday. So thank you both! My bad.

I still need to find a plan - and I feel discouraged after yesterday because I was stressed out for so much of my departure-arrival day.

I might just see if a phone store can help me - I don’t think I can spend another hour or so trying to upload an e-sim, lol

Thanks!

Betsy, do you really need local phone calls? I spent 6 weeks in the UK
traveling around like you, and never once made a local phone call.
Every booking I made was either by email or on their website (or
occasionally in person). I made phone calls back home via FaceTime
Audio, but obviously WhatsApp works well for that, too. I honestly
don't know why you would need to make any local calls. FWIW, many
businesses do have WhatsApp numbers.

Mark, the older phone I’d use for the plan isn’t that old - it has an e-sim and has been unlocked.

Yep, I do have wi-fi….and that’s a great point.

Thanks!!!

If it's an older phone, it most likely uses a physical SIM. it's unlocked - so go to a reputable phone store and BUY a physical SIM with a decent data plan and a UK phone number - have them install it, and be done with it. You have wifi where you're staying? So you only need data for Internet when you're out and about.

I don't know how it works in the UK, but I've use Airalo's eSIMs before and was very happy with them. But that was in Germany and Denmark.