When I arrive at Heathrow, I would like to purchase a prepaid minutes sim card that will allow me to make calls back to the U.S. Where can I buy one and how much will it cost?
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5545 posts
Which terminal are you arriving into? If you are going into London, I'd suggest that you just buy one when you get there. Carphone Warehouse has stores and offers cards from many of the carriers.
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
Carroll: I posted a response to the same question you posted earlier in the To the North forum. (http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/63723/sim-card.html) If no one with with specific knowledge makes a reply, here are some other suggestions: If you want the SIM just to make calls back to the U.S., you'd be better served by purchasing a prepaid phone card. The rates would be better. You will be able to easily find a prepaid SIM in the U.K. I am pretty sure they sell it at the airports, but they also sell it just about everywhere else. You won't have trouble finding one to buy. It will cost about 20 pounds but that won't translate to much for calling back home. You'll have to add more money to the account ("topping up" is what they call it) and you can do that at almost any convenience store, which is where you can often buy the SIM, too. If you don't care about the cost, set up a no-contract account at T-Mobile before you go. You have to go to a T-Mobile corporate store (not a franchisee or authorized reseller) and tell them you want an Even More Plus no-contract account. The cost of a call back home is pricey ($1.29 or so a minute), but you'll have a local number that others can use in the U.S. to call you. Because it is no-contract, you can cancel the account once you return home. Nevertheless, this is a lot of trouble for what you describe in the other post as a 5-day trip. The main advantage is convenience for you once you're there. I assume that because you ask only about getting a SIM card, that you already have a GSM phone that will work in Europe. If so, do you already have a T-Mobile or AT&T account? Both companies have international calling plans that will save a bit on the expensive per minute calling rates. Once again, for 5-day use that would be the easiest solution.