My cell phone will not work in the UK (Sprint), so I can't do the SIM card swap. Where is the best place to rent a phone from? I really won't use it too much, but would like to have one arranged before my trip for emergencies. Thanks in advance!!
Posted by
OP
Chicago, IL, USA
2 posts
Thanks Steve. Question - if I do buy one on ebay, what phone service to I use? Can I still use my sprint number?
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
T-Mobile and I'm pretty sure AT&T, too, both offer non-contract plans that can be canceled at any time. (These accounts are not prepaid plans, which generally don't work overseas.) You might consider getting such a plan before you go, which you can then cancel when you return. Although international calling is expensive under these plans, they would have the advantage of giving you a number that folks back in the U.S. could call without having to dial an international number. For emergencies it would probably work pretty well.
Posted by
san diego, ca, us
4 posts
If you only need the phone for emergencies, than renting is good for you, besides, in the UK, the calls are so low! and in most rental companies,you could get incoming free,so the charge would be mininmum.
I used this companie in the past phonerentalusa.com, rental is like $1.50 per day, well last time it was.
good luck!
Posted by
Prince Frederick, Maryland, USA
29 posts
Anyone know how much a text message would cost from UK to the US. I have Verizon and my phone says Global Ready. I am worried about all the added fees for roaming. This is my first trip to UK. Thanks.
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
Verizon text message rates:
While traveling outside the U.S., Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico the text messaging rates are:
* $0.50/address sent
* $0.05/message received
*These text messages are not applied against any monthly text messaging allowance.
(Source: http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Text_Messaging/index.html)
Posted by
Anoka, MN, USA
48 posts
I bought a cheap pre-paid on arrival. Phone was free with a 25 pound top off. Nothing fancy, but it works.
Posted by
Denver, Colorado, USA
713 posts
There is NO WAY you need to spend 50 GBP for a mobile phone to use in the UK!
Last fall I walked into a Carphone Warehouse store (they are all over the place in London, as are Phones4U or some such chain), and for 15 GBP, got an unlocked Samsung phone plus a prepaid SIM card with a bunch of minutes (more than I used) to be used in the UK and a bonus of something like 50 free minutes of international calling, which I used to call home to the USA.
Seriously, a phone plus more airtime than I needed, for 15 GBP. The prepaid SIM expired in I think 90 days, so by the time I returned to London last March, carrying my Samsung UK mobile phone, I needed a new SIM card. Got that sorted out easily, and put 10 GBP of prepaid service on it - easy peasy. Used it for calls and texting while in London.
The only drawback is I didn't know, until I got my phone/SIM last fall, and my new SIM in March, what my UK mobile phone number was. But really, it was no problem to send an email to everybody back home, with my UK number.