throw away cell

I don't know about "throw away" but you can pick up a cheap Pay As You Go (PAYG) phone in the UK. Try this place (Carphone Warehouse, use the store locator to find nearest). All the phones they sell are unlocked and you can talk to the store assistant about the best calling plan for your needs. Calls to the USA can be as low as 5 pence per minute and regardless of plan, you will not be charged for incoming calls on UK phones while in the UK.

http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/pay-as-you-go/by-price?start=0&perPageModels=10&min=-2147483648&max=20

I agree with Linda, pay as you go is a good option. When I went to London last year I bought a pay as you go cell there, I found it easier then obtaining a rental from my carrier, plus if I lost it I wasn't on the hook for the phone. I paid £20 or £30 for my pay as you go phone [Vodafone]; I also took it to Europe and switched out the SIM card so I could make calls on the cheap there. I will be using it again this autumn when I am in London and Dublin this year.

Elaine

Kathleen,

I don't know where the idea of a "throw away cell" came from, but it's an absolutely goofy idea IMHO. As I recall there was an example here on the HelpLine recently of someone who "threw away" their cell phone and ended up with a $5000 bill!

As you're with Verizon, you might contact them about their "travel phone rental plan". They will ship a GSM Phone to you which you can use for your trip and then ship it back when you get home. If you use the phone sparingly (especially for voice calls), that might be one option to consider. Be sure to review their rates carefully.

You could also consider a rental or purchase from one of the "travel Phone" firms such as Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Roam Simple, Mobal or Telestial. Be VERY clear on their rate structures so that you have some idea on what the costs will be based on your expected calling pattern.

Finally, you could also pick up an inexpensive PAYG phone when you arrive in England. There are cell phone shops on just about every street corner. Rather than "throw it away", save it for future trips.

Happy travels!

I would definitely just get a PAYG phone. On the Carphone Warehouse website they have a lot of phones that are £4.95 if you buy them with £10-20 airtime. Every town in the UK seems to have about a billion mobile phones shops!