OT: UK guys - need advice on a cellphone carrier

[Reezekeys]

I'm going to be in the UK for most of July. Since my AT&T iPhone 5S is way off contract, I decided to unlock it so I could pop in a SIM card when I got to England. My idea is to get a "pay-as-you-go" monthly SIM card from one of the carriers there, and just pay for a month of service, then put my original AT&T SIM card back when I return to the US.

 

I'm not looking for specific advice on plans just tips on which carriers may be better suited for me in terms of coverage. The itinerary covers a lot of the UK, from Horsham in the south, to Cardiff and Norwich on the west & east, through London, Cambridge & Moseley and up the M6 to Scotland where I'll be in Perth & Edinburgh. I'll be looking for a plan that's mostly data, as I won't need to voice-call any UK phones. I think some networks may offer faster data connections than others which why I mentioned that. TIA for any advice!

 

One more Q: I've heard that the major carriers have shops in Heathrow where I can get a SIM card as soon as I land. I would do this except I wonder if the prices are inflated at those locations (like the airport food stalls here in the US ). I appreciate any helpful hints that can keep my costs down. Thanks mates!

[Markay]

Well the UK guys will no doubt have up to date info but I use a Vodaphone sim when in the UK. Last time I checked their month to month plans were competitive and I usually end up with a credit so just top up next time I am there. I go to a Vodaphone shop near where I stay in Hammersmith to top up figuring the airport deals are loaded for tourists.

 

I would log on to the UK carrier websites and check out current deals to see which has the best call and data package for your needs.

 

 

[Reezekeys]

I've been on a few websites so I've seen the plans. The info I'm looking for is not on an official website no company is going to admit to slower data speeds or spotty reception in certain areas, but end users could. It may be that I won't have to worry about these issues at all, which would be nice as I could then just grab any co.'s SIM based on pricing and plan details.

[Kayvon]

There is a website that shows coverage down to within a mile. I can't remember it but it should be there with a Google.

 

You'll be looking at the usual suspects, I'd just pay any slightly extra to go with O2, EE (best for 4G), GiffGaff or Vodafone who seem to be a bit quiet lately. '3' and Virgin mobile are other big ones but 3 often got a bad rep and Virgin started off as a cheaper alternative I think.

 

TBH you're almost safest just going with O2. I was on them for the longest time and regularly had signal in places where others didn't. I came off them as I wanted the best 4G data (I'm in London so good 4G coverage unlike many other parts of the UK) and I wasn't convinced they had the actual best line quality. EE line quality turns out to be just the same which one might've guessed as they rent their lines off O2.

 

So yeah, I'd recommend going with O2.

[Reezekeys]

Thanks Kayvon, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for! I should probably place coverage over connection speed though I do like to stream a u-tube video once in a while. But, Google Maps and my Talkatone VOIP app or Skype will be my primary use of data while I'm out & about.

[Markay]

Unlike the US or even more so Australia, the UK is pretty densely populated and in my experience from Devon through to the Lowlands in Scotland I didn't have any issues on Vodaphone and I doubt it would be any different on BT.

 

Data speed will depend on 2G, 3G or 4G coverage. I didn't experience any issues but data was slower in the less populated Lowlands probably because it was 2G.

 

Things could have changed in 9 months so will leave to the locals to provide updated info.

[nickd]

I'm with O2 4G, but as others have said coverage is good with pretty much any carrier.

 

This should give you what you need to check coverage:

http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker

 

 

[Reezekeys]

Thanks guys, I know a lot more now than a few hours ago!

[nadroj]

Any carrier will likely get you the same connectivity. The only difference is the price. I'm with O2 and never have problems in Edinburgh or in Perth - only if I'm playing in the middle of bumf**k nowhere.

 

Also, if you're able to divulge such information, where in Edinburgh are you playing? With whom, and when?

[Reezekeys]

Looks like 02 is probably the safest bet. A pay-as-you-go plan including a free sim and 1GB of data/100 minutes/100 texts is £10. That should cover me for the three weeks. The website is a little confusing - it seems I must order the sim and have it mailed to a UK address. I was hoping to walk into a store and get it done quickly; I'll investigate further.

 

As far as where I'm playing and who I'm playing with, it's a few local boys in an oldies r&b/funk band. Some of you may be familiar with them. Nadroj, our gig in Edinburgh is at the Festival Theatre on July 24. Our full schedule which includes all the UK dates is here.

[nadroj]

Looks like 02 is probably the safest bet. A pay-as-you-go plan including a free sim and 1GB of data/100 minutes/100 texts is £10. That should cover me for the three weeks. The website is a little confusing - it seems I must order the sim and have it mailed to a UK address. I was hoping to walk into a store and get it done quickly; I'll investigate further.

 

As far as where I'm playing and who I'm playing with, it's a few local boys in an oldies r&b/funk band. Some of you may be familiar with them. Nadroj, our gig in Edinburgh is at the Festival Theatre on July 24. Our full schedule which includes all the UK dates is here.

 

Dammit, I'm playing up in the highlands that night. Will be there overnight, so there's no chance of me making it unless they cancel. Looks like a good tour though; Ronnie Scotts, The Festival Theatre and the Waterfront in Norwich are nice venues to play at. Hope it goes well!

[Reezekeys]

Thanks! We're in the UK at least once a year, sometimes twice. Catch you next time!

[nickd]

Wow! Yes have heard of the band, big fan. Just seem them/you once, in Leicester (UK) quite a few years ago. Don't think I can make it to any of these dates, unfortunately.

 

Back on topic... you can usually walk into any O2 store and pick up a free Sim card and get it working immediately, but maybe that's only for UK customers. Their live online chat is usually helpful, so you could try just asking them via that.

 

Or maybe these guys could help you out:

http://www.heathrow.com/shops-and-restaurants/shops-a-z/sim-local

[Losendoskeys]

Hi I work for BT and I can recommend EE or 3 - both have tons of coverage and 4G is particularly good for both.

I had O2 and Vodafone and coverage is patchy near Horsham - I'm 10 miles away!!

 

I have 3 though - they have an unbeatable deal:

Pay As You Go - All in One £10 per month

Includes 3000 texts and 100 minutes plus 1GB of internet for just £10.

[xKnuckles]

I am with EE and would highly recommend it. The coverage is very good and they have been fine to deal with. My pay as you go costs me only £1 a week . It is such a good deal that when a salesman cold called me recently to try to "offer me" a "better deal", he was rendered speechless and had to hang up when I told him what I was paying......

[Reezekeys]

OK, now we have a few votes for EE! I have a little more research to do. Thanks again to everyone contributing here. £1/week sounds like a promotional rate, or something you got grandfathered into... I see nothing approaching that on the websites I've been to. I was figuring on about £10 to £15 for what I would need for the three weeks. Whatever it winds up being will still be much less than getting an AT&T (USA) foreign-travel plan.

 

The last time I was in the UK I turned data roaming off and used wifi. I use the Talkatone app on my iPhone to call the USA (similar to Skype I think I'm assigned a US phone number, and can call any USA phone for $1 for 60 minutes of talk time). What's interesting is that the iPhone's GPS chip functions independently of cellphone networks or wifi. I could download Google maps to my phone at the hotel using wifi, then keep track of our position as we travelled. But: traffic updates or getting directions don't work at all. So having access to data on-the-go for a few quid is quite worthwhile. There were a few times on the last UK tour where it would have been nice to have voice or text communication with bandmates or crew guys too.

[Markay]

I use Here Maps. You can download the current UK map before you leave the US and use it offline like a GPS. If you want live traffic you can turn data on and it is then only downloading the traffic info, not the map data.

 

 

[Reezekeys]

Thanks for that tip I'll check it out.

[willf]

You might find this site useful:

https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/guides/mobile/mobile-coverage

 

I have found 4G coverage in the UK to be quite patchy. For what it is worth I was on Vodaphone but switched to EE, because of a better deal. From my experience both networks give pretty reasonable coverage but both have 'deadspots' - so check coverage.

[Kayvon]

Here's another recommendation, if you're in Soho round lunchtime during your Ronnie Scott's gigs, take a little trip to The Kati Roll Company on Poland Street, you won't regret it their wraps are top notch! Post code is W1F 8QL.

 

I often lament the lack of special dishes in English places like you seem to have in the States (I've watched my fair share of Man vs Food & Diners Drive ins and Dives but this place is one of my faves in London.

I go for the Unda Shami with the Paratha flatbread, minced lamb wrapped in egg. You'll maybe need to order two each though The cubed beef one hasn't been so tender when I've had it in the past.

 

It's a small place and does get busy so something to be aware of.

 

Have fun at Ronnie's, it's a lovely place. My friend used to do the live sound there, said there was stacks of Reel to Reels out the back - can't imagine what goodness must be on them waiting to be heard!

[Reezekeys]

Well after a lot of browsing I'm still a little confused. All the PAYG plans seem to assume you're a UK person with a UK address, they mention that it will take a few days and they will send a SIM card. I've heard there are stores you can walk into and get a SIM card right away, so maybe I'll just wait until I land and see what my options are. Unfortunately our first gig is the Love Supreme festival which as I understand is a campsite, so not much likelyhood of a cellphone store there! Can't seem to get on any of the carriers' chat pages unless I register or am a current customer. There's still enough time to get it sorted out so I'm not too concerned. Thanks again for all the tips!

[Reezekeys]

Here's another recommendation, if you're in Soho round lunchtime during your Ronnie Scott's gigs, take a little trip to The Kati Roll Company on Poland Street, you won't regret it their wraps are top notch!

 

[.....]

 

Have fun at Ronnie's, it's a lovely place. My friend used to do the live sound there, said there was stacks of Reel to Reels out the back - can't imagine what goodness must be on them waiting to be heard!

Thanks Kayvon! We were at Ronnies two years ago and it was the best. It was the end of July and the weather was spectacular. Ronnies put us in a fabulous hotel that was a 10 minute walk from the club. You can be sure that I'll be visiting the Kati Roll Company. I've already plotted it on Google Maps, it's an 8-minute walk from the club. I always appreciate tips on "PDF" places to eat (PDF= "per diem friendly)!

 

Is your friend Charlie by any chance? He did sound for us at Ronnies the last time, and I believe he's travelling with us for some of the dates on our upcoming trip. Great guy and a skilled sound man. I hope to hang around for some sitting-in during the late-night sets. Jet lag left me so exhausted after our shows the last time that I couldn't do it. I heard some fantastic jazz players two years ago, and sat in at a place called Boaters, outside London.

[xKnuckles]

OK, now we have a few votes for EE! I have a little more research to do. Thanks again to everyone contributing here. £1/week sounds like a promotional rate, or something you got grandfathered into... I see nothing approaching that on the websites I've been to. I was figuring on about £10 to £15 for what I would need for the three weeks. Whatever it winds up being will still be much less than getting an AT&T (USA) foreign-travel plan.

Here is the £1 deal. It is excellent and every three months they add more minutes or texts or data at no extra cost. Obviously you won't benefit from these, but perhaps it may still be of use to you. I have the data pack. If you need more than your week's allowance, it is easy (and cheap) to add more.

I

http://ee.co.uk/our-company/newsroom/2014/ee-revamps-pay-as-you-go-market-with-4g-packs-from-1-pound-a-week

 

For calling home, I would highly recommend Skype - which is always how I contact friends abroad. It is free and works well with or without video.

 

I have just started using google maps as my satnav and it seems very good. The traffic reports are there now. I don't think it uses much data. It have not been using it long enough to say for certain.

 

Cool that you are playing at Ronnies. :-) I shall see what tickets are available and try to come to one of your shows if possible.

 

 

[Markay]

Well after a lot of browsing I'm still a little confused. All the PAYG plans seem to assume you're a UK person with a UK address, they mention that it will take a few days and they will send a SIM card. I've heard there are stores you can walk into and get a SIM card right away, so maybe I'll just wait until I land and see what my options are. Unfortunately our first gig is the Love Supreme festival which as I understand is a campsite, so not much likelyhood of a cellphone store there! Can't seem to get on any of the carriers' chat pages unless I register or am a current customer. There's still enough time to get it sorted out so I'm not too concerned. Thanks again for all the tips!

That is what I found also. In store the Vodaphone sales staff were very helpful and insisted on putting the SIM in the phone and checking calls and data were working.

[Reezekeys]

I just read a thread on tripadvisor where the consensus was NOT to buy a sim card in Heathrow. So I'll just wait until the first opportunity to find an "official" store in a town where I should be able to take care of what I need for £10-£15. xKnuckles, I couldn't really understand the terms and conditions of that £1 deal. Must be a UK thing or I am just not getting certain things about PAYG plans in general, having never used them. And as far as I could see there is no link to send a simple email to EE and ask a question about it. I'm spending too much time on something that a guy in a store will probably straighten out for me in five minutes. I do appreciate everyone's efforts though!

[Losendoskeys]

Find a Three store in town - there's one on every street corner!

[xKnuckles]

. xKnuckles, I couldn't really understand the terms and conditions of that £1 deal. Must be a UK thing or I am just not getting certain things about PAYG plans in general, having never used them. And as far as I could see there is no link to send a simple email to EE and ask a question about it. I'm spending too much time on something that a guy in a store will probably straighten out for me in five minutes. I do appreciate everyone's efforts though!

Sorry Rob, yes that deal would be confusing as it is not strictly pay as you go.

Generally, PAYG simply consists of you paying some money into your phone carrier account, and then making calls (or texts or using data) until the money runs out. Before it does you pay in more money to top it up so that you can keep going. Usually you can pay in as much or little as you like and when you like.

 

My deal is different because it is a fixed amount each week. I initially wanted PAYG but opted for the £1 deal instead simply because it was a really good deal.

[Reezekeys]

I'm hoping to get a sim card I can put in my phone for the three weeks I'm in the UK and just pay for what I'll use during that period, or a minimum amount for a certain allowance of data, text & voice. I assume this is what PAYG is. Based on my past touring schedule I'm pretty certain I'll be back in the UK so I hope I can just hold on the sim and pay for another chunk of data the next time I'm there. As I said the few UK websites I've been to haven't been very informative but I suppose my situation is something they don't normally deal with maybe what I'm wanting to do is more the province of resellers you see at airports. I'll find out soon enough!

[Reezekeys]

Reviving this thread to say that I arrived in London last night, and we played our first gig today (Love Supreme Festival). A few days ago I ordered a SIM from giffgaff and used the address of the hotel near Heathrow I'm staying at. They said it would take 2 business days to arrive, and I even got an email Thursday saying "your SIM's on its way... it should be there tomorrow" however it's not here yet.

 

Tomorrow we have a day and night off so I think I'll go into London and probably go into the first O2, EE or 3 shop I see and get this over with! Can't take a chance that the sim might not get here before we leave for Cambridge on Tuesday morning. I also plan to go see my former boss Eliane Elias playing with Steps Ahead at Ronnie's if there's seats.

 

I hope the giffgaff sim gets here as their bundles seem to offer more than the other companies, e.g. 2GB data/500 minutes/unlimited texts for £12. I can double that data allowance to 4GB for £3 more. I'm also not sure if a shop will give me a SIM as I have no permanent UK address.