Using mobile phones abroad advice, and operator recommendations

[Puppet Master]

Assuming your phone is unlocked, get a 3 SIM, the all-in-one deal for £20 quid is all you need. I was in America for a month using as a sat nav every day and I still had loads left before it expired.

 

[Two Professors]

A quick bounce of this one, am off to the Vendee in a couple of weeks and wonder if the sages of the board have any further to offer regarding this subject please so I can travel prepared and hopefully avoid last year's issues. An extra sim in the dual sim slot perhaps but which one

Off on Sunday,so if I find any good coverage,I will be on here to let you know.If it's the usual Vendee,then have a great holiday!

 

[dazzer6666]

Vendee is in France so you can just use your phone/UK Sim like you do at home now

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40281013

I don't think you'll need to do anything now...but best check with your provider in case you need to tell them or do something else.

This.......just arrived in the Canaries, perfectly ok using uk data allowance. No action needed other than make sure roaming is on.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This.......just arrived in the Canaries, perfectly ok using uk data allowance. No action needed other than make sure roaming is on.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have to say I was less than impressed with the performance of my Omsung Phine abroad. Was poor enough in Haywards Heath

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Assuming your phone is unlocked, get a 3 SIM, the all-in-one deal for £20 quid is all you need. I was in America for a month using as a sat nav every day and I still had loads left before it expired.

Yep, my daughter is currently Stateside for the summer doing that. It has to be said that 3 generally do make every other provider look second best. Why would you be with anyone else?

 

[chimneys]

Assuming your phone is unlocked, get a 3 SIM, the all-in-one deal for £20 quid is all you need. I was in America for a month using as a sat nav every day and I still had loads left before it expired.

Would I be right to presume Vodaphone will have locked my iphone under my 24 month contract to prevent me taking advantage of this?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

A quick bounce of this one, am off to the Vendee in a couple of weeks and wonder if the sages of the board have any further to offer regarding this subject please so I can travel prepared and hopefully avoid last year's issues. An extra sim in the dual sim slot perhaps but which one

I had two weeks in the Vendee in June. You can just use your normal UK allowances, and the coverage is good. Since June 15th all data roaming in the EU countries, is the same as at home (for now until we Brexit)

 

[Dave the OAP]

if you have an O2 business account...you are still charged the roaming rate. these charge reductions do not apply to business phones, so I would check with your provider/company

 

[Ernest]

Assuming your phone is unlocked, get a 3 SIM, the all-in-one deal for £20 quid is all you need. I was in America for a month using as a sat nav every day and I still had loads left before it expired.

Agreed, no hassle using text, minutes or data and I had loads left too

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

Would I be right to presume Vodaphone will have locked my iphone under my 24 month contract to prevent me taking advantage of this?

I went to China and paid £5 a day to use my normal data and minutes on Vodafone. Seemed a pretty good deal compared to how much it could've cost!

But if this 3 sim is only £20 then sounds a great deal, unfortunately yeah I think vodafone lock their phones so you could either pay to get it unlocked (normally costs around £20 - been a while since I've had to do it), or just buy a cheapy sim-free phone

 

[chimneys]

I went to China and paid £5 a day to use my normal data and minutes on Vodafone. Seemed a pretty good deal compared to how much it could've cost!

But if this 3 sim is only £20 then sounds a great deal, unfortunately yeah I think vodafone lock their phones so you could either pay to get it unlocked (normally costs around £20 - been a while since I've had to do it), or just buy a cheapy sim-free phone

Yep similar dilemma. £5 a day means c£100 for our trip, whereas this SIM seems a bargain at £20. Might try an old phone to see if they are unlocked at end of contract.

 

[sully]

Yep similar dilemma. £5 a day means c£100 for our trip, whereas this SIM seems a bargain at £20. Might try an old phone to see if they are unlocked at end of contract.

I would imagine they will only be unlocked if you've asked for them to be.

I got mine unlocked at the end of the contract and it was really simple. Much better service than the old days.

 

[Norman Potting]

Off on Sunday,so if I find any good coverage,I will be on here to let you know.If it's the usual Vendee,then have a great holiday!

Will look out for you - if you are out there for two weeks we will probably pass in mid Channel! 14th consecutive year of going, list of usual haunts to visit, Ile De Re, various beaches, Lucon Hyper-U, various water parks, La Rochelle, flea markets and once again to Puy du Fou - never ceases to amaze me that place even though I now know what is going to happen next! Will even try and remember to spot the Rue des Tourettes again!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Will look out for you - if you are out there for two weeks we will probably pass in mid Channel! 14th consecutive year of going, list of usual haunts to visit, Ile De Re, various beaches, Lucon Hyper-U, various water parks, La Rochelle, flea markets and once again to Puy du Fou - never ceases to amaze me that place even though I now know what is going to happen next! Will even try and remember to spot the Rue des Tourettes again!

It's brilliant there, isn't it? This year was our 12th consecutive visit.

 

[Two Professors]

Will look out for you - if you are out there for two weeks we will probably pass in mid Channel! 14th consecutive year of going, list of usual haunts to visit, Ile De Re, various beaches, Lucon Hyper-U, various water parks, La Rochelle, flea markets and once again to Puy du Fou - never ceases to amaze me that place even though I now know what is going to happen next! Will even try and remember to spot the Rue des Tourettes again!

All the usual suspects to visit!We will probably be there for 2 weeks and then decide what to do from there.Might just go to Lucon station,if it's open again,or Poitiers and see where the train takes us!Not keen on the Hyper-U-we tend to use leClerc at Fontenay-le-Comte,after a visit to the Saturday market (english pies from the van).Bonnes vacances!

 

[Norman Potting]

All the usual suspects to visit!We will probably be there for 2 weeks and then decide what to do from there.Might just go to Lucon station,if it's open again,or Poitiers and see where the train takes us!Not keen on the Hyper-U-we tend to use leClerc at Fontenay-le-Comte,after a visit to the Saturday market (english pies from the van).Bonnes vacances!

There was a strike at the Lucon HyperU a few months back apparently, we have also patronised the Leclerc there as well. English pies at Fontenay-le-Comte sounds intriguing!

 

[Two Professors]

There was a strike at the Lucon HyperU a few months back apparently, we have also patronised the Leclerc there as well. English pies at Fontenay-le-Comte sounds intriguing!

Park at the top of the hill,walk down through the first part of the stalls,to the fish market,road with cafes and food vans is at 90 degrees to the market-I think he's called Eddies Pies.

 

[crodonilson]

My advice is don't use an out of date SIM on your iPad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-67370793

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

Currently in France and unable to use any of our 4 mobiles ranking from Mrs. P's ancient Samsung phone, my Motorola G and the junior Pottings iPhones. This despite having set up everything in advance with our provider (Utility Warehouse) and following their advice re switching off, removing and replacing SIM and restarting - various French networks appear but we cannot connect to them and keep getting timed out (Brexit related maybe ). Email ping pong is taking place with their tecchie chaps but so far to no avail. At least we can still use them for photos and surfing the net (not on 3 or 4G I hasten to add).

Whilst I am the first to admit that this is very much a "first world problem" it is somewhat annoying. Any bright ideas and any recommendations as to a reliable and good value SIM only operator that is reliable for use abroad as I am thinking of changing on our return.

Over to you Sages of the board......

Smarty. Sim only deals on a month by month contract with free EU use within your package allowances ( capped if you have a high data allowance though).

As sent to you from row 22 JC Arena at no extra cost!