Mobile Phone Plans in the US

My parents will be coming over as soon as our baby is born, sometime next month.  My mother has been asking me what kind of phone to get that will work over here.  I've explained (Many times) that she needs a tri-band or quad-band phone, which I think she has. (Though she may need a new one) I'm pretty sure she has AT&T (or whoever they have merged with) Do they allow you service in the UK?

Of course I have told her she can use my land-line if she needs it, which has free calls to the US.  (We also have very poor mobile reception here as well, but that is besides the point)

OY!

I have Cingular (formerly AT&T) and I am able to use my phone when I visit the UK.  Tell her to call Customer Service for Cingular 1-866-CINGULAR .  She'll need to ask for the International Division.  They will be able to tell her if her phone is a "Global" model.  Then she will need to add Roaming for the UK.  She can turn it off when she returns to the US after her billing cycle is complete.  It's $5.99 per month and then she would have to pay the roaming. 

I think Cingular uses Orange in the UK.  It was funny that I had service in places my BF did not when we were standing next to each other.  He kept saying "You can't call from here" and I never had a problem!

I have Cingular (formerly AT&T) and I am able to use my phone when I visit the UK.  Tell her to call Customer Service for Cingular 1-866-CINGULAR .  She'll need to ask for the International Division.  They will be able to tell her if her phone is a "Global" model.  Then she will need to add Roaming for the UK.  She can turn it off when she returns to the US after her billing cycle is complete.  It's $5.99 per month and then she would have to pay the roaming. 

I think Cingular uses Orange in the UK.  It was funny that I had service in places my BF did not when we were standing next to each other.  He kept saying "You can't call from here" and I never had a problem!

Thank you so, so much!  This is perfect.  I'll email her and just copy this in for her (I'll credit you )

I think Cingular uses Orange in the UK. 

According to the current database, Cingular has roaming agreements with all four U.K. networks (Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone).  There may be choices based upon the package in use.

Keep in mind that the Orange  and T-Mobile (UK) networks are GSM 1800 only.  O2 and Vodafone are GSM 900 and GSM 1800.   A tri-band U.S. phone which has 900MHz as its third band will therefore be no use on Orange or T-Mobile in Britain.

According to the current database, Cingular has roaming agreements with all four U.K. networks (Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone).  There may be choices based upon the package in use.

Keep in mind that the Orange  and T-Mobile (UK) networks are GSM 1800 only.  O2 and Vodafone are GSM 900 and GSM 1800.   A tri-band U.S. phone which has 900MHz as its third band will therefore be no use on Orange or T-Mobile in Britain.

Thanks Paul, I'm sure it will not matter to my mom which service it is. (She has no clue about this kind of stuff)  I might just tell her to get a quad-band phone to make sure she can get all of them.