Cell Phone

Hello all,

I will be moving to the UK in February and I was hoping for some advice on the best cell phone deal I could get. I don't really need all the bells and whistles as I pretty much just use the basics and don't text or use apps and all that.

I would be talking to family in the states now and again but I think most of the use would be local. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Steve P.

Hi there, 

I'm not really a phone pro - but i know my boyfriend uses the 02 network - im not sure how it compares money wise with the other plans - but i know its good service and you can always set up a skype number or google voice number to call the states that way its cheaper and would be the same as calling anyone else in your area code. Good luck!

To be fair, they're all pretty much the same nowadays from what I could tell when I just got my new phone. Some give better text deals, some more minutes, other cheaper handset but on balance you can't *really* go that wrong.

Hello all,

I will be moving to the UK in February and I was hoping for some advice on the best cell phone deal I could get. I don't really need all the bells and whistles as I pretty much just use the basics and don't text or use apps and all that.

I would be talking to family in the states now and again but I think most of the use would be local. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Steve P.

Carphone Warehouse is a chain of mobile phone stores that carry phones and plans for all the major (and minor) UK networks. The staff can help you select a plan and phone that best fits your needs. Try them instead of a network-specific store.

Isn't there some US phones that work in the uk?

I think I read on here that if you are using a UK phone you are not charged for incoming calls unlike in the US. (lets put that down as a big benefit of living the UK )

Isn't there some US phones that work in the uk?

I think I read on here that if you are using a UK phone you are not charged for incoming calls unlike in the US. (lets put that down as a big benefit of living the UK )

That is true while you are in the UK. When you are roaming you may have to pay for them. For example when I took my UK mobile to Spain I had to pay for all incoming calls while I was outside the UK.

Carphone Warehouse is a chain of mobile phone stores that carry phones and plans for all the major (and minor) UK networks. The staff can help you select a plan and phone that best fits your needs. Try them instead of a network-specific store.

Seconded. I walked into one of their stores last fall and asked for the "cheapest phone they had" since I was only visiting for a few months, and I walked out with a phone and credit for £10.  If you tell them your needs, they'll be able to find a phone and plan for you.

Isn't there some US phones that work in the uk?

Most AT&T and T-Mobile phones will work in the UK (as long as they're tri-band), but you'd be paying crazy fees to us them.  Verizon only recently started offering "global phones" and the ones they have are pretty expensive to begin with.  I'm not familiar with Sprint.

If you have an old AT&T or T-Mobile tri-band phone, you could try to unlock it and get a SIM card from a UK mobile company if you wanted to save from buying a phone.

I have visitors coming in regularly from the US for business and we get them a phone with a US International calling plan (prepaid) typically from Carphone warehouse or a similar store (shop around) and we get the phone and minutes very cheap. The last time it was about £30 for the phone and several hundred minutes. It can be topped up if needed and i don't have to worry about getting the phone back.

Most phone providers charge a similar rate to call the US regardless of being on a contract or on Pay as you Go.  If you're predominantly using your phone within and to place calls to the UK with occasional calls to the US you may be interested in the O2 Your Country (PayGo) Tarrif.

But for starting out as others suggested try Carphone Warehouse as a starting point for obtaining a phone and SIM card at a reasonable deal.

With UK SIM cards you only pay for the calls you place, not the calls you receive when within the UK.  However, when you travel abroad you are subject to (usually) extortionate rates for placing and receiving calls etc.

Good luck!

I feel like it might depend where you're living too.  I had a PAYG phone with O2 when I lived in St. Albans this past Sept-Dec. But when I visited Manchester in October, I couldn't get any service AT ALL.   When I lived in Manchester back in 2007, I used Orange, mainly because of "Orange Wednesdays"--for BOGO Cinema tickets.  I always get the cheapest 10pound phone, and it works just fine

If you're predominantly using your phone within and to place calls to the UK with occasional calls to the US you may be interested in the O2 Your Country (PayGo) Tarrif.

I use O2 pay-as-you-go with the international bolt-on - totally worth it.   It's served me very well, but then, I make phone calls once in a blue moon at that; no need for minutes that rollover.  If I did that, I'd have a year of calling built up. *giggles*