Getting a mobile phone

This is great info (again). Let me see if I have it right.

02 or giffgaff seem to have great PAYG plans. I will actually go and read up on them soon. I can buy any unlocked phone I want here in the US and it will work over there with these plans is this correct?

I know nothing about mobile phones so with my unlocked phone from US I could eventually get a regular contract if I wanted to?

This is great info (again). Let me see if I have it right.

02 or giffgaff seem to have great PAYG plans. I will actually go and read up on them soon. I can buy any unlocked phone I want here in the US and it will work over there with these plans is this correct?

I know nothing about mobile phones so with my unlocked phone from US I could eventually get a regular contract if I wanted to?

You can't buy just any unlocked phone in the US, as US/European networks operate under different radio frequencies.  So, if you buy a phone in the US, it will have be "World Ready." If you look at the specifications, it should tell you what frequencies it works in.  For example, I have a Palm Pixi Plus Quadband GSM phone that works on the following: 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz.  It works in the US and UK, but I forget which region uses which frequencies.

This is great info (again). Let me see if I have it right.

02 or giffgaff seem to have great PAYG plans. I will actually go and read up on them soon. I can buy any unlocked phone I want here in the US and it will work over there with these plans is this correct?

I know nothing about mobile phones so with my unlocked phone from US I could eventually get a regular contract if I wanted to?

Yes and Yes.
Also, depending on the phone, it might be cheaper to get it here off contract (phones tend to be cheaper outside the US) but if you have a phone you like and can be used worldwide (3G/GSM) your provider should* be able to provide you the unlock code at the end of your contract and unlock the phone for you. There might be a small fee, but generally if you let your carrier unlock the phone for you, it wont void any warranty left on your phone.  Phones used for Verizon & Sprint/Nextel may not work in the UK.

*iPhone exempt.

From Wikipedia, it looks like US networks use 850 and 1900 MHz.   Africa, Europe, Middle East and Asia use 900 and 1800 MHz.

Thanks for explaining!

I had a US Motorola Razr when I came to the UK.  I put in a UK sim card and used it here for two years with no problem.  I just thought all phones would work wherever,  However, I bought a phone here for my grand daughter in the US, had it unlocked and sent it to her.  She put a US sim card in it and couldn't get it to work.  When I called the mobile company about it, they told me that it was because a lot of the phones sold here are 2G while in the states they operate off the 3G.  So basically a 2G phone won't work in a 3G system, but a 3G phone will work on a 2G system.  At least that what I understood the person to tell me.
If you're just wanting a phone and not a smartphone, you can pick one up here pretty cheap.  I bought two of them for when my family visit and paid about £20 each.  I simply pop in a prepaid sim card when they arrive and they have a mobile to use during their visits. 
Smartphones will run you quite a bit more.  When I google  payg smartphones, I see several ranging from about £75 - £200

I had a US Motorola Razr when I came to the UK.  I put in a UK sim card and used it here for two years with no problem.  I just thought all phones would work wherever,  However, I bought a phone here for my grand daughter in the US, had it unlocked and sent it to her.  She put a US sim card in it and couldn't get it to work.  When I called the mobile company about it, they told me that it was because a lot of the phones sold here are 2G while in the states they operate off the 3G.  So basically a 2G phone won't work in a 3G system, but a 3G phone will work on a 2G system.  At least that what I understood the person to tell me.
If you're just wanting a phone and not a smartphone, you can pick one up here pretty cheap.  I bought two of them for when my family visit and paid about £20 each.  I simply pop in a prepaid sim card when they arrive and they have a mobile to use during their visits. 
Smartphones will run you quite a bit more.  When I google  payg smartphones, I see several ranging from about £75 - £200

The UK has been using 3G for about 4 years now...in fact most carriers get 3.5G speeds. The US apparently has 4G, which is slightly faster. We only use GSM networks, while in the US they use both CDMA (Verizon & Nextel/Sprint) & GSM (AT&T, Cingular, etc)

Oh smartphones can vary in price and functions.
My smartphone was only £130 in March, while my partners (if he bought it out of pocket) was about £400

I've been using PAYG on Vodafone for three weeks now, and I don't think I want to ever get a contract. I have a UK iPhone (a hand-me-down from a friend) and even though the per minute rate is a bit steep (25p a minute), you can sign up for what they call Freebies, where you can get bonuses when you top up. I've selected an international Freebie, so in addition to the calls and texts my credit buys me, I get separate minutes to call internationally. I've been keeping touch back home this way, since my family is webcam-challenged. You can choose other Freebies like bonus minutes and texts, or free Vodafone to Vodafone minutes. I also use £5 of my credit and I get data for 30 days.

I had a US Motorola Razr when I came to the UK.  I put in a UK sim card and used it here for two years with no problem.  I just thought all phones would work wherever,  However, I bought a phone here for my grand daughter in the US, had it unlocked and sent it to her.  She put a US sim card in it and couldn't get it to work.  When I called the mobile company about it, they told me that it was because a lot of the phones sold here are 2G while in the states they operate off the 3G.  So basically a 2G phone won't work in a 3G system, but a 3G phone will work on a 2G system.  At least that what I understood the person to tell me.
If you're just wanting a phone and not a smartphone, you can pick one up here pretty cheap.  I bought two of them for when my family visit and paid about £20 each.  I simply pop in a prepaid sim card when they arrive and they have a mobile to use during their visits. 
Smartphones will run you quite a bit more.  When I google  payg smartphones, I see several ranging from about £75 - £200

Thanks. Maybe if I understood this technology, I would love the choices! I am going to go research phones. I realise they bring out new ones frequently! ): I just need to have communications when I get there being that I can't run out and flag down first responders, a vet and neighbours. Oh wait...I guess there my neighbours will be close enough to hear me scream!