livinthailandos Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I was not sure where to post this question at on thaivisa if need to move to another forum kindly do so. After searching through online searches i'm not any closer to finding a answer on getting a SIM card to use for traveling while i'm in the UK on holiday for 2 weeks, only areas I have seemed to find are 1. many providers in the UK ranging from using Giffgaff / EE / Vodaphone / Virgin / O2 / three and more Any recommendations on which provider has the better coverage in terms of phone calls and internet coverage especially in scotland area 2. places to get the SIM cards appear to be either from Carphone Warehouse or Phones4U, minimart, grocery store Any other places to buy from. Recommendations I read are not to buy from the airport especially the vending machine, By the way for certain places please specifically list where the place is at or at least near what tube station. By the way my phone is unlocked. Need a plan that has at least 3GB internet data and at least calling talk time. need a nano sim card. Look forward to all recommendations on this. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Have a look at Lebara, free SIM card posted to a UK address, I have an 02 also free which was sent by mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbrenn Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I was in the UK recently and bought a Vodafone SIM in a high street phone outlet - can't remember which one. It worked fine, and I was able to recharge voice and data via the Vodafone website using my UK debit card. You can keep the number alive for future visits by sending a single SMS every six months. In practice, this means buying the smallest (5 pounds I think) SMS pack every six months online and then sending one text message to yourself. The charge for the SMS while on roaming is (if I recall correctly), 49p, and with a one month validity on the pack you have to buy one each six months to keep your number alive while over here. This means the annual cost of maintaining your UK number is around a tenner. Useful if you need to maintain a UK phone number for banking purposes or whatever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 (edited) Giffgaff are FREE and can be sent to an address, they are about the best deal and work on O2 network. Checkout there website. Oost corner shops and news agents like WHSmith have sim cards, including at the Airport when you arrive. If you have a Thai sim that is on contract you can enable that for roaming but its quite expensive but handy if you still want people to contact you. Phones4U dont exist anymore. Edited February 18, 2015 by CharlieH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Moving to the communications forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I use a 3 sim card...add £15 and get 30 days unlimited internet....300 mins of calls and 3000 texts. Works fine everywhere I go in Scotland. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorriedNoodle Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 When I last went in 2010 they had SIM vending machines at airport arrivals luggage claim area. Are they still there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo63 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I always use GiffGaff. They send you a free SIM to a UK address and you can choose from a series of packages called GoodyBags. I use a £10 GoodyBag which gives me 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of internet. A GoodyBag lasts a month and you can retain the number if you wish to use if you go to the UK again. Send me a PM and I'll send you a link which will give you some discount. It's on offshoot of O2 so it has fantastic coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetT Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 (edited) Giffgaff free sims cheapest PAYG phone calls in the UK: 10p minute. They have great packages/goodybags also. But they are online only for ordering sim and topping up, customer service etc. Great service but not sure if they'd send sim to Thailand. U could give your 1st hotel as your address and it would be waiting for u when u arrive. Check out giffgaff.com Poster above has reminded me of their referral deal so If u private message me your name and your arrival UK address/hotel address, I can get the sim sent there for u and u be both will get free £5 credit. Edited February 18, 2015 by SunsetT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dapperdan Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 When I last went in 2010 they had SIM vending machines at airport arrivals luggage claim area. Are they still there?[/quot I want it installed, so car phone warehouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dapperdan Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 When I last went in 2010 they had SIM vending machines at airport arrivals luggage claim area. Are they still there?[/quot I want it installed, so car phone warehouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigagee Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 GiffGaff as others have said , I have 4 in the UK , each £10 month , 500 free minutes , unlimited UK texts , 1 gb date , FREE GiffGaff to GG Calls , buy online have sent to a UK address .... (others deals available) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman20 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 when I was back in the uk about 8 years ago I bought my sim from phones 4 u, a pay as you go sim no prblems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topt Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 when I was back in the uk about 8 years ago I bought my sim from phones 4 u, a pay as you go sim no prblems You obviously missed post no.4 - Phones 4U no longer exist......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmarleesco Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Depends on which is offering what, and whether cheap calls home are important to you, or mainly domestic coverage. You can buy Vodafone or O2 at the requisite shops, and they'll put in and set up the SIM for you. And definitely DO NOT buy at the airport vending machines; a total con. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualbiker Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I got 3, I think the top ups are the best value and the Sim stays live as long as you have credit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb17 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Totally the best GiffGaff - it's so cheap it's almost free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Totally the best GiffGaff - it's so cheap it's almost free! Gg £10 for 1GB internet....3 is £15 for unlimited. Work it out. ..if you are a light net user I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Also for phone use I use Viber/Line/Skype. Phone call charges???? Lmao. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Privateer Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I would suggest getting a sim at the airport - see comments above. There are 5 networks - Three, O2, BT, Vodaphone and EE. Three, O2 and EE all have outlets on the high street and in the shopping malls. May all change because BT are in talks over buying EE and Three are in similar talks to buy O2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I got a card from the O2 shop for my Thai lady. It actually offered some free international calls if you made a top up over £15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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