Cell phones for london????

Question

I am going to london for 2 weeks and i need a cell phone where i can call people in the u.s???

Answer 1

Some US cell phone companies, such as T Mobile offer service in Europe.  A good first step would be to call your service provider and see if they offer service abroad and can connect your current phone to work in London during that time.  If your provider doesn't offer this it seems kind of silly to buy a phone just for 2 weeks, but if you're set on this there are mobile phone stores all over London that will sell you a cheap pay as you go phone.  You can also find one in a mobile shop at whatever airport you are flying into.  This would be the cheapest option.  All electronic stores and most department stores will have this type of product.

A third option is to get a calling card and use pay phones on the street or your phone in your hotel room to call back home to the US.  Do not buy a calling card in the US, even if it says it will work abroad, it will not - trust me.  Once you get to London go into any convenience store or newsagent and ask for a calling card to call the US.  They will offer cards for a variety of prices and time limits.

Answer 2

Just use your own phone if you are roaming, or if you have a GSM phone just buy a British SIM card, and use that in your phone.

Answer 3

See if you can get your phone "unlocked" so it will work with other SIM cards, and then buy a pay-as-you-go SIM card in London.

Phones are "locked" so that only SIM cards from the phone service you're using will work on them, but you can very easily get them unlocked. Just call up your provider and ask for the unlock code. They'll either give it to you over the phone or email it to you.

Once the phone is unlocked, you can use any SIM card from around the world in it, and it will work just as well as it does at home. You can buy a pay as you go SIM card fairly inexpensively almost anywhere in London.

Then...you'll have your own number in London. You can get a calling card (make sure it's one that doesn't use your minutes) and call your fam & friends in the States fairly inexpensively. You can use a calling card from a normal phone, of course, but....I just don't like normal phones. I'm used to cells. Plus, ppl can call you anytime.

I usually carry my US SIM around w me & switch it at least twice every day when I'm over there to send texts & whatnot.

If you have Verizon.....then you're kinda out of luck because they don't use SIM cards. Just stick w texting, and use calling cards.

You can call up your provider & see if they have an international plan w  a lower rate. It's still going to be really freaking expensive, but less expensive than if you just made a call w/ out a plan.

Warning....you get charged for every call you receive while you're over there, too. It totally adds up.

Have an awesome time there!! I'm heading over next week.