I live in the U.S. and plan a trip the U.K. (duration of about two weeks).
Currently I don't own a cell phone, but my wife and daughter do (not GSM
phones). I am considering purchasing a GSM phone for use on our trip and
then to continue to use it when we get back to the States. The usage will
likely be minimal; such as for emergencies, setting up meetings with friends
and the like. I have several questions:

If I purchase an unlocked GSM (probably tri-band) phone on e-bay or
elsewhere will I be able to purchase any plan and SIMM card or are there
some "wired in" hardware differences that I would need to look out for?

What GSM frequency is used in the U.K.?
What is the common frequency in the U.S.?

Will I need two chargers for my phone because of the voltage and power
frequency differences?

We will be traveling around the general area outlying London (50 mile radius
maybe, and then up to Scotland by car. What provider of providers have the
best coverage?

Do you have any recommendations in slightly older hardware?

What would I expect to pay for the U.K. SIMM card and service?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Kirk
===================================
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx -
====================================