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Cellular Phone Forum / Country Specific / UK Group / January 2008Friend coming from USA to UK
A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. What's his best option? He wonders whether he can buy a cheap one-month-use mobile. Is that a possibility? Or is there a better strategy for him?  SignatureChris > A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. > He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Or is there a better strategy for him? If he just wants to be able to make calls and send texts, he could buy an el-cheapo PAYG from Tesco (or wherever) for about 20 quid. If he's a business/power user and needs a more sophisticated phone (with email etc.) There are companies that will lease him a decent phone while he's over here. Depending on the make/model of this mobile, it might work over here (if it is tri-band it will work in most areas, if it is quad-band it'll work as good as any UK phone). All dependant on the roaming agreement with his network/tariff in the UK of course SignatureRegards, Chris. (Remove Elvis's shoes to email me) > Depending on the make/model of this mobile, it might work over here It might not even be a GSM phone. In message 13p13rojmpkt29d@corp.supernews.com, Andy Burns <usenet.jan2008@adslpipe.co.uk> Proclaimed from the tallest tower: >> Depending on the make/model of this mobile, it might work over here > > It might not even be a GSM phone. Hmm, didn't think of that... :-) SignatureRegards, Chris. (Remove Elvis's shoes to email me) > In message 13p13rojmpkt29d@corp.supernews.com, > Andy Burns <usenet.jan2008@adslpipe.co.uk> Proclaimed from the tallest [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > :-) ... but chances are it will be (surely?) SignatureRegards, Chris. (Remove Elvis's shoes to email me) >>>> Depending on the make/model of this mobile, it might work over here >>> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > ... but chances are it will be (surely?) http://www.cellular-news.com/story/24950.php wouldn't bet on it. Those figures from Q1 2007 suggest GSM had 38% penetration in USA. Not unlikely, but not a sure thing either. Signature<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) (UnSoEsNpEaTm@ale.cx) 13:25:07 up 13 days, 3:50, 2 users, load average: 1.56, 1.41, 1.32 2x Broadband/IT/Telecoms support positions in Newcastle city centre. For more info call 0191 229 8870 and ask for Steve. No agencies. >>>>> Depending on the make/model of this mobile, it might work over >>>>> here [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > figures from Q1 2007 suggest GSM had 38% penetration in USA. Not > unlikely, but not a sure thing either. Fairy Nuff... :-) SignatureRegards, Chris. (Remove Elvis's shoes to email me) > A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. > He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. If he's an AT&T or T-Mobile customer in the USA his phone probably will work in the UK but he should call the operator's customer service to get it unlocked (they'll normally do this for free). If he's a Verizon, Sprint or Alltel customer it won't work in the UK. If his phone is from one of the dozens of carriers which make up the remaining 15% of the US wireless market he'd have to ask if it is a GSM phone (probably works) or not (won't work). > What's his best option? > He wonders whether he can buy a cheap one-month-use mobile. > Is that a possibility? He could always buy a phone, along with service, from a UK PAYG operator. Virgin Mobile sells phones for as little as GBP10, and Tesco for as low as GBP15. If he wants to use the phone a lot, however, taking a chance on Three PAYG might be worth it despite the higher cost of their phones (and he'll need to buy one no matter what since US phones won't operate on this service) and other disadvantages since their Stretch bundles on PAYG are attractively priced. Dennis Ferguson >> A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. >> He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > remaining 15% of the US wireless market he'd have to ask if it is > a GSM phone (probably works) or not (won't work). Many ATT and T-Mobile phones, although GSM, don't support use on the 900 and 1800 bands (US uses 850 and 1900). Is your experience of easy, free, unlocking by ATT, recent? >>> A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. >>> He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Many ATT and T-Mobile phones, although GSM, don't support use on the 900 > and 1800 bands (US uses 850 and 1900). Perhaps I should have mentioned that, but these days such phones have become vanishingly rare. Of the 15 or so phones offered for free with a new AT&T contract on their web site I see only one which lacks both 900 and 1800, with two more missing 900. The more expensive phones (except maybe the 3G models) are even less likely to be missing these bands. > Is your experience of easy, free, unlocking by ATT, recent? Two years ago for me, though I've had friends do it more recently. The Cingular part of AT&T would always do it if you phoned and asked, in my experience (though they don't tell you that in the stores for some reason), though the original AT&T Wireless part of the company refused to do it when they were independent. I'm pretty sure they'll even unlock a prepaid phone now if you use it for a few months. Dennis Ferguson > Two years ago for me, though I've had friends do it more recently. > The Cingular part of AT&T would always do it if you phoned and asked, > in my experience (though they don't tell you that in the stores for > some reason), though the original AT&T Wireless part of the company > refused to do it when they were independent. I'm pretty sure they'll > even unlock a prepaid phone now if you use it for a few months. Good to know. It's ATT we use in the US, and I've had to unlock all our phones myself - but it's been more than 2 years since we've had a phone from them. cingular and Tmobile rarely sell dual band phones these days. yes. bot of them will unlock your phone after 90 days of service in goo standing. That also includes payg. I have both of them with Tmobil being payg. I unlocked 2 phones purchased from each of them last year. All 4 phones were unlocked within 30 days of purchasing them. Dennis Ferguson;737786 Wrote: > On 2008-01-18, S Viemeister firstname@lastname.oc.ku wrote:- > Dennis Ferguson wrote:- [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > in my experience (though they don't tell you that in the stores for > some reason), though the original -- mrcamp >A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. > He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Or is there a better strategy for him? You can get fairly decent phones from Sainsbury's or other supermarkets for a tenner these days, cheap enough to use and throw away. >A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. >He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >Or is there a better strategy for him? You could try asking hi hat model phone he has. He may be mistaken and it WILL work in the UK SignatureCheers Peter >>A friend is coming on a holiday from USA to UK for about a month. >>He reckons his USA mobile won't work over here. >> >>What's his best option? >>He wonders whether he can buy a cheap one-month-use mobile. >>Is that a possibility? Carphone warehouse 'mobile world' network might be the thing: payg, uses T Mobile network in UK, claims to be 5p/minute to call USA at any time. I think some of the lesser samsung phones are fairly inexpensive and he could always leave it here with you when he goes. I think some of the car hire outfits would also rent you a phone at Heathrow (not sure if they still do) but that will probably cost a lot more. A £45 phone that you then throw away after a month is only £1.50 per day, although its environmental insanity. Have a look at www.mobileworld.co.uk SignatureRichard C |
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