I bought the UK prepay SIM (no credit included, but there was a separate T-Mobile top-up card in the package), put it in my unlocked GSM phone (and my wife's), entered the unlock PIN code and I get a message that the SIM card is unregistered. I called T-Mobile UK and they told me I need to buy a top up voucher when I get to the UK. I was able to register on My T-Mobile UK, but was never emailed the PIN code to open the account.

Here are my questions:
1) Is there any way to register or activate the T-Mobile UK SIM card in the phone in the US before going to the UK? Am I unable to register it because it's not in the UK or because thereis no credit associated with the account?

2) Is my only option for topping up to buy an e-Voucher when I get there? The T-Mobile UK CSR told me they will only accept UK credit cards. If I buy a top-up T-Mobile UK voucher on eBay, will this work?

Buy a topup voucher on ebay.uk and use that.

I was able to activate my O2 SIM that way (voucher from eBay) so it's worth a try. If T-Mobile UK prepaid roams in the US, you should be able to activate it there.

Damn...I wish these companies would join the 21st century and allow out of country credit cards to be used to top up.....I just can't understand this insistance that the credit card be issued by a UK bank (enforced by requiring the postal code)....the amounts involved simply can't be that much so that fraud is a big issue...if it is, restrict use of non UK credit cards to 10 quid or something like that. It's an idiotic requirement which flies in the face of just what credit cards were set up to do i.e. to do away with problems of currency exchange and national borders for travellers.

Absolutely! OTOH, my brother was able to register his UK issued credit card with Tuyo mobile (Tmobile MVNO) while he was here in January. Having done that, he is able to topup online anytime. Sister did the same online with tmobile payg using her UK issued credit card while here last year.

Now, I have heard of a number of people being able to register a US issued CC with Vodafone UK.

i know studentjetpacks.com offer a pack with SIM cards and other very handy stuff in..if your coming to london, they also give you an Oyster travel card! Though says for students, anyone can use them, and they specialise in providing the most economic jetPacks for the traveller.

Just checked the site for you and they say the sim is activated, so you can get your number before you come to the uk - its with Orange call abroad, costing ONLY 5pence to call the USA from you mobile to moble/landline! wow!

Cehck out www.studentjetpacks.com/jetpacks

Dont forget your umbrella when you come to the UK!!

I just did that. I am in the US. I purchased a T-Mobile top-up voucher from a reliable UK eBay seller. He sent me the 16 digit code. The SIM card "Interactive" program appears on my Windows Mobile phone. There is an option in the program for Prepay topup. It asks for the amount, then the last 4 digits of the card number (which I assume is the 16 digit code). Then it asks for the card security code (which I assume is the SIM card PIN). When I try to enter this information, I get an message that says error sending message.

Is this because the SIM card has not yet registered on T-Mobile in the UK? The customer service rep at T-Mobile UK said that should not make a difference.

I believe you went under the credit card option. Those options sound credit card related. The fact that it asks for the amount and the security code makes me think it's credit card. For voucher topup, just the voucher # is required. There should be an option for voucher topup. And, it should not matter if you are doing it from outside the UK.

The menu only has one option that says 'Prepay topup.' There were no other choices for topping up or using a voucher. I agree it sounds like credit card information that it requested. I may have to call T-Mobile UK Customer Service again.

Apparently there is no option to topup by voucher from the phone. It's either by CC or by calling them on 360

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/personal/p...o-pay-by-phone