UK: Virgin Mobile increases minimum call charge
 

The minimum call charge is now 10p, up from 5p (which was introduced two years ago). What's more, they have changed the rule regarding the first five minutes of each day (which are billed at 15 p/min, before the charge goes down to 5p): Only calls to UK numbers (mobile and landline) will be considered.

It seems Virgin, under its new ownership, wants to make its prepaid service less attractive, now that it also offers contracts. There is also still no mention of the new EU roaming rates.

http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/gener...f.howdoi.sm131

They used to be one of my mobile choices in the UK what with "relatively" cheap calls to North America (20p/minute) and the 15p/5p situation you noted with the calls to North America counting (although I might add normally it didn't really matter as with the time difference I rarely called North America before 1300 and by then it is likely I would have gone through the 5 minutes anyway but it was a nice fall back.

But for travelling now? Orange abroad charges 5p/minute to call the USA (interestingly though this doesn't extend to Canada, can't figure out why), there is Mobile World and there is the 50 minutes for £2 bundle on T Mobile UK to call the USA.

They certainly don't seem interested in keeping the business of travellers but then again perhaps that is not where their bread is buttered so to speak!

It has been mentioned here before but a good trick whilst in the UK is to buy any T-Mobile UK prepaid card. With these you can call the USA (and elsewhere inc. Canada) by dialling access number 07755 220 220, wait for the prompt and then dial the full number inc. the international code (starting 00....). This number will be charged by T-Mobile at only 3p/min!
See http://www.yourcallworld.com/calling.aspx?country=USA