UK mvno SIMs with cheap int'l calls [merged]

[MATHA531]

Originally Posted by dr0ss

Sorry to revive an oldish thread, but I wanted to vent on the topic. I'll be coming to the UK in a couple of weeks, a colleague lost my still-active UK T-Mo SIM that I'd loaned him, so I need something new for this trip. Rather than do what I usually do, namely wander around the airport or town looking for a SIM deal, I thought this time I'd buy one in advance and have it sent to a UK friend who could then forward it on to me. First I tried to order one from Lebara online, this triggered an error asserting that Barclaycard wouldn't authorize the charge. I phoned Barclaycard, who told me they had in fact authorized the charge, and when I phoned Lebara they were rather dim and unhelpful, telling me that I should try again and "get the order particulars right" (but not telling me why my order had failed, and not even willing to look up the order from the order number I was given).

Next I tried Nomi, and had essentially the same experience.

This is the kind of commercial dysfunctionality I was accustomed to when I lived in England years ago, I was under the impression that things were better nowadays. I guess not. - David

A couple of suggestions...

Check out my thread several below about my latest trip to Europe and especially the UK. There were hawkers of lebara sim cards both at the exit of the Gatwick Express at Victoria and at the exit of Eurostar at St. Pancreas....free sim cards but they require a 5 quid top up to start (you of course have to put something on them in any event)....lebara as you know 4p to the USA.

Also as I waltzed down oxford Street on Tuesday, outside one of the T Mobile stores (it was right near Bond Street Underground) there was a lady simply handing out free T Mobile UK sim cards, again no time but it does come with a swipe card.....

Now if you don't want to waste precious time, you can go to ebay and do a search for UK sim cards...I have one favorite shop there who will send you most any network's sim card for less than $5 including shipping...of course as always they don't come with any credit but topping up at either Gatwick or Heathrow can't be very hard. Just look at all the listings...this one sent me before I left on my trip a vodafone sim card and when all was said and done I paid $4.50 including shipping to my home address. Vodafone cards come with a £1 initial amount loaded on...doesn't come with a swipe card but go into any merchant displaying the green e top up decal (Boots, Superdrug, Sainsbury, Tesco among others) and they will give you a voucher for as little as 5 quid...stop by a vodafone store (there are many) for a swipe card. I chose vodafone for this summer as their international plan (free to join) gives 5p/minute calls to the USA and other destinations and until 31 August feature free roaming within the eu with no charge to receive calls and 20p/minute to call back to the UK and within the country you are roaming in and 38p to call elsewhere.....

Many of the High Street stores (phones 4 u, carphone warehouse) in their catalogues feature free sim cards for the various networks but require a 10 quid top up.....

Getting a free or next to free British sim card, at least for the time being, is about the easiest thing in the world.

Personally, right now today I would opt until 31 August at least for vodafone....but you really can't go wrong with lebara or T Mobile