mobile phone options for Europe

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bikes4two
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Re: mobile phone options for Europe

Post by bikes4two »

> I've just returned from France and bought a Lyamobile SIM in a local French shop. I paid 5 euro for it but like the JoeMobile SIM can be had for free via the web if sent to a Frenh address.
> If buying the Lyca SIM from a shop then it requires registering before use. The little booklet that accompanies the SIM has instructions in English - basically you insert the new SIM in your phonee and dial something like 321, listen to the options (in French) but eventually you get an English announcement instructing you what to do.
> You then end up speaking to an English speaker for the registration process - they require three pieces of information:

1. a French address (the campsite or indeed any valid address will suffice - you're not asked if it's your home address on anything)
2. An ID card number but your UK passport number is fine
3. The serial number of the SIM (found on the packet the SIM came in)

> Pay-as-you-go vouchers can be bought from various places but I registered my UK credit card and opted for auto top-up on a voice/data package that for 10 Euro gave me 4hrs call time to landlines in most EU contries plus 500MB data valid for 30 days.

> Lycamobile is available in many EU countries and I shall likely pick up SIMs when I get to Germany, Belgium and Portugal during this year's trips.
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mjr
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Re: mobile phone options for Europe

Post by mjr »

bikes4two wrote:> Lycamobile is available in many EU countries and I shall likely pick up SIMs when I get to Germany, Belgium and Portugal during this year's trips.

How much later this year? Big changes are coming on 1 July 2014 with a right to choose a different operator for roaming and further cuts in the maximum permitted roaming charges to EUR0.20/Mb and 0.19/minute (ex VAT, currently 0.45/Mb and 0.24/min). It's nearly getting to the point where it's only worth the heaviest users switching SIM cards with all the registration and redirecting phone calls and so on that it involves, unless you're going outside the EU. (ObTiming: and UKIP voted against this too ;-) )
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bikes4two
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Re: mobile phone options for Europe

Post by bikes4two »

mjr wrote:How much later this year? Big changes are coming on 1 July 2014 with a right to choose a different operator for roaming and further cuts in the maximum permitted roaming charges to EUR0.20/Mb and 0.19/minute (ex VAT, currently 0.45/Mb and 0.24/min). It's nearly getting to the point where it's only worth the heaviest users switching SIM cards with all the registration and redirecting phone calls and so on that it involves, unless you're going outside the EU. (ObTiming: and UKIP voted against this too ;-) )


All that's a move in right direction BUT it's still going to be much dearer than getting something like a local Lycamobile SIM - below is a message I received from EE today - you can see that 500mB of data might cost me £99 compared to the Eu10 for the SIM plus of course the 4hrs of landline calls

-EE-:From 1 July we're changing costs to use your T-Mobile phone abroad. Rates in the EU are dropping, you'll now pay 5.9p to send a text, 18.8p per min to make a call, 4.9p to receive a call and no more than 19.8p per MB to use data. For other changes to costs to use your phone abroad, click here http://www.ee.co.uk/roaming7 2:07 PM
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mjr
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Re: mobile phone options for Europe

Post by mjr »

bikes4two wrote:All that's a move in right direction BUT it's still going to be much dearer than getting something like a local Lycamobile SIM - below is a message I received from EE today - you can see that 500mB of data might cost me £99 compared to the Eu10 for the SIM plus of course the 4hrs of landline calls

Well yes, if you're downloading a CDROM of data and making four hours of calls and can't plan and buy boosters for unlimited calls and 100Mb/£3, you're one of the heaviest users, so it's worth buying local sim cards, as I wrote.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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bikes4two
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Re: mobile phone options for Europe

Post by bikes4two »

If you think 500mb is heavy usage, then good luck with your roaming charges. :-)
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mjr
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Re: mobile phone options for Europe

Post by mjr »

500mb is fairly heavy usage for mobile data IMO. It means you're using data hungry things like streaming video or audio, you've a unoptimised connection, your phone is out of control, or is there some other situation I've forgotten?

I work in IT. I travel. I work on the move. I'm OK with 500Mb on my usual phone contract. I use WiFi where I can, I have a compressed VPN and I have a firewall that stops apps using my data allowance without my permission.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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