UK Mobile Phone Contract

[Cotillo_Tom]

Finally, my mobile phone operator in the UK (3) has caught up with me! After 3 years living here, they have noticed that I've exceeded the fair use policy on roaming, plus, my contracts (2 UK phones) are about to expire and the new contracts I've been offered are 50% more expensive (minimum data/calls etc) or 125% more expensive (8Gb data/calls included) AND I have to pay £2 per day, per phone for roaming!!  My £6 a month will become £75 per month!! (And 2 contracts means £150 per month).

So, I'm looking for advice please.  I've heard about these virtual numbers or eSIM deals where calls are forwarded by data rather than a phone line, but frankly, I'm pretty ignorant of how they all work! Unusual for me, as I'm normally on the ball with all things IT, but these have just 'passed me by' as I was happy with my Three Contracts. 

I'm keen to have inclusive calls and texts but not bothered about tons of data as I have a Spanish SIM for data and local calls.  It is important that we both keep UK mobile numbers. 

 Any advice please?

[Johnrgby]

Morning Tom, we use a company called Telkom, { or something similar } who give us all inclusive calls to Spanish numberss and 6 hours a month of international calls for around 21€,which is ample for our needs as when management calls he family it is nearly always on WhatsApp, but I am sure there are others

[Cotillo_Tom]

Thanks John.  We both tend to use WhatsApp almost constantly, but there are the odd phone calls we need to make or take on the UK mobile.  Appreciate your help.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Try Lebara. They don't include texts but I get 1000 mins international every 28 days, loads of data. Can port numbers, or did when I changed 4 or 5 years ago. Roaming. 10€ every 28 days.

[DavidP]

Hi Tom, can you change to a pay as you go with 3 which would mean you don't have to change carrier or get a pay as you go english sim sent out that you can export your UK number. My English Lebara is very cheap to phone UK now that I cannot roam anymore either.
I have turned off the mobile data and use whattsapp or telegram if possible so can still call or video mobiles using wifi. If someone calls on from UK, I see who it is and phone them back on whattsapp.

[William]

Could be worth looking at uk based IDmobile. They use the 3 network, but have sim only deals which are much better than 3. We swapped ours earlier this year from 3 and find them good. Although we are Uk based we have used them in Lanzarote and will be using them in Fuerteventura during the winter.

[Cotillo_Tom]

The conclusion of this is that we have gone with xpatfone https://xpatfone.com/

£8 per month, port UK number over, unlimited calls and texts to UK, USA and Canada, landline and mobiles.   It works over VOIP rather than a sim card using mobile data and WiFi.   Can't be used for calls to emergency services at the moment as it wouldn't know if you wanted them in the UK or where you were currently located.  

Tom. 

PS. We did find several UK operators offering roaming without extra charges but all subject to the fair use policy, therefore you are at risk of being caught out if you are here more than 6 weeks.  Three indicated that they MIGHT be changing policies on roaming (rumours that they are loosing customers in droves) but as we had already been advised of the roaming charges, they couldn't reverse that decision.

[willie5094]

Ho Tom, sorry I'm late to the party. I was also caught by Vodafone 2 years ago after living here 2 years, I simply changed my account to a PAYG so as anyone calling me on my UK number got throught to me. As I have a dual sim phone so I opted for Lobster mobile at 10.61€ every 28 days, which gives me unlimited calls to UK and numerous other countries 18gig of data which is ample, you can also use in UK and other countries.

Glad you got sorted, if you need Lobster here is the link https://www.lobster.es/our-plans/

Regards
Willie

[Cotillo_Tom]

Hi Willie,

Lobster were on my 'go to list' that I had prepared 'in the event that 3 cut me off'.  Unfortunately when I called them they were no longer accepting UK phone numbers, only operating on Spanish mobile numbers.  That defeats the object of keeping my UK number!

I should have moved over to Lobster over a year ago, when they were accepting UK mobile numbers transferring over. 

Lesson learnt, but thanks for the information.  

Tom.

[tigga1958]

Good afternoon Tom,

How are you finding xpat phone?

Thanks Bob.