EmilyVio Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Very specific question but hoping someone on here has an answer! I want to keep my UK mobile number so thinking of getting a UK pay as you go phone and just using occasionally while in Aus to pick up messages etc. Does anyone have a recommended provider as I'm searching online and not having much luck thanks E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Remember that when you're overseas, you need to have roaming switched on, and that usually means you get charged at roaming rates for calls you receive as well as calls you make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 3 hours ago, Marisawright said: Remember that when you're overseas, you need to have roaming switched on, and that usually means you get charged at roaming rates for calls you receive as well as calls you make. If its only switched on occasionally though, then its cheap enough. I've still got my UK phone from 2o odd years ago. Top it up online every so often, but only switch it on when I need to pick up text messages from my bank in the UK, or to access the UK Govt site re National Insurance and stuff - they will only send the authorisation text to a UK phone. I stick it onto wifi every so often to update apps etc, and obviously its a godsend when I travel back home. I'm with EE but will be changing later this year when back in the UK as their plans aren't really suitable any more. Three are supposed to be good, also vodafone. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) Did that for many years with O2 but you have to send a text every few months or it dies. I'm currently more profligate and just keep the cheapest Virgin contract going. I moved from O2 because they bombarded me with advertising and random calls. Not sure if the deal I used to have is still going or not. Edited July 4, 2022 by Quoll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDougster Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 1 hour ago, Quoll said: Did that for many years with O2 but you have to send a text every few months or it dies. I'm currently more profligate and just keep the cheapest Virgin contract going. I moved from O2 because they bombarded me with advertising and random calls. Not sure if the deal I used to have is still going or not. I do exactly the same - cheapest Virgin contract. It is now a virtual sim on my Aus iphone and very easy to set preferences. Despite this ease, I dropped the ball on the way out and somehow managed to rack up an impressive charge on the flight to Singapore. My wife has a very cheap EE UK tariff and a Lebara sim in a dual sim OnePlus and does similarly. Most calls are via wifi at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 9 hours ago, Nemesis said: If its only switched on occasionally though, then its cheap enough. I've still got my UK phone from 2o odd years ago. Top it up online every so often, but only switch it on when I need to pick up text messages from my bank in the UK, or to access the UK Govt site re National Insurance and stuff - they will only send the authorisation text to a UK phone. I stick it onto wifi every so often to update apps etc, and obviously its a godsend when I travel back home. I'm with EE but will be changing later this year when back in the UK as their plans aren't really suitable any more. Three are supposed to be good, also vodafone. I have Gov.uk sending authorisation texts to my Australian phone - try it again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacGyver Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 29 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said: I have Gov.uk sending authorisation texts to my Australian phone - try it again. I was about to say the exact same thing, I also have this setup with my Australian number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 6 hours ago, DrDougster said: I do exactly the same - cheapest Virgin contract. It is now a virtual sim on my Aus iphone and very easy to set preferences. Despite this ease, I dropped the ball on the way out and somehow managed to rack up an impressive charge on the flight to Singapore. My wife has a very cheap EE UK tariff and a Lebara sim in a dual sim OnePlus and does similarly. Most calls are via wifi at home. Interesting, how do you set it up as a virtual sim on your iPhone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyVio Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 thanks for all the responses. really helpful and also going to look into the virtual sim! E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 14 hours ago, Jon the Hat said: I have Gov.uk sending authorisation texts to my Australian phone - try it again. Thanks - mines been set up for quite a few years now so they may well have changed the rules for it since I originally signed up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDougster Posted July 15, 2022 Share Posted July 15, 2022 On 05/07/2022 at 15:12, Quoll said: Interesting, how do you set it up as a virtual sim on your iPhone? You need one of the newer iPhones - I think from the 2020 SE or 7 onwards and then you request it from your provider. Disclaimer here is that I'm not sure it's still working! It should be, but I'm not sure it is! I was a cheapskate and bought a secondhand phone for $400 rather than new for $700 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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