I'm looking for some help please with calling from USA to UK, using my mobile.

Going to New York next week and I need a cheap way to call from there by mobile.
A US access number would be one method, the same as we have over here for overseas calls.

I don't recall seeing anything about this recently on the forums, but if I've missed it, apologies.

My current provider is Orange but I do have a phone which is not tied to them, so another SIM is a possibility, but does anyone have any suggestions please ?

Cheapest I've found so far would be Tesco Mobile PAYG with a £20 top up which gives £40 additional free.
The calls then are 89p/min (call or receive) and 40p/text, which is massively cheaper than using my Orange contract phone.

I've already had using Skype from an Internet Cafe @$3/hr suggested as the hotel charges $9.95 per day for use of their system.

Remember that the US uses different radio frequencies than we do, so you need a tri or quad band phone if you want it to work.

I gather that it's possible to buy pre-pay "cell" phones or SIMs when you get over there which whilst may not be the best tariffs about, are almost certainly cheaper than using a UK based mobile.

A quick google and I found this page whch seems to be saying that AT&T's pay as you go phone charges $0.49/min for UK calls.  That's somewhat cheaper than your Tesco suggestion.

I'm sure there are also call-forwarding agents, that allow you to dial US numbers and put the call through, just at their are here.

A bit of time with google should assist you more (remembering they call them "cell" phones brings up more relevant results!)

Is this of any help to you? Just an idea, not sure if it is any good.

http://www.ulyssesmobile.com/?gclid=CNaEsPPe9pwCFUoB4wodHWpxbA

irrelevant wrote on Sep 16^th, 2009 at 6:20pm:

Remember that the US uses different radio frequencies than we do, so you need a tri or quad band phone if you want it to work.

That's OK as all my old phones were Tri band & the newer ones are Quad.


Quote:

I gather that it's possible to buy pre-pay "cell" phones or SIMs when you get over there which whilst may not be the best tariffs about, are almost certainly cheaper than using a UK based mobile.

Will have a check on that but most seem to require £30 or more prepayment.


Quote:

. . . AT&T's pay as you go phone charges $0.49/min for UK calls.  That's somewhat cheaper than your Tesco suggestion.

If you look at the Tesco pay £20 & get £40 free, it works out at one third cost for calls, so the 89p/min calls work out under 30p/min, which is about the same as the AT&T rate.


Quote:

A bit of time with google should assist you more (remembering they call them "cell" phones brings up more relevant results!)

Good point ! Having worked for them for over 5 years I should have remembered that, but that was 1987 & "Cell" phones weren't around then !


sherbert wrote on Sep 16^th, 2009 at 6:21pm:

Is this of any help to you? Just an idea, not sure if it is any good. http://www.ulyssesmobile.com/?gclid=CNaEsPPe9pwCFUoB4wodHWpxbA

Thanks. I had a look at Ulysses and the price works out at 29p/min for prepayment of £35.

DaveM wrote on Sep 16^th, 2009 at 5:46pm:

I'm looking for some help please with calling from USA to UK, using my mobile. [...]

PM sent.

Many thanks guys.

On further researching the Tesco SIM, the bonus prepayment added does not count for usage overseas so the true cost would be as stated, 89p/min & 40p/text.

From info supplied by idb, the AT&T SIM seems to be the best value and using the UK access through OneSuite giving a total of around 27.2c/min.

Will let you know if I have any problems. I can't be the only one that has had this dilemma so it may be of help to others in future.

Why not give Localphone a go? http://www.localphone.com/

Thanks JG but the slight problem is "NO Access to VOIP". Broadband charges at hotel are $9.95/day and if we had a 'puter there, we'd probably be using our Skype accounts for nil cost. I'm afraid that none of the others offered by Localphone do the job necessary.

Thanks anyway.

They do provide local numbers you could call, so you could go for a cheap US sim, and then use one of the access numbers (I'm sure there's one for New York) to call home.

Just an idea anyway :)