Mobile Phone and Moving to the US

[CharliePrice 0]

Hello everyone, 

 

Sorry if this topic has been done to death but I'm not too clued up on this stuff.

 

So my phone plan with Vodafone has expired and I'm needing to get a new phone. I was meant to already have emigrated to the US but i'm still here....

I was thinking of buying a phone and getting a month to month SIM through GIFFGAFF. My question is, after eventually moving to the US, is the phone I buy going to be compatible with the US sim that I will buy out there. 

 

Hope this makes sense and thanks in advance  :)

[SEWI 50]

Hi Charlie,

I use my UK purchased iPhone in the US and simply switch between my UK/US sim cards. Works wonderfully. 
I also have a US purchased phone that works without hiccups here in the UK.

 

You're most likely to be futureproofing your device when you buy it unlocked.

 

Also, a quirky tip- I have a sim only plan with Three network here in the UK, with unlimited 4g/5g(when/where available) data for ~£20/month (used to be £13!), which I can use without any additional surcharges when roaming oversees... Which works out to be a much better deal than my US cell plan with Verizon that runs me ~$77/month for a similar data allowance- I'll be keeping my UK sim card for my mobile data allowance, and getting a minutes only US cell plan. 

 

[Xyrstine 224]

I posted the same/similar topic not so long ago. Basically Three will be the best network as it allows a like home roaming which allows you to call and text like in the UK. However with regarding data etc it seems like there is a fair usage policy in place where they will cancel data usage beyond 3 months... I have a pay as you go and a dual SIM Phone which I intend to use both the UK and a new US SIM card. I am already in the US and rely on data via WiFi only to save money but have mobile data in for my texts/calls. My old number was also transferred to the new Three SIM.

 

UK phones should work fine but I think it depends on bandwidth(?) but most new phones are fine. 

[ConnorS 85]

what phone where you thinking of buying?  My last 3 phones I have purchased have all been dual sim phones so I can rock 2 sim cards at the one time, one for my US sim the other for my UK sim, so I'm contactable on both at all times.  Funnily enough I had the exact same deal on three mobile as @SEWI and I remember being annoyed when they changed it to £20 and thinking I was being screwed, looking back I had it so good compared to here in the states 🤣😅. I changed from 3 to giff gaff due to 3's fair use policy, plus I only need to top it up £10 every six months to keep the line active and send a text or make a call, plus most calls back to the UK are over WhatsApp or instagram to family and friends, and if I have to call a UK business I've also used rebtel which is an app for cheap calls which is linked to my UK mobile number too.

 

 Oneplus phones are great for dual sim purpose and they make high spec phones. However if your more the apple than android fan, there handsets will work just fine too.

[Bug&Bug 147]

@ConnorS what plan you use with giff gaff? I use their goodie bags but at least before it didnt include roaming in the US. 

[ConnorS 85]

7 hours ago, Bug&Bug said:

@ConnorS what plan you use with giff gaff? I use their goodie bags but at least before it didnt include roaming in the US. 

I don't use any of there plans now that I'm in the US and have been for over a year, I just top up £10 of credit to keep my line active once every 6 months and make an active call or text. 

 

The UK number was primarily kept so that when I do banking with my UK accounts Halifax/Barclays, and have to reset online passwords, or I make purchases on amazon.co.uk and track parcels to family and friends (especially at this time of year 😜) .

 

..and of course I had though I would have visited the UK a couple of times again by now and topped up with a wee cheeky £10 goody bag whilst there, to tide me over but sadly covid has stripped me of that possibility at the moment.

[Bug&Bug 147]

8 hours ago, ConnorS said:

I don't use any of there plans now that I'm in the US and have been for over a year, I just top up £10 of credit to keep my line active once every 6 months and make an active call or text. 

 

The UK number was primarily kept so that when I do banking with my UK accounts Halifax/Barclays, and have to reset online passwords, or I make purchases on amazon.co.uk and track parcels to family and friends (especially at this time of year 😜) .

 

..and of course I had though I would have visited the UK a couple of times again by now and topped up with a wee cheeky £10 goody bag whilst there, to tide me over but sadly covid has stripped me of that possibility at the moment.

Ooh good point about banks and such!