Mobile Phone Contract Query

[OldUser 6,127]

19 minutes ago, Big Papa Zone said:

Lived here for 15 years now, and kept my UK mobile phone the whole time. And UK bank account. There’s something very reassuring about knowing that everything you need to restart your life in the UK (should you ever need to) is right there.

Yep, no need to ever burn bridges.

[Melancholic Mage 51]

Does anyone have experience with SIM only cards? I plan to keep my UK number and only activate UK PAYG plans when needed, but will this make the number 'expire' if I don't use it often enough?

 

Also, does anyone have a good way of using UK and USA sims together in a dual-sim phone? My current phone supports this but I have to remove my SD card to enable it and as I'm sure most will agree it's not very convenient to say the least. Just trying to navigate how to access both my UK and new USA number the easiest. My current provider in the UK actually appears to allow me to add other numbers for access on their app, but skeptical if this will work on US numbers let alone numbers from different providers.

 

Kinda lost.

[SL2024 43]

14 hours ago, Melancholic Mage said:

Does anyone have experience with SIM only cards? I plan to keep my UK number and only activate UK PAYG plans when needed, but will this make the number 'expire' if I don't use it often enough?

 

Also, does anyone have a good way of using UK and USA sims together in a dual-sim phone? My current phone supports this but I have to remove my SD card to enable it and as I'm sure most will agree it's not very convenient to say the least. Just trying to navigate how to access both my UK and new USA number the easiest. My current provider in the UK actually appears to allow me to add other numbers for access on their app, but skeptical if this will work on US numbers let alone numbers from different providers.

 

Kinda lost.

 

I would speak to your mobile phone network provider about it if you haven't done so already. I didn't have any experience or much knowledge about it but after I rang mine and discussed it with them I came away feeling a lot more knowledgeable and confident about the whole process. Some bits might be slightly different depending on the mobile phone network provider and the phone 

[Tesco 68]

Think about getting a Sim only contract, they’re very inexpensive. You can then have MFA for your UK banking and other apps. Change to a local relatives address as they won’t allow you to have a contract with a Stateside address.

[SL2024 43]

14 minutes ago, Tesco said:

Think about getting a Sim only contract, they’re very inexpensive. You can then have MFA for your UK banking and other apps. Change to a local relatives address as they won’t allow you to have a contract with a Stateside address.

I’m not sure you actually need a contract for this as when I spoke to my mobile network provider they said I didn’t need one and that I can just top up credit online or via the app as and when I need it.

[Tesco 68]

Some network providers block their app from overseas. If you can do it from your CC or Debit Card that would circumvent. Be carful and check their T&C’s with regards the time period to make and receive a text or phone call. It can catch you out, (as it did me). You then loose your number. So make sure you use the number and make a note on your calendar to do so. We loose much more then just a number, WhatsApp authentication, MFA etc.

[SL2024 43]

4 hours ago, Tesco said:

Some network providers block their app from overseas. If you can do it from your CC or Debit Card that would circumvent. Be carful and check their T&C’s with regards the time period to make and receive a text or phone call. It can catch you out, (as it did me). You then loose your number. So make sure you use the number and make a note on your calendar to do so. We loose much more then just a number, WhatsApp authentication, MFA etc.

 

Apologies but I think I have mentioned earlier in this post what the results of my discussion were with my mobile phone network provider?

[appleblossom 1,985]

On 9/20/2024 at 3:55 PM, Melancholic Mage said:

Does anyone have experience with SIM only cards? I plan to keep my UK number and only activate UK PAYG plans when needed, but will this make the number 'expire' if I don't use it often enough?

 

Also, does anyone have a good way of using UK and USA sims together in a dual-sim phone? My current phone supports this but I have to remove my SD card to enable it and as I'm sure most will agree it's not very convenient to say the least. Just trying to navigate how to access both my UK and new USA number the easiest. My current provider in the UK actually appears to allow me to add other numbers for access on their app, but skeptical if this will work on US numbers let alone numbers from different providers.

 

Kinda lost.

 

What phone do you have? If it's fairly new (iPhone 12 or newer for example), then you can have a physical SIM and an eSIM. I have both and have each number on all the time so I can get texts/calls to both, but I switch the data between them depending on which country I'm in. 

 

My plan is SIM only, with Smarty for the UK (the physical SIM - which I'd had for a couple of years before I left the UK, and just turned down to less data when I left, on a month rolling contract), and ditto with Mint Mobile for the US (the eSIM - set up before I left the UK so I had the number to give to people before I moved). Both work brilliantly. 

Edited September 21 by appleblossom

[Melancholic Mage 51]

14 hours ago, appleblossom said:

 

What phone do you have? If it's fairly new (iPhone 12 or newer for example), then you can have a physical SIM and an eSIM. I have both and have each number on all the time so I can get texts/calls to both, but I switch the data between them depending on which country I'm in. 

 

My plan is SIM only, with Smarty for the UK (the physical SIM - which I'd had for a couple of years before I left the UK, and just turned down to less data when I left, on a month rolling contract), and ditto with Mint Mobile for the US (the eSIM - set up before I left the UK so I had the number to give to people before I moved). Both work brilliantly. 

 

Thank you everyone. I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+. (I tend to buy older models for frugal reasons and only upgrade when there's a real issue with my mobile, should anyone be shocked by this haha.) Regardless, I'm new to eSims and just looked it up: sadly my phone doesn't support them. It was a good idea though!

 

I was planning to upgrade my phone at some point once I got myself settled into a job in America. My husband wants to add me onto his phone provider, so that might also limit my options once I'm there but I would rather trust his guidance in the new world. I'm currently with Lebara in the UK. I'm aware that UK numbers can 'expire' with certain providers if you don't use them, so I'm pretty anxious to try and figure this all out before I leave.

 

Question appleblossom, when I'm in the USA, do you think it's possible to switch my UK number to an eSim should I get a phone that supports them? I'm very new to them so apologies if this is basic. Also, if I switch my WhatsApp to my US number, does it port over all chats that I had on my UK number without a problem?

[Melancholic Mage 51]

For anyone's interest, I made a quick chat with Lebara. Like with everything these days, getting answers was like pulling teeth. But.

 

The sim card stays active for 90 days (with Lebara at least). You need to make a chargeable transaction within to keep that card active (top-up, make a SMS, or take out a plan). Should this fail, the sim deactivates and you need a 'voucher' to reactivate the card. This voucher is apparently physical so it will go to whichever UK address is on file which is concerning. (I don't have much family and I have been a victim of Domestic Violence so I'd rather not have anything go to UK addresses.)

 

I tried pushing to find out exactly what happens to the UK number if the sim card isn't re-activated but all I could get was the number is kept for a further 90 days on their systems. After that, I imagine the number gets wiped.

 

I can't say for other providers but the 90 days sounds like a standard timescale.

[SL2024 43]

4 hours ago, Melancholic Mage said:

For anyone's interest, I made a quick chat with Lebara. Like with everything these days, getting answers was like pulling teeth. But.

 

The sim card stays active for 90 days (with Lebara at least). You need to make a chargeable transaction within to keep that card active (top-up, make a SMS, or take out a plan). Should this fail, the sim deactivates and you need a 'voucher' to reactivate the card. This voucher is apparently physical so it will go to whichever UK address is on file which is concerning. (I don't have much family and I have been a victim of Domestic Violence so I'd rather not have anything go to UK addresses.)

 

I tried pushing to find out exactly what happens to the UK number if the sim card isn't re-activated but all I could get was the number is kept for a further 90 days on their systems. After that, I imagine the number gets wiped.

 

I can't say for other providers but the 90 days sounds like a standard timescale.

 

It's not 90 days - it's usually 6 months as a standard so around 180 days.