Cheapest way to use mobile phone on the Continent

[BigTim]

Hi Folks

I was wondering what other people would recommend for cheap mobile phone calls on the Continent. I am a Virgin user in the UK and although EU capping has brought the charges down to 19p/min receiving and 38p/min calling it is still very expensive.

In past years I have bought a sim card in the country I am visiting but this year we are visiting several EU countries.

I use the phone for calling in the country and I am visiting and phoning to/from family in the UK. I don't need internet access, etc.

I am looking at Vodaphone "passport" PAYG.

Any comments or other suggestions would be most welcome.

Tim

 

[KeithJ]

Hi Tim

Depends when you are travelling. Vodafone have waived all their roaming charges for Europe until the end of August - you use your minutes like being at home and it is free to receive a call. We have saved a considerable amount using my wife's phone on Vodafone over the last three weeks.

Just make sure you are on one of their "preferred networks".

If you are not on Vodafone you can get a Pay as you go SIM from them for use in your phone provided it is not locked.

Keith

 

[KeithJ]

Sorry, I meant to say 6 weeks, and the deal applies in all EU countries + Switzerland etc.

 

[BigTim]

Thanks Keith

I've ordered 2 PAYG sims, one for me and one for my wife. The Vodaphone "passport" with the "no roaming charges offer" seems the best deal around.

We don't usually tend to use our mobiles a lot but a couple of times in past years we've had breakdown situations where the mobiles have been the best, but very expensive, option.

Vodaphone's offer will give us the best of both worlds. Shame Virgin, our UK choice, continues to rip off their customers overseas!!!

 

[KeithJ]

Vodafone are only doing this for the Summer, but lets hope they will extend it in the future - which means other networks will have to do it too. O2, T Mobile and Orange seem to have networks in a large number of countries as well, so I see no reason why they can't extend it to those

Keith