Is Roaming possible in the UK?
in [UK Mobile]
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From: Lobster on 5 May 2008 14:57 Ian King wrote: > In message <JsVSj.98174$Ff4.52831(a)newsfe5-win.ntli.net>, Lobster > <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> writes >> Jason wrote: >>> "Lobster" <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message >>> news:9zKSj.92835$jH5.27105(a)newsfe3-win.ntli.net... >>>> OJ wrote: >>>>> "Lobster" <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message >>>>> news:FnrSj.92417$jH5.63978(a)newsfe3-win.ntli.net... >>>>>> Victor Delta wrote: >>>>>>> I live in Dorset and mobile reception in some parts of the county >>>>>>> is pretty ropey to say the least. In any location, however, some >>>>>>> networks are better than others - but overall no single network >>>>>>> >>>>>>> My question is therefore is it possible to get a SIM card or >>>>>>> whatever in the UK which enables one to 'roam' i.e. >>>>>>> automatically switch between the networks and take the strongest >>>>>>> signal. This is what appears to happen when one is abroad. >>>>>> I have a United Mobile sim card for use overseas, which gives you >>>>>> a UK 078xxx number, and that certainly works in the UK as well, >>>>>> on multiple networks. >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.united-mobile.com >>>>>> >>>>>> More expensive than any normal domestic PAYG though and slightly >>>>>> fiddly to use (it's a ring-back service), although might be a >>>>>> good option just for incoming calls? >>>>>> >>>>> Which UK networks can the united mobile service use? >>>> Wouldn't know, as I never use it in the UK for obvious reasons. >>>> Certainly it logs on though: if I were to test it now I'd only be >>>> able to let you know the name of one service so hardly seems worth it! >>>> >>> Surely you could go to "network selection" and go through the >>> networks to see which ones allow roaming and which ones are >>> restricted??! >> >> Doh! Yes of course - and I would do so if I could just remember where >> I'd put the bloody SIM card... > I've got a united mobile SIM & it's in use. It just automatically > selects the strongest signal. This can get a bit annoying when it picks > up O2 because you then get a text message saying something like welcome > to o2 in the UK. Found it...! it was inside my 'spare' mobile at the bottom of a drawer. Yes: the (old, non-3G) phone lists O2, T-mobile, Vodafone and Orange as available networks and will log on to any of them when forced. I notice it doesn't list Virgin, which ISTR this phone (Nokia 3510) used to be used with. David
From: ChrisM on 6 May 2008 05:01 In message 4MITj.11815$EH2.10010(a)newsfe1-win.ntli.net, Lobster <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> Proclaimed from the tallest tower: > Ian King wrote: >> In message <JsVSj.98174$Ff4.52831(a)newsfe5-win.ntli.net>, Lobster >> <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> writes >>> Jason wrote: >>>> "Lobster" <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message >>>> news:9zKSj.92835$jH5.27105(a)newsfe3-win.ntli.net... >>>>> OJ wrote: >>>>>> "Lobster" <davidlobsterpot601(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message >>>>>> news:FnrSj.92417$jH5.63978(a)newsfe3-win.ntli.net... >>>>>>> Victor Delta wrote: >>>>>>>> I live in Dorset and mobile reception in some parts of the >>>>>>>> county is pretty ropey to say the least. In any location, >>>>>>>> however, some networks are better than others - but overall >>>>>>>> no single network My question is therefore is it possible to get a >>>>>>>> SIM card or >>>>>>>> whatever in the UK which enables one to 'roam' i.e. >>>>>>>> automatically switch between the networks and take the >>>>>>>> strongest signal. This is what appears to happen when one is >>>>>>>> abroad. >>>>>>> I have a United Mobile sim card for use overseas, which gives >>>>>>> you a UK 078xxx number, and that certainly works in the UK as >>>>>>> well, on multiple networks. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> http://www.united-mobile.com >>>>>>> >>>>>>> More expensive than any normal domestic PAYG though and slightly >>>>>>> fiddly to use (it's a ring-back service), although might be a >>>>>>> good option just for incoming calls? >>>>>>> >>>>>> Which UK networks can the united mobile service use? >>>>> Wouldn't know, as I never use it in the UK for obvious reasons. >>>>> Certainly it logs on though: if I were to test it now I'd only be >>>>> able to let you know the name of one service so hardly seems >>>>> worth it! >>>> Surely you could go to "network selection" and go through the >>>> networks to see which ones allow roaming and which ones are >>>> restricted??! >>> >>> Doh! Yes of course - and I would do so if I could just remember >>> where I'd put the bloody SIM card... > >> I've got a united mobile SIM & it's in use. It just automatically >> selects the strongest signal. This can get a bit annoying when it >> picks up O2 because you then get a text message saying something >> like welcome to o2 in the UK. > > Found it...! it was inside my 'spare' mobile at the bottom of a > drawer. > Yes: the (old, non-3G) phone lists O2, T-mobile, Vodafone and Orange > as available networks and will log on to any of them when forced. I > notice it doesn't list Virgin, which ISTR this phone (Nokia 3510) > used to be used with. > > David Would it list Virgin as a seperate network? I thought they just used T-Mobile's network...(?) -- Regards, Chris. (Remove Elvis's shoes to email me)
From: R. Mark Clayton on 6 May 2008 07:40 "Steve Terry" <gFOURwwk(a)tesco.net> wrote in message news:fvn45h$77s$1(a)news.albasani.net... > > "R. Mark Clayton" <nospamclayton(a)btinternet.com> wrote in message > news:roadncGrJd1DR4PVnZ2dnUVZ8sylnZ2d(a)bt.com... >> "Victor Delta" <none(a)nospam.com> wrote in message >> news:fvip9m$q39$1(a)registered.motzarella.org... >>> "Victor Delta" <none(a)nospam.com> wrote in message >>> news:fvd8cu$8mg$1(a)registered.motzarella.org... > <snip> >> Don't forget that you will need a dual / tri-band phone to get the full >> benefit as O2 and Voda are dual band in the UK, whereas Orange and T are >> not. > So any phone made for the European market in the last 8 years then? Not as long as that I suspect. > > Steve Terry > > > >
From: R. Mark Clayton on 6 May 2008 07:47 "Sam Nelson" <sam(a)ssrl.org.uk> wrote in message news:15m3f5-eer.ln1(a)nntp.stir.ac.uk... > In article <688e73F2r8jeaU1(a)mid.individual.net>, > "Roger Mills" <watt.tyler(a)googlemail.com> writes: >> Similarly - it was suggested - if you have a mobile phone with Operator >> X, >> you should be able to access the network via Operator Y's mast if X >> doesn't >> have one in a suitable place. It was suggested that this would actually >> save >> money for the operators - who could pay for bandwidth on rival networks >> rather than extending their own infrastructure. > > You would've thought that it was in their interests from the off to at > least > share masts, but apparently not. That's why there are three on the hill > opposite my house. > > The whole business is screwed up. They can't, between them, offer useful > contracts, get the coverage right, do decent customer service, run shops, > anything. Then there's the whole `phone locked to network' thing. That > mobile phones are popular in the UK is in spite of these largely-useless > companies, not because of them. > -- > SAm. They weren't always useless. Apart from Sweden (which started earlier on 450Mhz) and one or two niche places (like the Channel Islands), cellular phones took off more quickly in the UK with higher market penetration and steeper falling prices than any other country BECAUSE of the competition between the companies and between the service providers (telcos were not allowed to sell directly to begin with). The first true hand portables appeared in the UK in 1986. By 1991 the UK had millions of phones, 99% coverage, sensible charges and handsets were in the few hundred pound range. In France by contrast handsets still cost ~�2k, coverage was both fragmented and patchy and charges were high.
From: Dennis Ferguson on 6 May 2008 09:20
On 2008-05-05, Chris Blunt <mail(a)nospam.com> wrote: > On Sun, 04 May 2008 10:33:33 GMT, Dennis Ferguson ><dcferguson(a)pacbell.net> wrote: >>If you want one with a number which is cheap to call in the UK I >>have a Celtrek SIM, from >> >> http://www.celtrek.com >> >>which seems to roam on all networks. The UK inbound numbers they >>supply are regular landline numbers so, while you pay for incoming >>calls, it is inexpensive for callers. >> >>Their prices aren't too bad in the UK, though I got the SIM because >>their prices are excellent in some Asian and Latin American countries >>I occasionally travel to. > > Do you know if this SIM allows mobile broadband data connections also? > I can't see any reference to that on their web site, and they only > quote rates for voice calls and SMS. I've not tried so I don't know, but I don't think so. I'm happy enough that voice calls work. Dennis Ferguson |