United Kingdom

Basics
The UK has 4 network operators: GSM is on 900 and 1800 Mhz (except Three which has only 3G/4G), 3G/UMTS on 2100 Mhz. 4G/LTE has been started in 2013 in towns. Frequencies on 800, 1800 and 2600 Mhz band have been granted. Prepaid SIM cards are called pay-as-you-go.
 * EE (Everything everywhere), formerly orange and t-mobile
 * Vodafone UK
 * O2 UK (by Telefónica)
 * 3 (Three by Hutchison)

Validity
Nearly all UK networks (primary and virtual) have an expiry policy of six months since the last balance deduction. Although this is the official policy, it is usually sufficient to receive a call every six months because this generates revenue, albeit small, for the network. The most notable exception is Lycamobile which operates a 90-day expiry policy since the last balance deduction in all of the markets in which it operates. For visitors, the easiest way to maintain validity while outside the UK, in order to keep both credit and the mobile number for future visits to the UK, is to send a roaming SMS.

"Content Lock"
Prepaid SIM cards in the UK are delivered with a so called "Content Lock" in place. This is to protect children from accessing adult content. The problem is that a whitelisting approach is used for this, meaning that everything that has not been actively approved as non-adult will be treated as "adult".

This can seriously interfere with your 3G operation, e.g. I could not use my instant messaging services. Even email and all "not moderated" forums like Facebook or Twitter can be affected. However this can be bypassed using a VPN or proxy app to conceal your identity

The usual way to disable is to enter credit card data to prove your age; but this only works with UK-issued credit cards, and as a tourist you probably won't have one of those.

Therefore when you buy a SIM card in store insist that the lock will be removed right away (takes 1 minute). For this you may need to provide some form of ID to prove your age.

Recharges
Topping up your SIM can be done officially online only if you have a UK-issued credit card. Though they are some private service providers on the net who accept international cards and do it for a surcharge. If you don't have anyone with anUK-credit card, you need to buy top up vouchers which are widely available in shops throughout the UK.

EE (Everything Everywhere)
EE or Everything Everywhere was created in 2010 after the merger of orange and t-mobile UK. Their GSM is on 1800 Mhz, UMTS on 2100 Mhz and they were the first to start LTE on 1800 Mhz in 2013:

EE coverage map

Prepaid 4G offer

Their prepaid SIM is called "4GEE". LTE up to 60 Mbps is enabled free of charge.

Data feature packs
There is no default rate as you don't get any data outside the Add-ons.

Availability

 * Offline in EE stores:Store locator for free
 * The SIM can be purchased online to be sent to an UK postal address for free

SIM sizes
Both combi micro/regular and nano SIM.

More info

 * APN: everywhere
 * T&Cs and further rates: EE

giffgaff
Giffgaff is a wholly owned subsidiary of O2 (Telefónica) and operates as MNVO on O2 UK (for technical info see O2).

Availability
GiffGaff SIMs can be ordered online to a UK address for free (delivery can take between 4 to 6 days). Or you can order from any member and get £5 free credit on activation from any member of giffgaff. The member him/herself also receives 500 points worth £5 of balance on activation of the new SIM. If you would like to order from a member for UK delivery, here are some member links to choose from:


 * member 1


 * member 2

There are also a couple of members who can send a free SIM card (with the above £5 free credit deal) to an address outside the UK so that you already have your SIM before you travel. We have provided the links for the order pages here:


 * GG Sim Orders


 * GG Sim Abroad

RegistrationEdit
To activate your SIM on their website, you need a UK-issued credit card or will need to credit your account with a top-up voucher. You can buy credit from many UK convenience stores or and almost all supermarkets and fuel stations (ask for giffgaff or O2 cards) and can also buy top up vouchers online at private facilitators like Top Up UK for a surcharge.

Default rate

 * 20p for the first 20 MB, then 20p / MB for further usage that day.
 * 6p text
 * 10p per minute domestic calls

Data feature packs

 * £5 for 500 MB per month
 * £7.50 for 1 GB per month
 * £12.50 for 3 GB per month
 * overuse: 2p per MB
 * standard phone and text rates apply (see above)

SIM sizes
Both "hybrid" micro/normal and nano sim sizes can be ordered from the above options.

Tethering
Tethering is not allowed on the bundles that have unlimited data included but is allowed on the other bundles.

Technical info

 * APN ... giffgaff.com


 * Username ... giffgaff or vertigo (some people report better service using vertigo)


 * Password ... password

3 (= Three) Mobile UK
3 (Three) has the smallest network of all operators in the UK but the most agressive pricing. Three is a 3G and 4G network only with no fall back to 2G. As this is not so important for data, the text and call coverage is much worse on the countryside compared to the three big ones.

3 coverage map You need to have a 3G UMTS phone on 2100 Mhz and for 4G a device whch can work on 800 and 1800 Mhz. 2G phones don't work on Three.

Three has launched 4G services in late 2013 charging the same for 4G as it does for 3G, unlike the other three primary networks which all surcharge for 4G.

The SIM card is given out for free. They have different products for phones and computers.

Pay as you go on Three
This product is for smartphones only and does not include tethering. It will be blocked if detected. For computers see the Mobile Broadband offer.

Default rate
1p per MB

Data feature packs
When data is used up you are free to buy another pack without waiting until the end of the previously bought add on pack. After data add on is used up charges revert to £0.3 per MB if another add on is not bought.
 * daily rate: 120MB valid for 1 day for £0.5
 * monthly rate: 500MB valid for 30 days for £5
 * free internet with every top up: 150 MB are added
 * all-you-can-eat data (no limit or fair use policy applies) in 30 days for £15

Availability
Purchase from a Three store for £10 which includes £10 credit, also available online. Extra credit can be bought from anywhere displaying the green 'top up' logo.Vouchers are available for £10, £15, £20, £25, £30 and £50 and must be activated within 90 days of purchase online or by calling 444. Credit doesn't expire on Three SIMs.

Mobile Broadband
Theiir Mobile Broadband pay-as-you-go SIM is a data only SIM for tablets, modems or routers. They are often sold as ready-to-go kits with the data preloaded
 * daily rate: pay-per-day: 500 MB for up to 48 hours: £2.99
 * 1 GB in a month: £10
 * 3 GB in a month: £15
 * 7 GB in a month: £25

"Feel like home" option
This roaming option is available to all pay-as-you-go SIMs of Three UK and is valid in Austria, Australia, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Macau, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Sweden and in the USA (on AT&T and t-mobile networks!!). It is enabled automatically when entering one of these countries above with a Three UK SIM on roaming and means that data is charged the same as in the UK with no roaming surcharges at all. Feel like home

Further info

 * SIM sizes; mini SIMs as standard. micro and nano SIMs may be available on request
 * APN: three.co.uk
 * Three price list: 3

Vodafone UK
Vodafone has a "Pay as you Go" service.

More information

Data feature packs

 * 50p for 25MB per day
 * £5 for 250MB for 30 days
 * £10 for 500MB for 30 days

Availability
Purchase a SIM card from any Vodafone store for £5, which includes some calls. You can recharge it at their stores or many other kiosks or convenience stores throughout the country.

SIM sizes
Standard SIMs are freely available, but in Jul-Aug 2011 Micro-SIMs for PAYG were generally unavailable from most Vodafone stores throughout the UK. However, Standard SIMs can easily be trimmed down with scissors to fit the iPhone 4.

Tips
Data Sim for phone and for tablets. If you want to use data SIM in your phone you must buy it with calling and texting (10 GBP for 500 MB per 30 days). When you buy data SIM for tablets (5 GBP for 250 MB per 30 days) it will not work in your phone.

Check first for compability with your device. Vodafone "Pay as you Go" SIM cards with data packs only work on specific "Pay as you Go" devices (tried in Q4/2010 with "3 MiFi Mobile Wireless Modem" and "Vodafone Huawei E220 UMTS Modem" - confirmed by Vodafone UK customer support)!

 iPhone 4 users  will have to change the default APN settings before activating the data on Vodafone. If not, the phone will give the error "Could not activate cellular data network". The correct setting can be found on Vodafone support.

T-Mobile UK


T-mobile UK has now been merged to EE (see above). T-mobile prepaid costumers can now use the whole 2G and 3G infrastructure of orange and t-mobile together but not 4G/LTE. T-mobile still sells its own pay-as-you-go products in EE shops Their default prepaid "plan" is called "everyday plan" which has no data at all.

Data feature packs
Data must be booked with add-ons t-mobile calls "boosters": Fair use policy: 500 MB maximum. Boosters don't renew automatically.
 * 5 days: £2.50. activation: text WEB to 441
 * 1 month: £5. activation: text MONTHWEB to 441
 * 6 months: £20. activation: 6MONTHWEB to 441

Further info:

 * recharge at their shops or stores and supermarkets throughout the country.as international credit cards are not accepted online
 * standard is a micro-SIM which comes in a mini-SIM spacer.EE offers nano-SIMs on request, but this are exclusively nano-SIMs in size, no breakouts/spacers for micro- oder mini-SIMs.
 * no 4G/LTE use for pay-as-you-go. See prepaid offer of EE instead.
 * Tethering possible, but profile disenabled for Apple devices
 * Skype and other VoIP providers are blocked
 * APN: general.t-mobile.uk

Orange
Orange UK has now been merged to EE (see above). Orange prepaid costumers can use the whole 2G and 3G infrastructure of orange and t-mobile together but not 4G/LTE. Orange still sells its own pay-as-you-go products in EE shops.

Availability
The SIM card is given out at EE stores for free. It must be topped up by vouchers if you don't have a UK-based credit card.(see above). Their prepaid "plans" are all packages called according to animals: Dolphin, Canary, Racoon or Camel. Data can be "rewarded" for top ups, thus not debited or simply be booked on the packs.

Dolphin plan
On this plan you get pretty high calling rates combined with included data as "rewards":
 * for a top up of GBP 10, you get 1 GB data rewarded
 * for a top up of GBP 15, you get 2 GB data rewarded
 * for a top up of GBP 20, you get 3 GB data rewarded

Racoon plan
On this plan you have only half as expensive call rates compared to the Dolphin and can add internet as packages which will be debited from your top up (not like the rewards as add ons for top ups on Dolphin):
 * 500 MB in a month for GBP 7.50, activation: text WEB 7.50 to 6620
 * 1 GB in a month for for GBP 12, activation: text WEB 12 to 6620

Camel plan
On this prepaid plan you can book the same internet packages as on the Racoon plan. You get more expensive domestic calls like on Dolphin but for every top up free international minutes as "rewards": Further info
 * for a top up of GBP 10, you get 60 free international minutes
 * for a top up of GBP 15, you get 120 free international minutes
 * for a top up of GBP 20, you get 240 free international minutes
 * Prepaid price list: orange
 * APN: orangeinternet

Default Data Rate
£3 / MB. See Simplicity T&C for more information.

Data feature packs
Choose the "Text & Web" SIM tariff. Top up the following minimum in a month and get the corresponding text (to UK numbers only) and data allowance for 30 days, and calls/international text to the value of the amount of top-up. Further data allowance is available in the form of a "Web Bolt-On": £3 for 100MB, £6 for 500MB and £10 for 1GB. Text "WEB" to 21300.
 * £10: 500MB + 300 texts.
 * £15: 500MB + 500 texts.
 * £30: 500MB + Unlimited texts.

If you don't have a web allowance included in your tariff, or you don't have a web Bolt On or have not topped up a minimum of £10 with the Text & Web tariff, you'll be charged up to £1 a day to view the internet on your mobile.

Do these plans still exist? I don't know. Their website shows some new plans.

3G Pay & Go Go Go
 * £10: 250MB + 500 texts and 75 mins
 * £20: 500MB + 2500 texts and 250 mins

4G Pay & Go Go Go
 * £15: 500 MB + 500 texts and 75 mins

Fair use policy
Unclear. The terms and conditions state that there is an excessive use policy, but not how much or for how long.

Availability
O2 Simplicity SIMs can be ordered for free from O2's website to UK addresses only or from an O2 store.

SIM sizes
According to Comparisim; Standard, Micro SIMs and Nano SIMs are all available online via O2 website. However, if a Nano SIM is needed then you can use online live-chat function to specify the required SIM type to the agent.

Frequency

 * GSM 900
 * GSM 1800
 * WCDMA 900
 * WCDMA 2100
 * LTE 800

Tethering
Not available with iPhone.

APN

 * APN : payandgo.o2.co.uk
 * User Name: payandgo
 * Password : password

Default Data Rate
50p / MB.

Data feature packs
75p for 25 MB, then 50p/MB there after, (very vague).

Fair use policy
Unclear.

Availability
Can be purchased online or from select ASDA supermarkets.

SIM sizes
Stock standard SIMs.

Network information
Branded as ASDA - Uses Vodafone network.

Frequency

 * GSM 900
 * GSM 1800
 * WCDMA 2100

Tethering

 * Unknown

Default data rate
50p / day for 25MB (Starter Tariff)

Data feature packs
See this page for more information.
 * Big Data & Texts gives you unlimited data (95GB) and 300 Texts. You have to top up your account with £10, then you call 789 and select option 3. Within a few hours the option will be activated and you'll get the free data / texts as a reward, valid for about 45 days.
 * From 1st of July 2013 you only get 1GB of data for top up your account with £10, see link below.

Fair use policy
The default data rate comes with a fair use limit of 25 MB a day. The 1 month data pack has a limit of 1 GB.

As of January 2013, multiple stores have told me data is unlimited and there is no fair use limit. I've used over 2GB in a week, many hundreds of megabytes a day with a 10pound top up in store.

--> I'll second that. I've used the Big Data tariff and we've sucked about 1GB in 3 days through a mobile router. The "What you've got left" counter went from 95GB to 94GB. It really seems to be (almost) unlimited.

Availability
Virgin mobile SIMs can be ordered online for free or in shops. SIMs are also sent to hotel adresses.

SIM sizes
Stock standard SIMs & Micro SIM

Frequency

 * GSM 1800
 * WCDMA 2100

(uses T-Mobile network)

Tethering
Tethering worked great in cities throughout England and Scotland using Galaxy Nexus, speeds of typically 3-5 megabits. Skype login seemed hit or miss, but generally worked. I don't know if they were blocking it or just skype acting up.

Note
If you want to use the Virgin Mobile SIM in a 3G Wifi Router, be aware you'll need to call the company through the SIM you're about to use for data (to activate the Big Data Pack). This may cause problems since routers are not made to call someone (duh!) Furthermore, if your 3G Router needs another SIM format than your phone, you might also encounter problems to activate the tariff.

Examples:


 * Router (like the Huawei 5531): Standard SIM


 * Phone (e.g. Galaxy S3/S4): Micro SIM Slot or even worse Nano-SIM Slots like the iPhone 5

There is no other way to activate the option than calling Virgin through the SIM. You cannot activate it via their website or SMS. In this case make sure you have an old phone available to activate the desired option.

Default Data Rate
£4 / MB.

Data feature packs
monthly plan: £10. unlimited data for 3 months (fair use 500MB), unlimited texts, 250 minutes voice

monthly plan: £15. unlimited data (fair use 500MB), unlimited texts, 500 minutes voice

Fair use policy
T&C don't allow P2P, VOIP and continuos streaming AV and use SIM cards i modems (I haven't check that yet)

Lebara
Pay as you go, with free SIM card.

More information at their website.

Default Data Rate
15p per MB

Data feature packs
£2.50 / 500MB or £5 / 1GB

Travelers Mobile
For travelers to the UK, from anywhere  Travelers MobileAdded by Virtualcto

UK Plans/Products 

Travelers Mobile offers a simple plan for Travelers to the UK. Pay as you Go plans with all Calling in the UK at 10p per min. Data is 30p per MB.

Like the USA, all Travelers Mobile plans are sold with all inclusive pricing. This means Shipping, Tax, SIM and Activation is all included in the price you see. Starting as low as $ 24.95 for 30 days Pay as you Go everything included. .

Canada Plans/Products 

 Travelers Mobile offers a simple plan for Travelers to Canada. Pay as you Go plans with calling within Canada at $0.40 per minute, all texts cost $0.25 per text message and data cost between $0.06 and $0.14 per MB.

<span style="padding:0in;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">USA Plans/Products 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Travelers Mobile offers 9 plans for Travelers to the USA. All use the AT&T network, so speed and coverage is better than T-Mobile. Pay as you Go plans are for 30, 90, 180 and 365 days with all Calling in the US and to Canada at $0.10 per min. Data is $0.30 per MB. Unlimited plans are for 7, 15 or 30 days with data up to 3GB per 30 days.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;line-height:15.75pt;">All Travelers Mobile plans are sold with all inclusive pricing. This means Shipping, Tax, SIM and Activation is all included in the price you see. Starting as low as $29.95 for 30 days Pay as you Go to 30 days unlimited calling and text plus 3GB data for $79.95 everything included. .

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;">World Tra​vel

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;">Travelers Mobile sells world SIMs and world data SIMs with coverage in over 200 countries.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="padding:0in;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Availability '

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;"><span style="line-height:15.75pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can be purchased on the website  , or at authorized dealers across Canada.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="padding:0in;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Speed '

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">In The USA the same as AT&&T

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="padding:0in;font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">SIM sizes 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"> §    <span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Standard, Micro SIM is available, Nano SIM cut for $5.00 extra fee.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="padding:0in;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tethering '

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"> §    <span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="padding:0in;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Devices 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Devices must be GSM unlocked and have an open SIM slot.

Vectone Mobile
Vectone Mobile is using the EE network.

Default rate

 * 9p/MB. A minimum balance of 50p is required to use Data.

Voice and SMS

 * £10: 1000MB + 1000 texts and 1000 mins

Availability

 * Get a free SIM Online within the UK

SIM sizes
Normal.

Internet settings
APN: webuk.mundio.com