You may find it useful to have a mobile phone
while you are in the UK. Although fixed line telephone call charges
are generally cheaper than those of mobile phone, sometimes your
accommodation may not have a fixed line telephone. You will have
to pay an installation fee to get one installed for you. In addition,
you will need to pay line rental charge on top of phone usage. On
the other hand, mobile may be a more attractive alternative.
In the UK, call charges only apply to the caller but not to the
receiver. There are many types of tariff from five major mobile
phone operators: Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, O2 and Virgin. You
may not be able to get a mobile phone contract in the UK, as you
are a foreign student; but you will definitely be able to use a
'pay as you go' mobile phone, which would also help you with your
budgeting.
Pay As You Go
This is the easiest option for first time mobile phone buyers as
you do not have to deal with contracts and credit checks. There
is usually a one-off payment for the handset and call vouchers that
you buy where you choose how many minutes you want and how much
money you want to spend so you’ll never get a bill,
** However, this option is not suitable for
frequent phone users as you should be aware of the higher call charges
on vouchers.
Monthly Contract
On contract the mobile phone is usually included in the line rental
depending on the type of model you choose.
Mobile phone Tariffs
Estimate your monthly call minutes, how many of those are to landlines,
how may to other mobile networks and how many to the same network.
Remember that it is much cheaper to call a mobile phone on the same
network than cross network so choose the same network as your friends
and family. Also estimate how many minutes you will spend retrieving
voice mail and how many text messages you will send. If you're making
the majority of your calls during the day, then choose a tariff
that offers low daytime charges. Alternatively, if you use your
mobile phone more in the evening, then your tariff should offer
low evening calls
- Taking Your Phone Abroad (Roaming)
If you have a mobile phone in China and you bring it over to the
UK, you may find that you will be charged the overseas rate for
all calls. Local calls within the UK will also be charged at the
overseas rate as your transmitter is in China. This will also
include your telephone answer services as that will be transmitted
from China. Please check with your operator before you leave China.
Receiving calls while abroad:
you will be charged per second for the international leg of the
call from UK as the calling party cannot be expected to know you
are travelling. The calling party will be charged nationally as
if making a local call.
International Phone Cards
For international calls, it is much cheaper to use a phone card.
(Check with providers, you may be entitled to student discounts)
Access numbers on Phone cards
- 0800 FREE access - No phone bill to pay
on LAN lines
- 0845 Local access - Your card lasts longer
- 0207 Mobile access - Use your free minutes
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