iPhone compatability US to UK

[PhillyChic]

Has anyone successfully taken their US iPhone to the UK and transferred to a UK plan? Or is it necessary to purchase a new phone once in the UK? We've used our US iPhones on trips to the UK but it's always been very expensive when we get the next month's bill. We will be moving to England shortly. I'm also wondering if others have kept their US number and had it forwarded or any other ideas for how to keep the price of calls from the US to UK down. Thanks for any advice.

[Kuya]

If your iphone is locked to one carrier then you are stuck with that carrier! Before you head to the UK try inserting a different sim card into the iphone and see if it accepts it, if it does then you should be fine to go onto a UK call plan.

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by PhillyChic

Has anyone successfully taken their US iPhone to the UK and transferred to a UK plan? Or is it necessary to purchase a new phone once in the UK? We've used our US iPhones on trips to the UK but it's always been very expensive when we get the next month's bill. We will be moving to England shortly. I'm also wondering if others have kept their US number and had it forwarded or any other ideas for how to keep the price of calls from the US to UK down.

Both iPhone 4 and 4S bought in US can be used anywhere else in the world. There is a difference between 4 and 4S. 4 can only be used on GSM and UTMS 3G network (Europe only uses these protocols), while 4S has been designed as a truly global phone and can be used on both GSM (used by T-Mobile and AT&T among others in US) and CDMA (Verizon and Sprint, among others).

If you bought your iPhone direct from Apple (and paid the full price, not subsidised), then it's fully unlocked and accepts UK mini-SIM card or any other (but only on GSM). If you bought from one of the networks, it is locked to the carrier and has to be first unlocked before using another SIM. You do this by contacting your carrier (Verizon, T-Mobile etc) and ask for unlocking code. They may impose certain conditions (like minimum contract term) and may make a charge, but essentially by tapping in the code, you can unlock it. AT&T won't unlock their phones, and can't be used on any other carrier. UK carriers supply mini-SIM to use in iPhone 4 and 4S, both as pay-as-you-go and as contract.
Three (3) has particularly competitive rates:
Micro-SIM

Originally Posted by Kuya

If your iphone is locked to one carrier then you are stuck with that carrier! Before you head to the UK try inserting a different sim card into the iphone and see if it accepts it, if it does then you should be fine to go onto a UK call plan.

As I've said, phones can be unlocked except those from AT&T. What you cannot do is to use a phone unlocked from a US carrier with a SIM from another US carrier. Only fully unlocked phones from Apple Store can accept any SIM from any US carrier, but not from CDMA carrier like Verizon and Sprint. Only phones originally supplied by Sprint or Verizon can be used on their respective network.

[PhillyChic]

Joppa thanks so much, you're a fountain of useful information, this is really helpful.

[Jrge]

Originally Posted by PhillyChic

Has anyone successfully taken their US iPhone to the UK and transferred to a UK plan? Or is it necessary to purchase a new phone once in the UK? We've used our US iPhones on trips to the UK but it's always been very expensive when we get the next month's bill. We will be moving to England shortly. I'm also wondering if others have kept their US number and had it forwarded or any other ideas for how to keep the price of calls from the US to UK down. Thanks for any advice.

To do this, on our cellphones (mobiles) we use Skype on 3. Considering I have a pre-paid plan of £15, is a very good service, crystal clear conversations and allows me to use as much data as I want (Think of e-mails, GPS, Skype). (BTW, I have an unlocked HTC Incredible 2 from Verizon)

At home, we have a MagicJack connected to a laptop at all the times. Our initial investment was $40.00 and trust me, for as long as your Internet connection is good, you will feel right at home. I call to the US & Canada everyday, and my "boyz" in Philly every Sunday..

Animo
(Cheers)

[tom_tom_tom]

Originally Posted by Joppa

Both iPhone 4 and 4S bought in US can be used anywhere else in the world. There is a difference between 4 and 4S. 4 can only be used on GSM and UTMS 3G network (Europe only uses these protocols), while 4S has been designed as a truly global phone and can be used on both GSM (used by T-Mobile and AT&T among others in US) and CDMA (Verizon and Sprint, among others).

If you bought your iPhone direct from Apple (and paid the full price, not subsidised), then it's fully unlocked and accepts UK mini-SIM card or any other (but only on GSM). If you bought from one of the networks, it is locked to the carrier and has to be first unlocked before using another SIM. You do this by contacting your carrier (Verizon, T-Mobile etc) and ask for unlocking code. They may impose certain conditions (like minimum contract term) and may make a charge, but essentially by tapping in the code, you can unlock it. AT&T won't unlock their phones, and can't be used on any other carrier. UK carriers supply mini-SIM to use in iPhone 4 and 4S, both as pay-as-you-go and as contract.
Three (3) has particularly competitive rates:
Micro-SIM



As I've said, phones can be unlocked except those from AT&T. What you cannot do is to use a phone unlocked from a US carrier with a SIM from another US carrier. Only fully unlocked phones from Apple Store can accept any SIM from any US carrier, but not from CDMA carrier like Verizon and Sprint. Only phones originally supplied by Sprint or Verizon can be used on their respective network.

Wow Joppa.. How do you know all this stuff

Do you know anything about using an iphone 4 from Japan (softbank) in the UK? Getting a mico sim like mentioned above?

[PhillyChic]

@Jrge My brother moved to Italy from the US and also swears by MagicJack!

With your plan with 3, you mentioned it covers data. What about call time, how does that work?

Also, is it standard with UK companies to provide Executives with phones and monthly plans as it is in the US?

[Jrge]

Originally Posted by PhillyChic

@Jrge My brother moved to Italy from the US and also swears by MagicJack!

Originally Posted by PhillyChic

With your plan with 3, you mentioned it covers data. What about call time, how does that work?

The £ 15.00 plan gives you 300 minutes, 3000 texts and “All-you-can-eat” data valid for 30 days. I make most of my calls via Skype, abuse the GPS and email features, so the minute allowance doesn’t matter to me, as data does. Get better value with an Add-on. - Phones - Discover - Three
In the other hand, my 18 y/o has a contract phone, pays £27.00 pcm on a 24 month contract and gets: 2000 minutes to call any carrier, 5000 minutes for calls within the carrier, 5000 texts and “All-you-can-eat” data.

Originally Posted by PhillyChic

Also, is it standard with UK companies to provide Executives with phones and monthly plans as it is in the US?

If you mean, 1) to carry out your duties, you bet. 2) to offer you a better deal or to be deducted via payroll, I don't know.

Animo
(Cheers)

[rachie99]

When you unlocked your phone and moved to the UK did you cancel your US plan? I will be traveling frequently back and forth so I will need to keep my US number with Verizon. It is my understanding that when you put the UK SIM card in you will no longer be able to receive voice mails at your US number. Meaning, if someone dials your US number a message will say the phone number is not active. Do you know if this is correct?

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by tom_tom_tom

Wow Joppa.. How do you know all this stuff

Do you know anything about using an iphone 4 from Japan (softbank) in the UK? Getting a mico sim like mentioned above?

SoftBank Mobile won't unlock iPhones, but there are plenty of outlets that can and will in UK. Costs about £20.

Check which software version your phone has by going Setting > General > About and look for Version. If it's on iOS 4, then unlocking is straightforward. 5.01 is a bit trickier but should be possible, and 5.1 (the latest, 4S comes with it) will be most difficult and most places can't unlock it. They may be able to downgrade to 5.01 first and then unlock, but not in every case. Language and country settings can be changed under Setting > General > International.

Once unlocked, you can use UK micro SIM without problem.