Hi,
We had a similar problem and decided to use a virtual UK number on our iPhones - using an app called Devyce.
It gives you a UK number - so you can make calls to UK numbers free over IP and you are able to receive text messages - as if you had a real number with a normal UK phone network provider.
Cheers
Steve

 

That’s great, thanks, I’ll download it tomorrow. Cheers Steve

 

My network provider Vodafone has terminated my mobile line today without notification. I’ve been in France since Nov 2020

Did you find out why it was terminated?

I've continued with Vodafone since arriving here in September 2018 without any problems until this March when they started to charge extra for roaming.
I think they are looking at a rolling 6 weeks to see if the majority of the calls/data were from outside the UK.

 

Hi, I was told in October that I could use my phone in roaming with no probs, and we did until March. My wife started getting roaming charges in March but I did not, same account and same plans, so I cancelled her plan and took out plan with SFR, we needed one anyway, the guy at Vodafone said he could get me a cheaper plan for my phone and screwed it up. So, I ended up with my wife’s number and cancelled mine, all was ok until yesterday when my phone would not work. At no time did they inform me that this would be a problem. After speaking to many reps I was told I would need to go back to the uk to get it activated. I could only us it for 90 days in any 12 months. Sorry about the long chat but I think it was needed. I have now cancelled my direct debit and a letter will be sent off to there CEO. Hope this helps. Steve

 

This is a problem with all UK providers - they will only allow a limited amount of "data while roaming" - somewhere around 28 days depending on who the provider is. You can keep your UK provider IF you turn off data while roaming and only use data when connected to WiFi. We've had our UK mobiles in France for over 18 months and had no problems since the beginning when we discovered the data issue.

 

Interesting, thanks. I've had a Tesco PAYG SIM for a couple of years which I hardly use except for receiving SMS for 2-step verification on some sites, and when - if! - I go to the UK. So far so good, no messages from Tesco apart from the usual occasional offers.

My phone (Samsung Galaxy A10 - by no means top of the range) takes 2 SIM cards so I use my "Free" SIM in France and the Tesco SIM in UK and for UK-essential needs but I keep them both live at the same time - and take a lot of care not to use the "wrong" one to phone or send SMS. I never (?) need the data option on the Tesco SIM.

 

I had a Motorola G4 and in some ways regret buying the Samsung. The GPS and the camera are better (IMO) and I really miss the nice gestures built in to the Motorola phone, such as shaking it to start the camera or slicing it to swith the torch on. In fact I keep the Motorola, but without a SIM card. The wifi works fine, it's great for GPS tracking when I'm hiking and takes better photos.

 

I'm with To The Moon Mobile. They're an MVNO so you can manage your account through their app. I don't believe there is a cap for EU roaming. I saw @climbingvan endorse them on IG and state that they've been using it for their travels around the EU. Might be worth checking out

 

I don't understand a word of this thread....

 

Both my wife and I have a two year contract with EE taken out in December 2019.
We have been resident in France since October 2020 and have had no problems at all.
I have even been offered and taken advantage of ( whilst being resident in France ) an unlimited data package for an extra 5£ a month. The "unlimited" data is in fact limited whilst in the EU to 15GB but for me it still seems a very good deal.

 

Enjoy it while you can, as most of the UK providers are starting to add charges.

EE are going to charge £2 a day from January.

 

Earlier 'Stevesolar' commented:
"We had a similar problem and decided to use a virtual UK number on our iPhones - using an app called Devyce.
It gives you a UK number - so you can make calls to UK numbers free over IP and you are able to receive text messages - as if you had a real number with a normal UK phone network provider."

With regard to the above, does anyone know whether 'Devyce' works via a laptop computer?

Thanks in advance. P

 

You could try the Vyke app. They say it works on on phones or tablets, not sure about laptops. Their helpdesk is very responsive. £16/year to transfer your UK number to them and then you can receive calls and texts, and make cheap calls. No roaming fees

 

Further to getting confirmation SMS messages, it's just occurred to me that I have an old German mobile that receives SMS via a German provider. I just need to top it up from time to time. It works in D, in GB and in F and there would be no roaming issues.This may be the answer. I don't believe that UK institutions refuse an overseas number for such SMS messages ... or do they?
P

 

Further to getting confirmation SMS messages, it's just occurred to me that I have an old German mobile that receives SMS via a German provider. I just need to top it up from time to time. It works in D, in GB and in F and there would be no roaming issues.This may be the answer. I don't believe that UK institutions refuse an overseas number for such SMS messages ... or do they?
P

Your UK bank probably will. Sites like Amazon will be ok.

Do you still have a UK address?

Do you need to phone the UK or just have incoming SMS?

I cancelled my Vodafone contract, and converted the number to PAYG. Currently free incoming texts & calls (3 months in), but I'll probably have to buy a little 'bundle'

somewhere down the line.



* "down the line". Excuse the unintended. 🤗

 

I bank with the Halifax and I had had my French mobile number registered with them for years - never actually needed it for anything because I didn't do any transactions on that account while I was living in France. It was only when I spent time in the UK and did start using the account that I realised that actually, it didn't work. Can't remember what the issue was but I needed a code and I couldn't get it. I phoned them up and they said it had been sent and I should have had it, but nothing had arrived. I asked if having a non UK number could be the problem and they didn't really know but they didn't think so. But could I cocoa receive a code, so in the end I deleted that one and registered a UK mobile number instead and hey presto, I started getting texts. Maybe it was a Halifax system problem or maybe it was network problem, who knows, but there was a problem somewhere.

 

OK and thanks to everyone.
Yes, normally resident in GB.
I won't tamper with anything at the moment.
But perhaps others will know about UK numbers for SMS confirmations from institutions.
I would not want to phone from the German mobile.
I have three basic PAYG mobiles but these are only used for phoning from the supermarket ... when I need to ask exactly what it is that I've been sent out to buy.
P

 

Beginning to think the idea of using a German mobile for SMS confirmation from UK institutions is a non-starter.

Although I detest smartphones, I do have an iPad (not with a phone capability but just WIFI). So if I can get SMS confirmations via my iPad, the Vyke app would be VG. However, I'm not clear about, "£16/year to transfer your UK number to them and then you can receive calls and texts, and make cheap calls." So perhaps I would first have to "own" the existing mobile number - the number that was issued by the UK provider. I think this is what people do when they want to transfer their existing mobile number to a different provider. I've heard there is something called a "PAC" that enables such transfers.

There was a time when you could identify a provider by a number - one prefix for EE, another for Vodafone and so on. But if people are transferring their number, I guess this is no longer the case.

One other thing: would it matter that the number that I would want to use for Vyke, is currently assigned to a basic mobile and not to a smartphone?

Is anyone on the forum using Vyke in the way that I propose?

P

 

Hi,
Barclays only send SMS for their online banking app to UK numbers

 

Have a look at 1p mobile UKs cheapest PAYG mobile tariff
My friend in Wales rarely uses his mobile and during the pandemic he discovered he had been cut off because he hadn't made or received a call for so long. He absolutely blew a fuse, which he frequently does about things technology-related, and I set myself the task of finding him a mobile operator that he would be happy with, that wouldn't cut him off if he doesn't use his phone from one end of the year to the other and wouldn't get him throwing the phone at the wall because he can't figure out how to top it up.. I came up with 1p mobile, and so far they've done what they said on the tin. This is what they say about roaming:
Roam-like-at-home post Brexit
We're committed to providing our customers with great connectivity and value when they travel overseas. We currently have no plans to change our roaming services across Europe. We will be working closely with the government and other European operators to try and protect the current arrangements so our customers can continue to enjoy EU roaming at UK rates.
Which isn't a promise, but seems about as fair as you can get.

 

Thanks for the tip regarding 1p mobile. That's another option.
But all in all I'm moving towards the Vyke solution.
With regard to Vyke, once you have set this up, will a cheap-and-cheerful mobile still work in the UK? Guess one would not have the phone active when you are out of the UK - in that way you would avoid roaming charges. (Or not?)
P

 

Thanks for the tip regarding 1p mobile. That's another option.
But all in all I'm moving towards the Vyke solution.
With regard to Vyke, once you have set this up, will a cheap-and-cheerful mobile still work in the UK? Guess one would not have the phone active when you are out of the UK - in that way you would avoid roaming charges. (Or not?)
P

Contact Vyke and their very helpful people will answer your questions. You have to contact them to get the annual cost for transferring your UK number onto their system - it isn't listed on their website They told me they get their numbers from Three, but I assume they will still charge you to make calls in the UK.

Thank you for contacting us at Vyke Support.

Yes, we can port UK mobile numbers to Vyke (and give you a PAC code if you want to port away at a later date).

The costs depend a little on what currency you will be assigned based on the SIM card you will be using as your main number, but in GBP it costs £3.99 for one-month, £5.99 for 3-months or £15.99 for 12-months. This is the cost for keeping the number with us, and it is then free to receive all calls and SMS. You can extend the subscription at any time.

To make calls and send SMS is additional, you purchase prepaid credit, and our rates can be found at https://www.vyke.com/rates

To port you need :
1. A Vyke account registered to an active SIM phone number that is not the number to be ported in. So install the Vyke app with the SIM phone number you will be using in your phone. Please do not install Vyke with the number to be ported if you haven't already done so.

2. To have subscribed to a Vyke UK virtual number which will be replaced by the number being ported in.

3. Then let us know:
a. The number being ported in
b. The PAC code from your current mobile operator
c. Confirm the Vyke number to be replaced.

Porting takes up to 2 normal working days, and you will lose service for a short period.
I hope this explains, but please do let us know if you have any questions.


I think the problem with PAGY phones is you have to use them every 3 months or so, and top them up otherwise the service is cancelled. Vyke is a simple annual charge for keeping your number.

 

Vyke looks good but it does say FAQ - Vyke

What do I need to use Vyke?

• You need an Android or Apple (iOS) device connected to the internet to use the Vyke app.

not sure it would work on a pc?

 

It is the fair use policies which are crippling, not the roaming charges. This is 1ps fair use policy

 

And you have this requirement,

So, Vykes £16/years looks like it is a better deal

 

The Americans used to have this issue - though it was back in the day before mobile phones (and smartphones) were the norm rather than the way they are now. The options were fairly expensive if they wanted to retain their "back home" phone number.

If you're actually moving to France, rather than "just visiting" there will come a time when you decide it's just no longer worth the hassle to try to maintain your "back home" phone number. Most folks these days are smart enough to figure out how to call a "foreign" phone number if they really want to talk to you. And money transfer and exchange services have become available and cheap enough that you really don't need to maintain your old "back home" credit cards and all that require the texting of those codes to make purchases or whatever.

Just saying...

 

Yes 1p isn't something for nothing, though I have to say £30 a year for an all inclusive mobile bill doesn't seem bad to me considering that even a low user is normally going to make a few calls and incur some cost for useage. But the attraction for me was avoiding the risk of getting cut off again, which in itself is worth a fair few £££.
Overseas use wasn't an issue in my friend's case since he never goes abroad so I must admit I didn't look at that, but it doesn't actually look outrageous to me? It doesn't actually say anything about being charged to receive an SMS while you're abroad, which I think is what Pianoman wants to do.

But as you say Vyke may well work out cheaper if you don't have much useage cost on top of the £16 a year. It will be interesting to hear how Pianoman gets on with it - please keep us posted.