Using Mobile Phone In The Uk

[Khandro]

My wife doesn't use a mobile phone normally, but when we come over to England I would like to activate an old one of mine so that we can contact each other when we are apart.
It's only for a couple of weeks, so what would be the simplest option to get a sim card and phone number please?

[Old_Geezer]

If it's only for a few weeks maybe consider prepaid ? Certainly PAYG prefered over contract.

Do supermakets sell them ?

Don't know if this helps https://www.google.com/search?q=temporary+sim+card+uk&oq=temporary+SIM+card&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i512l4.8896j0j4&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[barry1010]

Supermarkets do sell them for 99p. Just buy the cheapest with enough minutes for your needs. Shouldn't be more than a fiver

[Khandro]

Thanks, do you know if it's just a matter of inserting the sim & it works immediately, or do you have to register it in some way?

[Hopkirk]

It depends on whether your old phone is unlocked, or tied to a particular network.

[barry1010]

I had to buy such a SIM just three weeks ago. I got a PAYG SIM from EE and bought a top up voucher from Tesco. I just put it in, no registration required

[Old_Geezer]

Most mobile shops/stalls can unlock a mobile for a fee. Or you may find instructions on the Net. Else contact your old mobile service supplier, you may be entitled to a free unlock, and even if not they can do it for a fee.

[Khandro]

The phone isn't locked. What is EE barry ?

[bednobs]

it's a provider (like vodaphone, o2 etc)

[Hopkirk]

EE is the biggest network, and is owned by BT. It was formed by the merging of Orange and T Mobile.

[Old_Geezer]

Everything Everywhere was the company formed to run both the Orange and T-Mobile brands after the merger. They claimed the newly formed parent company was not going to go to market and Orange and T-Mobile would continue as they were, save for merging systems and getting savings in the background. That "promise" didn't last long. Since then, as folk will be aware, BT bought the lot. Weird since they used to have O2 so whatever logic was used to diverge from them clearly no longer applies.