[jiwawa]

My contract with Vodafone runs out next week - unfortunately a week before I get home.

I don't want to renew with them because of their charges for roaming (£2/day or, if you buy an 8- or 15-day pass, £1/day)

However, I have found Voda reception in France, Spain and Portugal generally quite good so I'm looking at going with someone who uses Voda as a carrier. Talkmobile is one, and there's an offer of 100GB and unlimited calls n texts (which is what I have ATM) for £7.95/mth for 12 months (after cashback.

It includes free roaming (tho I've just realised I don't know what their reasonable usage policy is...) and WiFi calling tho that's generally no use to me cos my mobile data IS my WiFi at home as well as on the move.

I generally use in the region of 30GB at home (obviously less that 25 when away) so I don't NEED the 100GB but, bizarrely, it's the cheapest!

Does anyone have experience with talkmobile? Specifically, is its performance on a par with Vodafone?

 

[jiwawa]

Just discovered their fair usage is 15GB so that's out....

Others who use Vodafone are Asda, Lebara, Virgin.

 

[Webby1]

It's all about the fair usage policy and not whats written in the headlines.
It might be a good time to share some info here.
For our coming trip (looking for France Spain and Scandanavia for 6 months)it seems no mainstream UK operaters offer enough data...........although we will get 12gb with Three.
So we are considering TIEKOM with 300GB for €40 (which is really too much data)or a newcomer POPIT who seem to offer 100GB for £25 (€29)
Any observations or feedback very welcome.(or alternatives)

 

[jiwawa]

That Popit looks interesting. It uses EE - any idea what they, or their partners are like for reception in out of the way places in France and Spain?

It's a rolling month contract - can you just turn it off when you're at home? Or would you be thinking of making that your main SIM? (Wouldn't do for me as main as reception isn't great at my home location.)

 

[Glandwr]

Haven't done it since B day but it was extremely easy and cheap to buy a PAYG data abroad. With a dual sim phone (as many are now) I plan to have a local data sim in one slot. And my UK sim that I will ONLY use for calls in the other.

 

[erneboy]

Data sims in Spain without a contract seem to offer few GBs for a lot of money or to last only one month.

I used to have a MasMovil payg data sim which only needed topping up when I ran out of data but I let it go a few years ago when UK providers stopped charging for roaming. I have a Spanish sim in one of my phone slots and it's fine except it won't let me use it for a hotspot.

 

[Webby1]

That Popit looks interesting. It uses EE - any idea what they, or their partners are like for reception in out of the way places in France and Spain?

It's a rolling month contract - can you just turn it off when you're at home? Or would you be thinking of making that your main SIM? (Wouldn't do for me as main as reception isn't great at my home location.)

There is some good general info about EU sims HERE
We have 3 as our main sim at home but it only allows 12gb abroad.(no daily charge as our contract was in July 2022)But that will change next year. Now with various campsite wi fi that 12gb might be enough.

Very positive reviews of the Tiekom deal but they charge €15 to send sims to UK. But you can park the sim unused for €3 month.

So the front runner for me is the Popit deal.Not seen any reviews as yet so a bit new and untested.I expect good/reasonable reception if it uses the EE network. Also it can be started in UK and then presumably allow UK TV streaming. I presume you can just cancel when not needed and then get a new sim.But their customer service is good so they might respond to the "parking option"

I would be interested if anyone has used the Popit or seen any reviews about it.

 

[jiwawa]

I need a bit of advice re my SIM contract with Vodafone. It renews on 4 Nov. However, having spoken with them online this morning n got no joy with a reasonable deal, I want to cancel and go to Virgin (which runs on Vodafone). The offer I want expires on 2nd Nov.

Now, my problem is I want to keep my number but I won't be home till 10th Nov so won't be able to access the Virgin SIM till then. Is that a problem?

I have to get a PAC from Voda before applying to Virgin. Do I also need a STAC? If I apply to Virgin today, they could have the SIM delivered to my home by Tue or Wed (1st or 2nd Nov). If I'm not home to access it till 10th would that be a problem? (apart from anyone trying to contact me on that number in the meantime... Could my son maybe put it in a spare mobile and register it for me?)

Confused.com

 

[raynipper]

I did manage to 'port' my very old number from BT to Toggle a few years ago from France Jean. Found the porting info on line and only after the second attempt it worked OK.

Ray.

 

[jiwawa]

Yeah, I've done the porting before but not with a hiatus... Not sure how that will work (or if it might put a spanner in the works instead 😱)

 

[raynipper]

Dunno Jean but know what you mean. If it can go wrong it might??

Ray.

 

[jiwawa]

In my case... Will rather than might!

 

[barryd]

There is some good general info about EU sims HERE
We have 3 as our main sim at home but it only allows 12gb abroad.(no daily charge as our contract was in July 2022)But that will change next year. Now with various campsite wi fi that 12gb might be enough.

Very positive reviews of the Tiekom deal but they charge €15 to send sims to UK. But you can park the sim unused for €3 month.

So the front runner for me is the Popit deal.Not seen any reviews as yet so a bit new and untested.I expect good/reasonable reception if it uses the EE network. Also it can be started in UK and then presumably allow UK TV streaming. I presume you can just cancel when not needed and then get a new sim.But their customer service is good so they might respond to the "parking option"

I would be interested if anyone has used the Popit or seen any reviews about it.

That Spanish Vodafone SIM deal discussed in the Comments from Tiekom sounds good especially as they will send to the UK and activate it while in the UK. If it uses all the providers UK vodafone does across France etc then it will be brilliant. People seem to forget that its not just getting a good deal on paper, it needs to have the coverage and Vodafone IMO throughout Europe has always been very good because of the number of providers it piggy backs.

 

[Webby1]

The Tiekom deal does receive some very positive feedback. But not seen anything yet from users of Popit
I wonder @barryd if you have any observations on the Popit deal.
It uses EE and presumably their partners in Europe
It's registered in UK so presumably easy access to UK TV unlike Tiekom registered in Spain
It's a bit cheaper for those who only want moderate internet access (100gb rather than 300gb)
It's based in Doncaster .............part of God's Own

 

[barryd]

No not really. I used an EE sim on Arran and the lake District this year because Vodafone was poor where we were but that's about it. Always been on Vodafone only.

 

[jiwawa]

Well, I've done it! Ordered the Virgin SIM 50GB data with free calls, texts and roaming with no limited use. Mind you, it's a rolling month contract so I guess they could change that at any time. The sim must be activated by 29 Nov so it looks like my old Voda will continue till then.... I hope so.

 

[Wall1955]

That Spanish Vodafone SIM deal discussed in the Comments from Tiekom sounds good especially as they will send to the UK and activate it while in the UK. If it uses all the providers UK vodafone does across France etc then it will be brilliant. People seem to forget that its not just getting a good deal on paper, it needs to have the coverage and Vodafone IMO throughout Europe has always been very good because of the number of providers it piggy backs.

Used the Tiekom 300gb deal throughout France, Spain and Portugal btwn late August and 09 October. Their Customer service was absolutely excellent, and it cost €15 to express deliver the 3 sims I requested to UK. I used it in a tp link mifi which gave great coverage and very good signal, to be honest it was faultless. I requested 3 sims to ensure some backup cover however only needed one which I have now requested Tiekom to ‘park’ at a cost of €3 per month which will allow me to reactivate for my next trip. Great deal for me, as said excellent coverage and no worries about fair use policy etc. or needing to be careful with how much data I was using.

 

[barryd]

Used the Tiekom 300gb deal throughout France, Spain and Portugal btwn late August and 09 October. Their Customer service was absolutely excellent, and it cost €15 to express deliver the 3 sims I requested to UK. I used it in a tp link mifi which gave great coverage and very good signal, to be honest it was faultless. I requested 3 sims to ensure some backup cover however only needed one which I have now requested Tiekom to ‘park’ at a cost of €3 per month which will allow me to reactivate for my next trip. Great deal for me, as said excellent coverage and no worries about fair use policy etc. or needing to be careful with how much data I was using.

Thanks

Sounds like a good solution.

 

[Webby1]

The Tiekom deal certainly has some good feedback.
But we have asked before why a UK company could not offer a similar roaming deal................well they have, so I think I'll give Popit a go next trip.
I don't know why Tiekom charge €15 for delivery as it only costs €2 for all the ACSI books.
The Virgin deal (200gb for £16 month) also looks good....(well too good in fact)........are you sure @jiwawa there is no limitation on usage abroad. They often put roam like at home and then "subject to our fair usage policy" in the small print

 

[raynipper]

Yes Peter, my French one is 40GB for €8.99 but only in France. It's only 4GB outside France but more than I ever need.

Ray.