UK Sim for very. very occasional use

[Ric]

I very rarely go back to UK - once a year max - but I have found I need to have a UK telephone number for banking. I can't even currently log into my UK bank account as I don't have a UK phone number to get the security text messages! So any suggestions for a UK Sim that I can buy online, have delivered to France, and ideally which never expires or else at least only expires after a very long time.

 

[starfire]

ID mobile do a low monthly cost, no contract sim.

 

[KLBH]

We have Samsung phones that can have dual SAM'S fitted. We have a the cheapest SIM only contract so it doesn't expire if you keep paying the monthly bill, then fit a local SIM for whichever country we are in. You can select which SIM is used for which function, it works for us.

 

[Ric]

My main SIM (an eSIM) is for my French contract. It works fine in UK, as we still get free roaming in UK. So I just need the UK SIM for occasional text messages - I have seen online SIMs that are contract free and only require very occasional use to keep them active - but the market is quite confusing so just wandering if anybody else in same situation.

I definitely don't want a UK contract no matter how cheap! I just never go there unless I really have to. Just need a SIM to get the occasional text message from the bank.

 

[GHA]

No sure about delivery to France but I use gifgaff for exactly that. No contract. Had it for years in a dual sim phone just to get bank codes etc.

 

[Davy_S]

Get a giffgaff sim, and yes they will deliver to France, you need to activate the sim card with £10, all you have to do is make a phone call, or text message, once every six months to keep the sim active, if you do not do this you will lose the number!
if you ever decide you want a sim sending, PM me and i will get them to send one, you get a fiver and so do i,
it works because i sent one to friends in Greece for the same reason.

 

[Ric]

PERFECT thanks - I did see gifgaff when searching online but always better to have a recommendation from users here that it does at it claims

 

[The Q]

Yep I use giff gaff as well, they also send you an email and text to remind you to make the 6 month phone call, unlike the other companies...

 

[Billy Blue]

The other useful thing with giff gaff is that you can take a "goodybag" for just a month (£6 and upwards depending how much data you want) which will then allow you unlimited calls. No need to lock into any annual contract. Ideal if you are only visiting for a short time.

 

[Davy_S]

He will have to have been in the uk for a couple of weeks before he can buy and use a goodybag here, you cannot simply arrive from overseas and buy one, his phone would work as PAYG ok, but until his phone has made a couple of calls from the uk, network, a goodybag will not work, in other words if he came here for three weeks, he could buy one on his last week, go back overseas, and he would have 3 weeks of a goodybag to use overseas, then he could buy another one etc up to a max of 63 days overseas, then it would revert to PAYG. if it sounds more complicated that it is, it because i have made a pigs ear of explaining it!

 

[billskip]

I dont know about France, but I have a Spanish number and my UK bank account is not a problem... I think you need to discuss with your bank.
That aside why not use Wise they do everything basic and work all over Europe...I think..

 

[syvictoria]

I dont know about France, but I have a Spanish number and my UK bank account is not a problem... I think you need to discuss with your bank.
That aside why not use Wise they do everything basic and work all over Europe...I think..

Do Wise offer Sims/a texting service?

I would offer caution against changing your telephone number away from a UK number unless you really have to, as there have been reports of some banks closing accounts if they suspect foreign residency. Opening a new account can be tricky and/or very inconvenient from abroad!

 

[billskip]

Do Wise offer Sims/a texting service?

I would offer caution against changing your telephone number away from a UK number unless you really have to, as there have been reports of some banks closing accounts if they suspect foreign residency. Opening a new account can be tricky and/or very inconvenient from abroad!

Sorry Wise is an alternative to a bank in UK, not sim,but do offer communication.
As for UK banks,I cant speak for all, but the bank I use knows I am resident in Spain and has assured me it's no problem.
Edit..my experience of paygo sims is thay you have to make at least one txt or call every 6 months to keep them active.

 

[GHA]

Do Wise offer Sims/a texting service?

I would offer caution against changing your telephone number away from a UK number unless you really have to, as there have been reports of some banks closing accounts if they suspect foreign residency. Opening a new account can be tricky and/or very inconvenient from abroad!

From chatgpt >
"
which uk banks require a uk mobile phone number for authorisation codes and will not accept a foreighn number. please give the latest info you can find

As of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, most UK banks required a UK mobile phone number for authorisation codes and did not accept foreign numbers. However, this information may have changed since then.

Some of the UK banks that require a UK mobile phone number for authorisation codes include:

Barclays
HSBC
Lloyds Bank
NatWest
Royal Bank of Scotland
Santander
TSB
It is recommended to check with the specific bank directly for the latest information on their policies regarding mobile phone numbers for authorisation codes.
"

Can confrim Nationwide, Llodys & Barclays can`t use foreign mobile numbers for texting auth codes.

Revolut is very popular for transfering between currencies, interbank rate with no fees.

 

[billskip]

From chatgpt >
"
which uk banks require a uk mobile phone number for authorisation codes and will not accept a foreighn number. please give the latest info you can find

As of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, most UK banks required a UK mobile phone number for authorisation codes and did not accept foreign numbers. However, this information may have changed since then.

Some of the UK banks that require a UK mobile phone number for authorisation codes include:

Barclays
HSBC
Lloyds Bank
NatWest
Royal Bank of Scotland
Santander
TSB
It is recommended to check with the specific bank directly for the latest information on their policies regarding mobile phone numbers for authorisation codes.
"

Can confrim Nationwide, Llodys & Barclays can`t use foreign mobile numbers for texting auth codes.

Revolut is very popular for transfering between currencies, interbank rate with no fees.

The bank I use is on your list and it sends me an authorization text to my Spanish number.

 

[GHA]

The bank I use is on your list and it sends me an authorization text to my Spanish number.

must be in the minority. cruisers I know generally all keep a UK sim for bank codes. Lucky you.

 

[Koeketiene]

No sure about delivery to France but I use gifgaff for exactly that. No contract. Had it for years in a dual sim phone just to get bank codes etc.

+1
Also use a giffgaff PAYG for those very same reasons.
No delivery to France (at the time I got it).
Had it sent to my daughter who forwarded it on.

 

[billskip]

+1
Also use a giffgaff PAYG for those very same reasons.
No delivery to France (at the time I got it).
Had it sent to my daughter who forwarded it on.

But you have to use it at least every 6months or it will expire, well that is what happened to me.

 

[Alicatt]

I transferred from O2 to EE to get an eSIM for my iPhone XR as my Belgian provider, Telenet, do not do eSIMs for non business customers so have a physical SIM from Telenet and the eSIM from EE in my phone so far it works well, only had it for about a month.
I tend to keep the UK SIM switched off unless I am expecting a call or such, and only turn it on once or twice a week, unless I'm in the UK when both are on all the time.

 

[The Q]

But you have to use it at least every 6months or it will expire, well that is what happened to me.

Unlike other phone companies, Giffgaff send you an email to remind you to use it. I've just received my email to make that call.
You just have to make the call , once through cut it off. It uses pence to do that.