Communications
Public telephone and internet booths in London
Keeping in touch while traveling—Cellphones and Skype, mail and roaming fees, and how to call to, from, and within the U.K.
Use Skype (and an internet connection) to make and receive free voice and video calls—or have your friends and family Skype your cell in the U.K. for 10¢ per minute or $1–$2 per month.
How to use a cell phone (in British: "mobile") in the U.K., whether using your own, or buying or renting one to use while you travel.
Cell phone rentals links
- OneSimCard - International Cell phone rentals (voice/data or just data), global SIM cards (for your existing, unlocked phone), portable WiFi hotspots, and satellite phone rentals.Partner
- Cellular Abroad - International Cell phone sales and rentals (voice/data or just data), global SIM cards (for your existing, unlocked phone), portable WiFi hotspots, and satellite phone rentals. Now parterned with National Geographic.Partner
- Mobal.com - International Cell phone sales and rentals (voice/data or just data), global SIM cards (for your existing, unlocked phone), portable WiFi hotspots, and satellite phone rentals and sales.Partner
Mobile phone plans links
- T-mobile.com - By far the cheapest option for oversaes travel, with inexpensive ($10–$20) plans that will cover data and/or voice beween dozens of countries at no extra charge.Partner
- Att.com - Since it uses the world-standard GSM, all AT&T phones will work abroad—though you definitely should sign up for an international plan before traveling (and even then, calls and data will still be expensive).
- Verizon.com - iPhones, Android, and some other smartphones from Verizon will work in the U.K., though others will not (only some phones use the world-standard GSM technology—or the newer 4G-LTE—while others are still stuck with a dead-end U.S. system called CDMA). However, you definitely should sign up for an international plan before traveling (and even then, calls and data will still be expensive).
- Sprint.com - iPhones, Android, and some other smartphones from Sprint will work in the U.K., though others will not (only some phones use the world-standard GSM technology—or the newer 4G-LTE—while others are still stuck with a dead-end U.S. system called CDMA). However, you definitely should sign up for an international plan before traveling (and even then, calls and data will still be expensive).
Emergency numbers links
- Tel. 999 - The general emergency number for the entire United Kingdom. Call tel. 999 for the police, fire department, ambulance, or coast guard. The European Union standard number of tel. 112 also works.
- Tel. 101 - Call tel. 101 to contact the police in a non-emergency situation.
- 0800 88 77 66 - Call tel. 0800-88-77-66 to receive roadside assistance from the AA (the British Automobile Association). This is not a free service (unless you are a member), but it can come in handy if you break down.
More on Communications
Converting between American, Imperial, and European measurements: miles and kilometers, feet and meters, pounds and kilos, gallons and liters, Fahrenheit and Celsius (plus a few others)
