Blighy Bound - Mobiles and Cells, a tale of hand-held devices

 

Before we set off on this trip, we'd been informed that the usual CDN$18 a day charge, each, to use our Canadian phones in the UK had been subsumed into a new Travel Plan, and that for the much smaller sum of CDN$80 (+ tax) we could use our phones with our normal calling and data plan, for a full 30 days. That was all fine and dandy, and not really too different from the myriad e-SIMS you can buy for travel. As we were going need those Canadian numbers while away, we signed up immediately.

But there are times in the UK that you need a UK phone number, for things like store loyalty cards (with their attendant store discounts) and parking apps. We had toyed with buying a cheap smartphone with a Pay As You Go (PAYG) SIM or e-SIM, but a quick look in our desk drawers revealed a perfectly good, unlocked Huawei smartphone that would take a physical SIM card. I had no way of testing a SIM card in it because all our SIMs are e-SIMS, but I did a factory reset on the device and loaded up everything I thought I'd need, then packed it away for travel.

There are a number of very competitive resellers of airtime in the UK, and perhaps none so cheap as retail giant, Tesco. For GBP10, less than CDN$20, I could get a 30-day physical SIM that allowed unlimited text and calling within the UK, and 10Gb of data. Most important of all, it gave me a UK mobile number.

It was quite exciting to pop the SIM in the old phone and have it come to life again. I had to activate the GBP10 airtime, but then set about registering for the Tesco loyalty card, and downloading the app to operate it. Yes, I had a few issues doing that, but I didn't realise how poor the phone signal was in the Tesco Café, and when I went outside, suddenly all the correct e-mails and access codes appeared.

I've subsequently loaded the Sainsbury's loyalty card, the Marks and Spencer loyalty card, and four parking apps, all of which work seamlessly once they they have access to that UK phone number. All of this also seamlessly linked to my Google account and Google Pay, which to me is pure science fiction.

I have also handed the phone number out so that we can be contacted without people having to call an overseas number, which is old hat I know, but it's still a phone.

Then there was the ever so small point that where we stayed, there was no cell phone signal. The cottage's Wi-Fi covered most things, but not all, so when anyone called or texted the UK number, we couldn't receive the message. 

Now back in Canada, I wanted to keep the Tesco Mobile number active, and to make use of their cheapest calling and data plan. To do that I had to give them my UK debit card number, which I was happy to do, only their system works on the cardholder's address and my UK account is registered with my Canadian address. Unfortunately the computer (or App) said no. Applying my immense brain to the problem, I was struggling a bit, until I found an online Tesco Mobile Voucher reseller who accepted PayPal. I bought a voucher online, feeling a wee bit like it may have been a scam, but no, said voucher arrived by e-mail, I entered it into the Tesco Mobile app and Bingo! One topped up account. I had to pay a $4 service charge, but my GBP20 top up will last four months, so I'm OK with that. I could top up with a larger amount and it would still only be a $4 service charge, so maybe I'll do that next time.

To keep the number active, all I have to do is use it occasionally. Texting it from my Canadian phone occasionally will work, and won't dent the Tesco Mobile top up balance. Top bananas.

If push came to shove, though, I could always get a new SIM for our next visit, They're as cheap as chips. But if I was forced to do that then I'd have to load all those friggin' apps again. Nope, I think this will work.