Phones in the United Kingdom

Mobile phones in the UK

Mobile phones are more widespread than landlines or payphones in the United Kingdom due to competitive rates and hassle-free subscriptions. Several mobile network operators in the UK offer a wide range of competitive services at lucrative prices. Hence, make sure to research well and compare prices and offers before subscribing. Buying a pay-as-you-go SIM is the easiest way to get a UK mobile number as an expat as soon as you arrive in the UK. For a pay-as-you-go SIM, you won't need proof of address or a UK bank account. In the past few years, offers for UK SIM cards have significantly improved. You can, therefore, make a lot of calls, send messages, and access the internet at affordable rates. You can buy a SIM card from any phone shop or online. Payment can be made in cash or with an international debit or credit card.

Good to know:

Monthly pay varies from £3 to £35 on average, depending on the amount of data, minutes, and texts you will have at your disposal. Pay-as-you-go SIMs with unlimited data or unlimited international minutes are justifiably more expensive.

If you want to sign up for a phone contract, you will need a valid address in the UK, a bank account, and some providers may ask for proof that you have lived for at least three years in the country. Subscription can be done either online or at a phone shop. Many citizens in the UK sign a contract that comes with the purchase of a new mobile phone and eventually pay off the phone as part of a monthly payment plan. Before signing a contract and committing to 24 or 36 months of monthly payments (usually made via direct debit), make sure that the service provider you have chosen has good coverage, at least in the areas where you live and work.

Important:

Read the entire contract and understand the conditions and duration, which may commit you to up to 36 months.

If you already have a phone device and you come from an EU country, a UK SIM is expected to work normally. Otherwise, you will have to unlock your phone before travelling. Your current phone company can help with the process. If you cannot unlock it, consider buying a new phone.

Tip:

A simple way to know whether your phone needs unlocking is to insert a SIM card from another service provider and try to make a call. If you can place the call, your phone is unlocked.

Useful links:

Compare pay-as-you-go SIM deals

Landlines in the UK

Expatriates usually find it more complicated to get a landline in the UK. In general, your residence permit will be requested. Most buildings in the UK are already equipped with a landline. Your phone company can check whether your house already has a landline, and if not, they can send a BT agent to install one for a fee. If you get a better deal elsewhere, you don't necessarily have to choose BT as your service provider.

Good to know:

Usually, phone companies will try to convince you to sign up for the complete package, including landline, cable TV, Wi-Fi, mobile contract, and international calls. Don't hesitate to reject services that aren't of interest to you.

Tip:

Before getting a landline, check Expat.com's article on the internet in the UK.

Useful links:

BT - leading landline service provider

Compare the market - Price comparison

Kiosks and payphones in the UK

In 2021, British Telecom launched a new digital communications service known as a Street Hub. Street hubs give the public free access to superfast Wi-Fi, landline and mobile calls, and USB device charging, as well as access to an interactive touchscreen with information on local services and area maps.

Good to know:

Red telephone boxes are one of Britain's most iconic symbols. These K6 telephone boxes are for sale for about £2000 each, depending on the box's condition.

Useful links:

Buy a telephone box

Making phone calls from the UK

To call overseas from the UK, you have to dial '00' followed by your country code and the whole mobile number without the original '0' to make a call abroad. You can activate international roaming on your mobile phone if you spend a few days in the UK. However, you should check the call rates. Otherwise, Whatsapp is an excellent option to make international calls for free as long as you are connected to the internet.

Good to know:

There are free private and public Wi-Fi spots in libraries, cafés, coworking spaces and parks.

UK helplines

999: This number is known as the world's oldest emergency telephone number. It was launched in London in 1937. Dialling 999 will take you to four emergency control centres (i.e., police, ambulance, fire, coastguard) to select the most relevant to your emergency situation. If you have a speech impediment or hearing impairment, sign up to the emergency SMS service by texting ‘register' to 999 and following the instructions. To reach 999, you don't need credit or signal. If you remain silent during a 999 call, you will still be sent help as long as you enter ‘55,' which informs call respondents that talking could worsen your situation.

101: This is the UK's non-emergency police phone number. This number is used for minor traffic accidents, stolen cars, vandalised properties, drug dealing, missing persons, and crime witnessing. A call to 101 costs 15p.

111: This is a free NHS number for an urgent but not life-threatening health issue. Callers are connected to trained advisers who can advise, refer them to a nurse, emergency GPs, or send an ambulance. For emergency medical presence, you must call 999.

For detailed information in case of an emergency situation, please read our article on Emergencies in the UK.

Useful links:

Contact the police for non-emergency

Scamming phone calls

If you are asked for sensitive information over the phone (e.g., banking details, passport details, debit card details, etc.) by someone who presents themselves as a representative of an organisation or service you trust (e.g., bank, tax office, local council, mobile phone service provider, etc.), be aware that they might be a scammer who's preying on your good intentions. Even though it's not always easy to spot a scam phone call due to scammers ‘professionalism, there are a few alarming signs to watch out for:

• Is the caller pretending to be an official?
• Is the caller creating a sense of urgency by forcing you to send sensitive details within a limited amount of time to avoid penalties?
• What kind of language does the caller use?
• Are they trying to make you feel scared or entice you with unrealistic promises?
• Is the caller cultivating the fear of missing out if you don't do what they ask you to do?
• What is the timing of the phone call?
• Is it the end of the fiscal year?

Important:

If you receive a text message on your phone that you consider suspicious, forward it to 7726 at no cost for your phone service provider to further investigate.