UKC

I've never needed a smart phone before so am not sure about all the advertising jargon and blurb surrounding data "plans" and whatever.

But I've now got the use of a small unlocked android device and would like to take it to France/Italy/Spain for 2+ months max.  Just for getting weather forecasts, and maybe check emails, light browsing for info and checking google maps etc...

Can I get a SIM card that will give me X amount of data to use over the 2-3 months that won't run out until I use it, and doesn't commit me to any kind of rolling contract or need to cancel?  [i.e. buy a card, pop it in, use it till it runs out, then forget it, or just buy another card later, or top it up if ever needed again.]

This THREE network "Broadband - Pay As You Go + 3."looks like the kind of thing:

http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchTariff?deviceType=SIM_ONLY_MBB&pric...

...but I might be missing something?  Alternatively are there any better choices anyone knows of?

Many thanks.

What about 3 PAYG sim card? Depends how much data you need, but unless they have changed something its always been 1p/mb and most European countries are the same price and then just top up when you need. (If your needing into the GB's then your plans linked above will be cheaper)

i'm on https://www.idmobile.co.uk/shop/plans/sim-only-deals

30 day rolling contract, cheap prices, free EU roaming.

based on the 3 network. you may want to check your coverage at home/work before you buy https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/mobile-coverage

If it's just for abroad then you might be stuck for checking pre-purchase, but I've had good results with them in Spain.

If its a pre-charged card you're after then Lenovo do that sort of thing (buy one out there) but it's way more expensive and less controlable

Haven’t used a data only sim in a mobile so can’t comment on that. However, suggest you check coverage maps for where your going to see if there is sufficient data coverage at minimum of 3G, preferably 4G (phone dependant of course), or it could be tediously slow.

I use and have used a Three PAYG 321 sim for several years now purely to use data, as it’s credit never expires. It’s only for satnav live data so hardly uses any data/money, hence why I use that sim in preference to a data one, but can also be used for texts and calls if needed.

As unicycleboy says, If you are not going to use a lot of data, maybe you could consider same - advantages never expiring credit and it is a backup phone sim for emergency calls/texts?

Up until brexit a UK contract phone will allow you to use your monthly package foc on Europe (data, calls and texts to UK or widowhood calls all included). Lots of promises that this deal will continue afterwards, but no actual guarantees that I am aware of  

I used to use a payg mobile and both calls and texts were actually cheaper when made from Europe than internally within the UK. Look at the costs of buying a sim in Europe rather than the UK as this may work out cheaper (or not!). 

Do you need data? Sounds silly but WiFi may be enough. 

Thanks for the info folks.

I didn't realize you could actually get a literal pay as you go like the 3 PAYG 321 (that several mention above), instead of buying a full fixed chunk of data type card.

I'll look into that a bit more, as it might make sense to try that sort of thing first and see how much it actually ends up costing end of trip.  The txts and voice on that 3 card are very cheap too, even better than my current 2G Tesco PAYG rates.

Jenny: Cheers. I did try to rely on free WIFI spots on the last few trips, but there aren't as many hotspots as you would hope, and sometimes they just don't work.  Endless "Connecting...

Thanks all.