If you’re planning a trip to the UK in the coming months, Woolworths has a limited-edition Mobile Global Roaming SIM card offer that’s worth checking out. The UK Lite Double Bundle Offer gives you 200MBs of data, 400 minutes of calls and 600 texts for $34, which isn’t too shabby.
UK picture from Shutterstock
Like previous Woolworths Mobile Global Roaming packages, the UK Lite Double Bundle Offer is a prepaid service that is compatible with the majority of unlocked phones, tablets and internet dongles. For $34, you get 400 minutes worth of calls, 600 texts and 200MB of data.
Admittedly, 200MB won’t get you very far if you’re a heavy smartphone user, but as Woolworths points out, the same amount of data would typically cost you around $2000 in standard international roaming costs. (On the plus side, finding free public Wi-Fi shouldn’t be too difficult if you’re staying in metropolitan areas.)
Compared to other local offerings, Woolworths’ data provision stacks up pretty well. Telstra’s $29 International Casual Traveller Data Packs, for instance, comes with just 20MB of data and is only available to Telstra customers. The rival international service provider Truphone, meanwhile, charges customers $29.99 for the SIM and an additional 15 cents per megabyte for data consumption in the UK.
While you could probably source a cheaper local SIM card in the UK, the Woolworths offering does eliminate the hassle of searching for one and also means you’re good to go from the moment you step off the plane.
The UK Lite Double offer will be available until 31 July 2013. You can purchase the bundle from Woolworths stores or online at www.woolworthsglobalroaming.com.au
See also: Top 10 Ways To Avoid Global Roaming Rorts | Why Is Malcolm Turnbull Spending So Much On Global Roaming? | Stretch Your Money With Global Travel Hacks
Comments
9 responses to “Woolworths Mobile Launches Cheap UK Roaming Packs”
Just go into a UK Vodafone and pay £20 for a SIM with virtually unlimited calls, data for a month and walk out of the store 10 minutes later.
I tend to chew up data using online maps when I’m travelling so 200MB doesn’t go very far.
My impression from my last stay in London a month ago is that most of what was free public wifi is now replaced with T-Mobile and other subscription deals that are more expensive than buying 3G services. It’s fine if you’ve got an expense card but not for budget-conscious travellers.
What’s the best option for contacting home as well as some local stuff? The prepaid SIM from Vodafone UK seems to either be good for international OR local.
You can just do some pack top-ups for international calls, but I generally opt to Skype home
Hmm, need to look at it. Not for me, for inlaws.. skype might be asking too much for soon to be first time smart phone owners.
Also this Woolworths deal appears that you need to buy a SIM for $29 as well as the $34 bundle… Sounding less and less worth while.
Problem is Vodafone UK suffer the same problem they have here, excellent metro coverage. Poor coverage everywhere else in the most part. My friend who works for Vodafone UK was telling me where she is only O2 get decent 3G coverage and it’s not like she’s all that far outside of London (like 90 minutes) in Cambridgeshire.
Though I have been researching sims for the UK when I visit later this year, since I would rather a local sim for the two weeks I am there rather than buy some travel sim from Aus.
But that Vodafone sim deal sounds awesome.
All Telcos in the UK suffer the same problem. I have travelled all over the British Isles and know that O2 have gigantic black spots as well, even within major cities like Manchester and Glasgow. If you talk to people in some towns they’ll recount how they need one SIM for their town and another for ones in their area (necessary if they’re mobile tradesmen etc) because there is little to no overlap.
They have only very recently begun to share masts in the UK, and they don’t have roaming so the problem is likely to continue for a while.
And don’t get me started on O2 charging roaming fees between Ireland and Northern Ireland on the same mast!
I should add that I was in Cornwall, Devon, Bristol, Lancashire, Isle of Wight and Cambridgeshire in March on Vodafone without problems.
Yeah I noticed that too, she mentioned how shit the 3G was in a lot of places and would often be out of service between where she lived and London.. Makes me realise how much I take Telstra for granted, considering I never get black spots with them between here and west Queensland where I end up one or twice a month of a friends property. Sure the 3G isn’t that strong but i’m always in range of a tower, which is all I need.
I can’t believe how bad that is implemented with the roaming. Just wow. Really makes me wonder why some people here whine about our providers when it sounds like we really do have it better than everyone else.
I’ve noticed on a number of trips to London in recent years (using 02 and Vodafone sims) that I may have full signal, but very poor data connectivity in the central area. I think it’s at capacity often times. Sometimes it’s better to switch down from 3G and get better connectivity with a poorer data protocol.
That’s pretty pathetic. I must say. But eh, hopefully they’re improving it.
I have a Woolies Global Roaming SIM and i find it has excellent coverage and connectivity everywhere ive travelled. Ive uesed my SIM in the US, Europe and the UK and have had no problems with it. I actually bought this double bundle offer for my stay in the UK in the last week of April. The great thing which i didnt realise until after i bought it is that the 400 mins calls & texts is to anywhere in the world which i thought was really good value! http://www.woolworthsglobalroaming.com.au
Hi everyone visiting london and Paris this week would like to know if its cheaper to buy a SIM card in uk or oz just need to call the kids and they can call me I don’t need data roaming i would appreciate any advice
Cheers