Mobile phones roaming from June 15

[Mike.1940]

I have never used my UK smart phone in Cyprus due to the suppposed cost. I have a Cyprus phone (ancient model) that just does phone calls and texts. I have found this to be the cheapest particularly calling back to the UK. Does this mean I can now transfer my Cypriot numbers to the UK one and dispose of my ancient model? Open to suggestions and ridicule on this one.........

[Royal]

Do you have a Cyprus SIM card in your Cyprus phone, or a UK SIM card? Same question for your smartphone...

[Mike.1940]

Cyprus sim in phone on island.....Uk sim for smart phone

[J B]

What is the UK smart phone? (make model please)

Which network?

Last time I looked, the latest EU roaming regulations brought the call costs for phoning the UK from CY down to a manageable level.
EDIT ... and are to be abolished in June ...
http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/04/07/mobil ... d-june-15/

[Royal]

Do you have a Cyprus SIM card in your Cyprus phone, or a UK SIM card? Same question for your smartphone...

If your SIM cards are the same size, why not just keep the smartphone, get rid of the old phone and use your Cyprus SiM when in Cyprus and your UK SIM when in UK? Just don't forget to turn off data roaming as a smartphone is constantly using data to update apps, time etc in the background and this quickly eats up your allowance. If your SIMs are not the same size, just get a new Cyprus PAYG SIM to fit when you are next here - they cost next to nothing and top ups last for 12 months.

As has been mentioned, once roaming charges have disappeared, you would have a choice of just keeping the SIM which gives you the best overall deal. Between Cyprus and UK this would definitely be the UK at present when you take into account the cost of data. However, within the whole of the EU, there are some really great deals which the UK would have to compete with.

[jeba]

I´m using a SIM card of Vodaphone Germany in Cyprus as they don´t charge roaming fees and I can use my (dirt cheap when compared to Cypriot prices) German data and airtime allowance in Cyprus as well. You might want to check whether Vodaphone UK also waives roaming fees. However, there is always the risk that they -as any provider- will introduce fair use policies which will hit you if you´re if you´re away from the UK beyond a certain time span.

[Royal]

Jeba,

Can you only get this in Germany, or is it possible to buy one through the Internet for delivery to Cyprus and top up online here?

[Mike.1940]

UKPhone is a Samsung with a mini sim. Talk talk network on a cheap contract. Cyprus one is vodaphone pay as you go topped up every visit and registered with phone company. SIM card is one of the larger ones. Can't say much more about them as I have to refer to my grandchildren as they think I am still a dinosaur when it comes to use of the smart phone. Both phones are really used to keep in touch. I am a very light user.

[J B]

UKPhone is a Samsung with a mini sim. Talk talk network on a cheap contract. Cyprus one is vodaphone pay as you go topped up every visit and registered with phone company. SIM card is one of the larger ones. Can't say much more about them as I have to refer to my grandchildren as they think I am still a dinosaur when it comes to use of the smart phone. Both phones are really used to keep in touch. I am a very light user.

Personally, we keep two phones as we are UK based and occasional CY visitors.
We have contracts with the Three network which (like the German above) has no roaming charges.
So, we use our UK phone for data and UK calls and our CY phone for calling within CY.

Many UK phones are supplied 'locked' to the network that supplied it, maybe get your grandkids to check this for you before you consider swapping sims

If you only used the CY phone for calling the UK, then it's hardly worth bothering with, especially after the new roaming rules come into force.

[PhotoLady]

I purchased a Cyta sim back in 2001 knowing we were moving out to live in Cyprus on a permanent basis a few years later.

When I switched to the current phone I have now I needed a mini sim so the Cyta shop issued me with a new card, transferred all my details to it and set it up in my phone. All free of charge.

I have a dual sim unlocked phone so when we returned to UK last year I just got a UK sim card and now have 2 numbers. Calls to Cyprus on the Cyta Vodafone sim are still very cheap.

You can't put a Cyta sim into your phone unless its unlocked to any network. It sounds like your phone is on contract with your phone service provider. If you get it unlocked, you can put any sim you want in then switch backwards and forwards if you need to.

[jeba]

Jeba,

Can you only get this in Germany, or is it possible to buy one through the Internet for delivery to Cyprus and top up online here?

I think (but am not sure) you´d have to have it delivered to a German adress or buy it at a shop in Germany. I have mine registered under my son´s name who is a German resident. Topping up online via credit card is no problem though. However, support will be available in German only. My point wasn´t to encourage non-German speakers to buy a German SIM card but rather to find out whether Vodaphone UK does have the same policy as their German branch.

[silverfoks]

Voda UK Red Tariff, does work on the same basis, Free roaming minutes,texts and 500 meg data allowance per month, so whatever free minutes youhave on your uk account can be used, unlike 3 network which have a two month cap on roaming use in any 12 month period. Yes to establish a contract with UK Vod , you would need a uk address which can be credit checked.

[J B]

Voda UK Red Tariff, does work on the same basis, Free roaming minutes,texts and 500 meg data allowance per month, so whatever free minutes youhave on your uk account can be used, unlike 3 network which have a two month cap on roaming use in any 12 month period. Yes to establish a contract with UK Vod , you would need a uk address which can be credit checked.

Too late methinks ....
Vodafone scraps roaming fees in much of Europe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39576402