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Hi Folks,
I'm off to Cape Town in 5 weeks for two months and need some advice on how I can use my phone to ANSWER calls without being charged a small fortune.
I'm with Orange UK on a premier 400 tariff (Sony K750i) and it will cost me £0.80 per minute to receive a call.
I have been in touch with orange and they do an international 'pack' where you buy a bundle of international minutes before you go, it's hardly any cheaper (about 5%) than normal and still an absolute rip off.
I'm a self emplyed IT guy and it's very important that people can get hold of me for advice, troubleshooting etc. But as you can imagine at 80 pence per minute I could come back to a £800+ phone bill
It isn't important for me to make calls only to receive and I really need to find a way to make this cheaper. I had an idea to get a South african pay as you go phone and leave my orange phone in the uk and just forward all calls to it - but I'm not sure whether this would be any cheaper or not.
If anyone out there knows a method to make this cheaper or free then I will buy you a beer
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Posted: 2005-09-19 13:26:36
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Hi I heard of a Vodafone roaming package with standard rates for international calls, but thats for SA roamers. PM amawanqa, hes just been here and is from the UK he might be able to help you out.
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Posted: 2005-09-19 13:43:12
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@ ma77smith,
I'm particularly busy at work at the mo,but I should be able to supply you with all the info you need tonight,when I get home.
Don't worry,I won't forget.
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Posted: 2005-09-19 13:55:50
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cool, your a star!
thanks
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Posted: 2005-09-19 14:02:30
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Why not just buy a cheap PAYG starter pack and forward all your calls to the new number. It shouldn't be too much of a big deal...forget about roaming unless you're the Sultan of Brunei. When you're in Cape Town I'll take special delivery of my favourite brew at Bob's Bar in Long Street.
This message was posted from a K700i
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Posted: 2005-09-19 14:32:15
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@ brix, yes,but remember his phone is locked to Orange.If he gets it unlocked,it will invalidate his phone's warranty.
I was going to suggest him getting a very cheap PAYG phone and getting it unlocked at the nearest independent mobile phone shop,or get an ex-contract O2 handset,one of the few UK networks that don't lock contract phones,at least when i bought my 7250 in 2003...
Or get a new,cheap sim-free phone off eBay or
www.mobilefun.co.uk and if you don't want to keep it upon returning to the UK,put it back on eBay.
Now I'd better get back to work..
I have a few new sealed Vodacom PAYG sims with me in London.He can pick one up from me,which I was going to suggest later.
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Posted: 2005-09-19 14:54:59
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hi guys,
Am I missing something here (probably :S)
If I get a PAYG phone to forward my calls to then surely I will have to put credit on and use it up at 80 pence per minute when receiving the calls ?
which would leave me in the same boat
Matt
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Posted: 2005-09-19 15:25:17
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Have to concur with the Wanqsta, didn't know that the Orange phone was locked.
This message was posted from a K700i
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Posted: 2005-09-19 15:54:32
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Hi Matt,
I think the only way round this is if I give you a South African PAYG simcard now,which were on special in SA for a whole whopping R3.99 (approx 35p!) at South Africa's version of Tesco,called Pick n' Pay.
I have about four sealed Vodacom simcard packs here in the UK,which will only be activated once you put it into your phone.
You can have one of the simcards if you are genuinely going to use it.
The obvious advantage is that you will be able to give this PAYG number now to all the people who would be (potentially) calling you while in SA,prior to you leaving.
Otherwise any UK network,to my knowledge,is gonna charge you between 80p-99p to receive a call when in SA.
About collecting the simcard:
Whereabouts are you in the UK?I'm in Beckton,in east London. Beckton is very close to where the North Circular (A406) meets up with the A13.
I could post it,but would prefer sending it via recorded delivery,although this might cost a quid or two.
You can top up the Vodacom sim virtually anywhere in SA,using vouchers.
As for a phone,well I did make a suggestion or two earlier in the thread.Good luck,mate.
Hope all this helps.
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Posted: 2005-09-19 20:07:53
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right, to confirm - if I do this SA PAYG option and forward all my calls to it then what will it cost me ?
What will it cost me to receive calls on the SA PAYG if I give people the number to call directly (I could put this on my UK voicemail) ?
Is it a SA PAYG sim you have or a UK one ?
Cheers
Matt
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Posted: 2005-09-19 20:19:32
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