Sending texts abroad

[Luis Ortega]

I have an iphone in the UK on pay as you go, and I am in the US right now.
The place I am at has wifi, but I don't know if I can send text messages to people back in the UK without it costing a lot more.
I have roaming turned off on the iphone.
Can anyone please advise whether sending text messages in my situation is possible or more expensive than normal?
I don't want to try it and find out that I have been charged 10 or 20 pounds for it like my friend discovered when she answered an email while on vacation.

 

[kAoTiX]

Depends what network (I dont think you stated which one)
I am on o2 (you could be unless unlocked) and when I went to America last year I used my non-iPhone to text home. It was more expensive but it's not like £1, it's more like 50p or 70p. I can't remember the exact figure.

Basically it's just slightly more expensive but ALOT cheaper than calling home or receiving calls for that matter. It cost me £6 for my friend to call me for 2 mins. COST ME!!!! lol.

What I did do though, was go to Target and got a Virgin PAYG phone for $12 and got a $20 top up card. I then gave my friends and family a call through number to use which is soooooo cheap it's actually cheaper than mobile calls in the UK!

You can use this:
0844 972 0044

Then you dial the number you want to call in the US and it will be charged at 2p/min
http://0044.co.uk/Cheap-International-Calls/USA.htm
More details above.

I actually programmed in a number into my mum's phone which let her just call me.
08449720044+p140866666666 etc. Notice the +p in the middle, that adds a pause so it waits to be connected. It 'might' work like that, but I cannot guarantee.

out of interest. where are you in the US? I'm going next week!

 

[Luis Ortega]

Depends what network (I dont think you stated which one)
I am on o2 (you could be unless unlocked) and when I went to America last year I used my non-iPhone to text home. It was more expensive but it's not like £1, it's more like 50p or 70p. I can't remember the exact figure.

Basically it's just slightly more expensive but ALOT cheaper than calling home or receiving calls for that matter. It cost me £6 for my friend to call me for 2 mins. COST ME!!!! lol.

What I did do though, was go to Target and got a Virgin PAYG phone for $12 and got a $20 top up card. I then gave my friends and family a call through number to use which is soooooo cheap it's actually cheaper than mobile calls in the UK!

You can use this:
0844 972 0044

Then you dial the number you want to call in the US and it will be charged at 2p/min
http://0044.co.uk/Cheap-International-Calls/USA.htm
More details above.

I actually programmed in a number into my mum's phone which let her just call me.
08449720044+p140866666666 etc. Notice the +p in the middle, that adds a pause so it waits to be connected. It 'might' work like that, but I cannot guarantee.

out of interest. where are you in the US? I'm going next week!

Thanks.
I am on O2 as well, and have about 15 pounds credit on my pay as you go.
I was looking at the O2 website and it seems like text messages may be about 50 pence or so, but I was not clear about it and was afraid to get charged 10 or 20 pounds for sending a text.
I have been wanting to respond to the text message that I received the day I left but was reluctant to do so without knowing what it would cost.
I have roaming turned off on the phone but with the hotel wifi I can check emails and use maps ok.
I am in Miami Beach and it was 104 degrees yesterday with another scorcher planned for today.

 

[theITGuy]

How about using the Skype app to send SMS thru Wi-fi...

http://www.skype.com/prices/smsrates/

seems the cost would be GBP 0.064 per text

Cheers.

-J.-