Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

GaryG

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Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #1

Live in N Ireland but have an Irish Passport. Heading to Europe via Dublin and touring in EU.
Wondering If getting an Irish sim is better option than a uk sim because eu roaming is better between eu countries I think?

Anyone went down this route?

Thanks

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #2

I bought a Lobster sim with 70gb of data for €24 in Spain and it works well, I didn’t ask if it would work in other eu countries,
Lobster es on google may have the answers

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #3

All mobile phone companies have what they call a "fair usage policy", basically they'll restrict how much data you can use when roaming, some also have roaming charges. The only thing I can recommend is reading through the small print and finding a company that works for you. It's not unusual to find data restricted to 5gb a month with a 3 month limit before you get cut off. Do your research.

The other option is to buy a SIM card in any country where you'll be for a while. As mentioned, lobster is good for Spain, I think their policy restricts you to 5gb a month of you're roaming. I've got a lobster SIM and it seems to default to 3g at best when outside Spain.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #4

I used to buy a SIM card in Spain and another in Portugal but now I stick with my Irish Vodafone €60 a month plan and it’s been great in Spain even when streaming prime and now. Plus the IP address kids them into thinking I’m in Ireland which is important for Now TV which shuts off if abroad for more than 30 or 60 days.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #5

€60 a month, does that include the latest iPhone 13

‍

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #6

It did include a phone I’m not sure which one but unlimited WiFi (I believe genuine and appeared to me to be so in Spain) unlimited calls and texts. I have it for the rest of the year as my work mobile.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #7

I had lobster and it work great in spain and and Portugal, still had my irish gomo at 7, 99 a month as backup

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #8

last trip in 2020 to France and Spain we used a Voxi sim. It was £15 per month. It gave 20Gb fair useage data I think. We set the Netflix to SD (down from HD). Between the voxi and my own Three data we managed 5 weeks with three children using phones/youtube etc. It worled out very well.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #9

I’ll be in France next month and will need to do a few Zoom meetings (online night classes). I’ll be on my €9.99 p/m GoMo so I’m interested to know will it workout ok from a data useage/ network speed point of view. Or will I need to get fast WiFi on a campsite or elsewhere. I might try meter my next zoom meeting to get some idea of useage.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #10

Quote by The Rambler

I think your allowance is 10gb and you'll only have 3g when roaming with gomo ,48, Tesco and the other cheaper providers

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 19.04.2022 · #11

Quote by eirebus

Quote by The Rambler

I think your allowance is 10gb and you'll only have 3g when roaming with gomo ,48, Tesco and the other cheaper providers

I might need to make alternative arrangements

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 20.04.2022 · #12

I've Vodafone Red Unlimited, well I think that's what it's called. It's a sim only deal for €35 pm. There is a discount for new customers and renewing an existing contract. It really is unlimited.
Unlimited calls and texts and data within the EU plus UK. Plus 100 mins International (outside the EU, UK)
I've been touring in Portugal and Spain and regularly use the phone hot spot function to stream stuff to my Google Chromecast TV dongle.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 10.01.2023 · #13

Anyone using a prepaid sim in France at the minute. I have used a 90 day 6gb EE sim in my iPad for years but I’m getting conflicting information about usage in Europe. I bought a Vodaphone sim in the summer but when I got there it didn’t work. We have data on our phones that we can use as hotspots but prefer just to use the iPad.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 10.01.2023 · #14

The only main operator that still gives inclusive roaming is O2, the rest charge a daily fee. Some of the other companies like gif gaf or smartie may offer it but you would need to check.

Why not try and get a French payg sim locally and use that

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 10.01.2023 · #15

Thanks FC I had thought of that or getting one in the South on way to boat assuming it would work in the EU.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 10.01.2023 · #16

Quote by the fat controller

Why not try and get a French payg sim locally and use that

Can you get a French/Spanish/ Portuguese SIM if you're not a resident ??

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 10.01.2023 · #17

Quote by eirebus

Quote by the fat controller

Why not try and get a French payg sim locally and use that

Can you get a French/Spanish/ Portuguese SIM if you're not a resident ??

Yes, I bought a Lobster one last year in Spain. 70gb for around €24. English speaking helpline and you can pause your use and top up the following year I’d desired. It worked well

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 11.01.2023 · #18

On my last trip in Oct 2022 , I used Tesco Mobile Rockets packs on a 30 day rolling contract, for £30 ( it might be cheaper with clubcard , there are other cheaper rocket packs) there was unlimited texts, minutes and 100gb of data with no additional roaming charges. Tesco say this will continue until late spring 2023 , they will review it then. We were able to phone home, stream video on an android tablet and tether other phones etc without any issues.

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Re: Is an Irish PAYG sim better for NI resident roaming in EU

· Posted: 11.01.2023 · #19

I've been with Vodafone since day one, I am now on This package it really 'fit and forget' with no worries about unexpected charges.

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