Keeping a UK phone number when living abroad.

[Mr David]

Has anyone had personal experience of using one of these Apps?

https://xpatfone.com/?fbclid=IwY2xj...fCufFUEDhWJoxwCkvw_aem_7A59gIvt8YqPI3gP2PBPJw

https://www.swytch.com/expat

https://www.uknumbersabroad.co.uk/uk-mobile-numbers

Only just come across these Apps after reading a Facebook thread.

 

[peterc10]

Just had a quick look at them and they only deal with calls and messages. No mention of using them for data.

When we are in Europe our UK Smarty SIM allows unlimited free calls and messages to and from UK numbers and also to and from the country that we are in. And we each get 12Gb data per month. So you would be better off using that!

 

[Brains]

I have said this before, but unless you are cutting all ties with the UK, no intention of ever living back in the UK and probably giving up your passport etc.
Then you really need a physical UK address.

The simple solution is to use a relative's address.
Especially if that relative has a second home of some sort (Granny flat in the garden, or a seaside bolt hole)

The other option is to use a friends garden shed, fitted with a letterbox.
(You might even find a friendly storage place prepared to 'post' your letters into your letterbox mounted on your container/motorhome/caravan)

Either way, you get a 'STA' (Standard Tenancy Agreement) from W H Smiths and 'rent' the property from them for a peppercorn amount per year.

• This way you can retain your right to vote (even if you don't use it), It keeps you on the voters register, which will be important if you return.
• You can retain your UK GP.
• You can retain your UK pension
• You can retain your UK mobile number, even if it's PAYG, as you have an address
• You could even have your landline phone number transferred to the new address and put in an answerphone which you can call from time to time to get messages off.
• You can also direct UK bills, such as Netflix to the address. (Which will be important if you ever return to the UK)
• Most important, you can easily keep your UK bank account and cards as you have a UK address.
• (All the UK high street banks are now getting rid of non Uk located customers)

I have a brother-in-law who has lived abroad since the 1990's.
(He never had a UK passport, but does have a UK National Insurance number etc)
There is no reason for him to ever live in the UK, but he visits 2-3 times a year.
His only remaining connections are a UK bank account and a UK mobile phone.
He has been registered as the resident in our seaside house for many years.

 

[ianp]

I have said this before, but unless you are cutting all ties with the UK, no intention of ever living back in the UK and probably giving up your passport etc.
Then you really need a physical UK address.

The simple solution is to use a relative's address.
Especially if that relative has a second home of some sort (Granny flat in the garden, or a seaside bolt hole)

The other option is to use a friends garden shed, fitted with a letterbox.
(You might even find a friendly storage place prepared to 'post' your letters into your letterbox mounted on your container/motorhome/caravan)

Either way, you get a 'STA' (Standard Tenancy Agreement) from W H Smiths and 'rent' the property from them for a peppercorn amount per year.

• This way you can retain your right to vote (even if you don't use it), It keeps you on the voters register, which will be important if you return.
• You can retain your UK GP.
• You can retain your UK pension
• You can retain your UK mobile number, even if it's PAYG, as you have an address
• You could even have your landline phone number transferred to the new address and put in an answerphone which you can call from time to time to get messages off.
• You can also direct UK bills, such as Netflix to the address. (Which will be important if you ever return to the UK)
• Most important, you can easily keep your UK bank account and cards as you have a UK address.
• (All the UK high street banks are now getting rid of non Uk located customers)

I have a brother-in-law who has lived abroad since the 1990's.
(He never had a UK passport, but does have a UK National Insurance number etc)
There is no reason for him to ever live in the UK, but he visits 2-3 times a year.
His only remaining connections are a UK bank account and a UK mobile phone.
He has been registered as the resident in our seaside house for many years.

How does he cross borders or obtain a 'foreign' ID document without a passport unless of course he's a foreign national supposedly resident in the UK?

 

[Brains]

How does he cross borders or obtain a 'foreign' ID document without a passport unless of course he's a foreign national supposedly resident in the UK?

He's a foreign national supposedly resident in the UK.

He worked in the UK for a few years back in the early 1990's.
He met my sister, and they moved all over the world eventually settling in the Czech Rep., where he came from.
They kept their options open on which country to live in, as my sister also had German residency.

Unfortunately my sister died aged 48 and the UK suffered from the Brexit decision, so he and his family will now never live in the UK.
But he still gets pension payments etc in the UK, so he keeps his UK bank account open.

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[Ridgeway]

If the issue is the contract and address then i assume once it’s set up then you can still use it even if you’re permanently outside of the UK. Of course the tariff might not be economical and i suppose a local contract is then better. I assume you don’t want to loose the old number as many people have you registered under it ? Then i would of thought a forwarding might work. Beyond that simply send your new number to all your contacts.

 

[Mr David]

Has anyone had personal experience of using one of these Apps?

https://xpatfone.com/?fbclid=IwY2xj...fCufFUEDhWJoxwCkvw_aem_7A59gIvt8YqPI3gP2PBPJw

https://www.swytch.com/expat

https://www.uknumbersabroad.co.uk/uk-mobile-numbers

Only just come across these Apps after reading a Facebook thread.

Getting this thread back to the original topic, if my understanding of this type of App is correct, their purpose is to provide a UK phone number for expats that need a uk phone number for voice and sms purposes such as banking verification codes etc. They all use VOIP to provide this service without a physical sim card, in a similar way that WhatsApp works.
Because eventually uk mobile phone operators will, sooner or later, disconnect a number if it is used long term outside the uk or charge high roaming charges if they are prepared to maintain the number.
So my question is:- Does anyone have personal experience of using one of these Apps?

 

[gus-lopez]

probably giving up your passport etc.

You can't do that unless you have the right to one from another country & even if you hold one from another country you have to physically request that your passport is rescinded & have to prove your right to the other one .It isn't an easy job

This way you can retain your right to vote (even if you don't use it), It keeps you on the voters register, which will be important if you return.

All expats have the right to vote now that they ahve removed the ludicrous "15 year" limit.register at last place you lived

You can retain your UK GP.

those in receipt of a state pension have the right to uk healthcare so probably remain registered .
My wife when taken ill whilst working in the uk was taken back on by our daughters doctro.When she finished treatment & it is all done here now, the consultant stated "any problems just ring the secretary ,don't bother with a doctor"

You can retain your UK pension

Why would you not anyway?

You can retain your UK mobile number, even if it's PAYG, as you have an address

My wife has had the same Uk mobile for at least 15 years.Never any problems Why do you need an address?

Most important, you can easily keep your UK bank account and cards as you have a UK address.

Why wouldn't you anyway.I told them all when I left & they just changed to my spanish address

(All the UK high street banks are now getting rid of non Uk located customers)

News to me? Yes it can be easier to have a Uk address for stuff but then they'd think that you were resident in the UK?

their purpose is to provide a UK phone number for expats that need a uk phone number for voice and sms purposes such as banking verification codes etc

Both my HSBC & LLoyds use my spanish number that I have had for 22 years for verification codes ,etc.In fact everyone uses my spanish number as ,although I took out a uk number whilst over there this year I have never given it to anyone so when it rings, differnt ring tone in english, I just ignore it as a scammer

Because eventually uk mobile phone operators will, sooner or later, disconnect a number if it is used long term outside the uk or charge high roaming charges if they are prepared to maintain the number.

as above wifes had hers outside Uk for 15 years

- Does anyone have personal experience of using one of these Apps?

No,never needed one.

 

[Pukka]

Port your number to VoIP, then just forward it to your mobile or install a VoIP app on your phone.

Number porting

www.aa.net.uk