Does AT&T work in the UK?

Generally, AT&T is among the most renowned cell phone provider with a great number of subscribers as it provides the fast and reliable that you would need to meet all your telecommunications, network and entertainment needs, be it calling, texting, streaming HD videos, surfing the internet or playing online games.

At the time of establishment, the cell phone was more of a luxury but as time advances, it has become more or less a necessity. In order for you to get the most of your phone and keep in touch with your friends and family when travelling to places like the UK, you need to choose a perfect mobile network that offers you reliable services. Fortunately, there are a bunch of options that you can choose from including AT&T.

You are definitely going to need internet access while you are in the UK, especially when you are just beginning to settle down and getting to familiarize with the city. We highlight recommend that you order a pre-paid SIM card that you can start using as soon as you arrive. Alternatively, you can choose to roam. At this point you may be wondering whether AT&T works in the UK.

Well, AT&T does work in the UK. However, you should be prepared for the fact that you will only be able to get 3G serve while in the UK and would not be able to access 4G services. The other thing is that, before using your AT&T phone in the UK, AT&T must SIM-unlock your phone before using it with a UK-based carrier.

AT&T service in the United Kingdom

We can establish that AT&T phones work virtually anywhere across the globe including the UK but you would have to pay a hefty price to enjoy this convenience. As a matter of fact, when travelling you have the option of roaming with your AT&T service all together or you may need to find other alternatives such as purchasing a local SIM card.

We understand that applications such as Facebook, Skype, Whatsapp, Google Maps and Yelp among others are very important for international travelers. At the same time, you would need to enjoy basic talk and text services as the simplest ways through which you can keep in touch with your family and friends.

In as much is using AT&T in the UK seems very possible, the main short coming is that it is very expensive, especially if you haven’t made any arrangements with AT&T. It would cost you about $2.50 per minute for your incoming and ongoing calls and data would cost you about $20 per MB, which adds up to $2000 for 1 GB of data, which is quite absurd. The good news is that you can get a plan that is quite budget friendly and more palatable. The table below summarizes AT&T global roaming packages that you can subscribe to before you travel to the UK so that you can save a ton that you would otherwise use without an agreement.

The good thing about each of these global roaming packages by AT&T is that they offer you unlimited text messaging. In as much so, there are more affordable options to use your phone in the UK of which the best option would be to purchase a local SIM card. When using a local SIM card, the rates are so low when making outgoing calls, incoming calls are absolutely free and data is much faster. In addition, you also get the chance to use a local number.

How efficient is AT&T in the UK?

Unfortunately, it is not the most reliable service. Basically, what you have in the US is what you will be able to access when in the UK. The only difference is that data service will be much slower and you will be paying a higher premium.

Conclusion

To sum it up, AT&T actually works in the UK but you are better of fusing it with a plan than with none. The problem is that you would need to exercise extreme caution and avoid using your phone to much so that you can keep within the data limits and restrictions. If you genuinely want to enjoy your vacation and eliminate unexpected roaming fees, you may want to get yourself a local SIM card.

FAQs

1. How can I tell if my AT&T phone is unlocked?

Unfortunately, you cannot tell whether your phone is unlocked just by looking at it. You would need to swap out the SIM with a different one, maybe a T-Mobile SIM or any other. If it works seamlessly, then your phone is actually unlocked.

2. Do I automatically have international roaming with AT&T?

Yes, you do. The only issue is that you would need to pay a higher premium if you are using your phone without requesting AT&T to add a travel bundle to your subscription.