Cell phone plans

Hi there,

I'll be entering the UK in September for 9 months to a year on a university exchange. I would love to have my cell phone ready-to-use with me so I can text my hosts when my plane lands. However, I'm having trouble understanding the various mobile phone plans and how I can receive it before I get there.

My host has offered to have me ship a sim card to her house and she will mail it to me in Toronto. Would this work to allow me to use it when I get there?

Which companies and plans are best?

Are there monthly/pay-as-you-go Blackberry plans? This might make it easy to stay in contact with family cheaply on Blackberry messenger.

Any advice?

Thanks.

Initially, you should be immediately able to use your phone as Rogers Communications has deals with phone companies the world over to support visitors to Canada. After that, sign up officially at any Rogers office and they will do all of the hard work. Or choose Bell or anyone else you like. No problems.

This person is moving FROM canada TO UK.

Yes, I'm going from Canada to the UK.

I think I'm confused by the different charges depending on the kind of phone you're calling, and long distance throughout the UK, etc.

For example...

freesim.o2.co.uk/mRwnbuEp

It's pay as you go but then there's a limit in texts, calls, etc.
With that plan, it looks like 15 pounds for unlimited text, 100 minutes (landline or mobile? And does it cost more depending on where in the UK you're calling or is it the same no matter where I am?) and 500MB for internet. Is that correct? So I could use a Blackberry and get 500MB of internet per month on it with that plan?

Thanks!