Can anyone assist in advising what’s the most cost effective way to obtain mobile phone usage on the island for an off islander? My wife and I live in England and use GiffGaff here but every time we're over on the Island we get taken to the cleaners with ridiculous roaming charges. It’s probably our own fault for not checking things out beforehand so I’m trying to do that now. Any advice will be most gratefully accepted.

Many thanks in anticipation, Andrew.

Hi Andrew, think you get a Manx Telecom or Sure PAYG sim card and put it in your phone.
Or if you have a spare phone put the SIM card in that and you'll have both options/numbers, you'll need to check your phone is "unlocked" and not locked to your current provider's network.

https://www.sure.com/isleofman/mobile/pay-as-you-go/

(07-03-2025, 09:53 PM)Alfie Noakes Wrote: Hi Andrew, think you get a Manx Telecom or Sure PAYG sim card and put it in your phone.
Or if you have a spare phone put the SIM card in that and you'll have both options/numbers, you'll need to check your phone is "unlocked" and not locked to your current provider's network.
https://www.sure.com/isleofman/mobile/pay-as-you-go/

Good advice I use giffgaff in uk and Sure in IOM £20 gets you unlimited Broadband for 30 days  
https://www.sure.com/isleofman/mobile/pay-as-you-go/

Years ago i used to buy a Manx telecom sim card for a fiver (I think it was!) & that did the job, then we had free roaming so we didn't have to bother. Now, it seems, a lot of contracts include roaming until you move or alter that contract (like I did recently) & then it's roaming charges again!
So, basically, I'm following this thread closely!

I'm with sky and calls/text/data to/from/in the Isle of man are all included in my mobile contract, most of the main providers offer the same

Some years ago the EU made roaming in the European Union free, as the Isle of Man was not part of the EU, mobile providers started charging for calls, etc to and from the Isle of Man

Once the UK left the EU most mobile providers made calls, etc part of your contract - so check your contract

I have no idea what the charges are for pay as you go phones as I've never had one

(09-03-2025, 08:48 AM)Nasher Wrote: I'm with sky and calls/text/data to/from/in the Isle of man are all included in my mobile contract, most of the main providers offer the same

Some years ago the EU made roaming in the European Union free, as the Isle of Man was not part of the EU, mobile providers started charging for calls, etc to and from the Isle of Man

Once the UK left the EU most mobile providers made calls, etc part of your contract - so check your contract

I have no idea what the charges are for pay as you go phones as I've never had one

Giffgaff does not offer calls to/from the Isle of Man as part of their contract, many other providers do