I am thinking of going to Virgin Mobile network. Does anyone have any experiences of trying to use this Network on the island, please? I originally chose O2 purely because it had the best coverage at that time. Thanks.

No matter what network you are on at home the best option when on the IOM is to buy a local pay as you go SIM card normally about £20
You get some call time with it as well....this is the best cheapest way to go.

Just make sure your phone isn't locked to one provider.

So long as you keep you new Manx number topped up you can use it forever more

RE MOBILE PHONING IN I O M
GET I O M SIM CARD FAR CHEAPER 2 USE

Make absolutely certain your phone is not locked. Last year i asked the spotty youth in my local Vodaclone shop who assured me my phone would be OK. Bought Manx Sim card on ferry & guess what !! phone would not accept it.

veefour Wrote:Make absolutely certain your phone is not locked. Last year i asked the spotty youth in my local Vodaclone shop who assured me my phone would be OK. Bought Manx Sim card on ferry & guess what !! phone would not accept it.

What's the situation if you bring your own mobile (from OZ) but only want to use it for texts? I was planning to bring mine and purchase a sim card from IoM. Maybe I should check with local "3" mob who I'm on contract with.

You wont have a problem if your phone is blocked there is a shop in Douglas that will unblock it for you and then you can use a Manx Telecom sim.

sure sim by cable and wireless cheapest-a fiver,

from their site-
New SIM Pack: £5 including £5 of calls

Peak* Off peak*
Sure mobiles (Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man) 12p 12p
Local and UK land lines
(Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man) 15p 12p
Non Sure mobiles
(Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man) 20p 15p
UK (mobiles) 35p 35p
Europe (land lines) 35p 35p
Europe (mobiles) 35p 35p
US and Canada (mobile and land lines) 35p 35p
Australia, Bermuda, Hong Kong, Japan,
New Zealand, S Africa and Singapore
(mobile and land lines) 40p 40p
Rest of the world (mobile and land lines) 75p 75p
Local texts (excluding premium rate text) 8p 7p
Texts off-island (excluding premium rate) 10p 10p
Picture messaging (Sure mobiles) 25p 25p
Picture messaging (other mobiles) 30p 30p

Minimum call charge – 10 seconds on all price plans.
Other chargesFree servicesWeekend calls and texts (limited promotion ends March 08) Free**
Call display Free
Voicemail retrieval (local) Free
Call waiting and call divert (local) Free
Emergency call Free

Mobile Internet Local internet usage (per kb) £0.001p

*Peak time 7am – 7pm

**Subject to "free weekend" promotional terms. Requires top up of at least £5 once a week.

Virgin pay as you go will cost you 38p per minute to make calls & 19p per minute to receive 'em.
I've used Virgin on my last 3 trips to the TT with no probs. Changing SIM obviously means you've got a new number, which can a pain if someones trying to get in touch with you.
Rob

The best option is leave your phone at home and tell the wife it doesnt work on the IOM you know its makes sense

That's just plain mean, Pykey, you should let the wife enjoy the racing too and bring her with you!!! My fone is absolutely essential cos then I can be contacted if The Man has forgotten his boots/gloves or dog-tag etc.and needs them bringing down to the Paddock!

Many thanks for all the replies.

Yes, I just knew you had put your foot in it there, Pykey, but I thought I'd let Maggie get you, instead of me being kind and deleteing it!!

Helen i tell the truth or sometmes known as white lies come on lads you want peace and a postcard will do the trick or a bag of kippers.

Oh, Maggie, he's wriggling!!

Hmmmmm... I guess if she's happy with a bag of kippers then she must REALLY have enjoyed the peace herself while you were away!!!!

I am with Tesco Mobile which uses the O2 network.

I have no problems with sending or recieving calls or texts when on the island.
When i am halfway across from Liverpool to Douglas the phone screen automatically changes from Tesco to Manx.

Just buy a Tesco pay as you go sim card, for i think about £2.50, top it up and away you go, and don't forget to get your phone unlocked.

Or it could be cheaper to buy a Tesco phone for about £25 complete with sim card. But remember to put plenty of credit on it as the Tesco in Douglas cannot top your Tesco card up because they are run differently from the main land shops, even though they are the same company.
All very confusing.

And do not use your phone when arriving on the Island late at night !!

I did last year to let family know I had arrioved safely and was somehow "grabbed" by a server who charged me lots of dosh to use the mobile on the IOM...

Note: I still haven't had a refund you lot !....and I'll be over again soon.

Wait until you can get to a phone shop and change over properly

Bring back CB Radio I say !

Now here's an idea,,,Since we are simulating early morning practices let us in 2008 turn the clock back with regard to communication.

I remember queueing to use the hotel pennies-in-the-slot public phone under the stairs and getting about four hurried minutes to tell the family what I had done THAT WEEK, not a series of calls per day like we do nowadays.

Yes, what happened to the post card which often arrived with the family AFTER we had returned home. It was a collectable item which could be retained as a souvenir of a great holiday.

If we are going to reminisce we must do this year properly and write our postcards while we eat our fish and chips/ drink our Okells, they give the cards that special smell.

We are not a captive audience on the IOM so why do some of these links cost so much these days.

Ian a few years ago i promtly waded into manxtelecom telling them the charges i was charged for using their network and guess what the answer was ' we get ripped off when we visit the uk' as i said before leave the fone off and remove the battery and send the wife a card and not a manx telecom one.