Staying Connected

Telephones

To make a call within the U.K., the area codes found throughout this guide all begin with "0"; you drop the "0" if you're calling from outside Britain, but you need to dial it along with the rest of the code if you're calling domestically. The area code for London is 020. For calls within the same city or town, the local number is all you need, minus the area code. So, to call from one phone to another within London, dial just the 8-digit number. Calling from a mobile phone, you need to dial the full number including area code, no matter where you're calling from.

Phonecards are often the most economical method for visitors from overseas to make both international and national calls. They are available in several values, and are reusable until the total value has expired. Cards can be purchased from newsstands and small retailers citywide, and offer call rates of a few pence per minute to English-speaking countries such as Australia and the United States. Follow the instructions on the card to make a call from a public payphone. Most payphones now also take credit cards, but if your card doesn't have Chip and PIN technology embedded, you may encounter problems.

To make an international call from Britain, dial the international access code (00), then the country code, then the area code, and finally the local number. Common country codes are: U.S.A. and Canada, 1; Australia, 61; Ireland, 353; New Zealand, 64; and South Africa, 27. For calling collect or if you need an international operator, dial tel. 155. Alternatively, call via one of the following long-distance access services: AT&T USA Direct (tel. 0800/89-0011, or 0500/89-0011), Canada Direct (tel. 0800/89-0016), Australia Direct (tel. 0800/89-0061), or NZ Direct (tel. 0800/89-0064). For directory assistance, dial tel. 118-118.

Callers beware: Many hotels routinely add outrageous surcharges onto phone calls made from your room. Enquire before you call. It may be a lot cheaper to use your own calling-card number or to purchase a phonecard.

Mobile Phones

The three letters that define much of the world's wireless capabilities are GSM (Global System for Mobiles), a seamless satellite network that makes for easy cross-border mobile (cell) phone use throughout most of the planet, including the U.K. If you own an unlocked GSM phone, simply pack it in your hand luggage and pick up a contract-free SIM-only tariff when you arrive in the U.K. The SIM card will cost very little, but you will need to load it up with credit to start making calls. Tariffs change constantly in response to the market, but in general expect call charges of around 20p per minute, 10p for a text message, and a deal on data that might cap daily usage charges at about £2. There are phone and SIM card retailers on practically every major street in the city, but not everywhere will sell SIM-only deals to nonresidents. Tesco Mobile (www.tescomobile.com) sells SIMs for 99p that you can top-up in-store with cash or an overseas credit card. Find a convenient branch of the supermarket at www.tesco.com/storelocator. Three (www.three.co.uk) sells SIMs for £1.99 that you can top-up at Three stores, supermarkets, and newsagents across the city. Three SIMs work only in 3G-compatible phones.

There are other options if you're visiting from overseas but don't own an unlocked GSM phone. For a short visit, renting a phone may be a good idea, and we suggest renting the handset before you leave home. North Americans can rent from InTouch USA (tel. 800/872-7626 or 703/222-7161; www.intouchglobal.com) or BrightRoam (tel. 888/622-3393; www.brightroam.com). However, handset purchase prices have fallen to a level where you can probably buy a basic U.K. pay-as-you-go (PAYG) phone for less than one week's handset rental. Prices at the city's many cellphone retailers start from under £20 for a cheap model. Expect outgoing call charges of approximately 25p per minute to anywhere in the U.K., 10p for text messages (SMS); receiving calls on your local number is free. Carphone Warehouse (www.carphonewarehouse.com) has retail branches across the city and a reliable range of cheap PAYG phones. Buy one, use it while you're here, and recycle it on the way home.

There are several U.K. networks offering a bewildering array of tariffs. Best for reliable citywide voice and 3G reception are probably O2 (www.o2.co.uk) -- whose cell network is also used by Tesco Mobile -- and Vodafone (www.vodafone.co.uk). Orange (www.orange.co.uk) tends to offer slightly better-value tariffs, while Three (www.three.co.uk) usually has the best deals for smartphone users who want data included in their rate. Unfortunately, per-minute charges for international calls can be high whatever network you choose, so if you plan to do a lot of calling home use a VoIP service such as Skype (www.skype.com) or Truphone (www.truphone.com) in conjunction with a Web connection.

If you intend to use your mobile phone solely to call overseas, and it's unlocked and GSM-compatible, you may find purchasing a specialist international SIM card to be the most convenient option. Calls to the U.S., for example, using a SIM card from either Lyca (tel. 020/7132-0322; www.lycamobile.co.uk) or Lebara (tel. 0870/075-5588, or 020/7031-0791; www.lebara-mobile.co.uk) cost 4p per minute. You can buy either at independent phone retailers on practically every city street, and can top-up both brands with vouchers on sale at branches of Tesco, Sainsbury's, the Post Office, and hundreds of small retailers citywide.

Internet & Wi-Fi

The availability of the Internet in London is in a constant state of development. How you access it depends on whether you've brought your own computer or smartphone, or you're relying on public terminals. Many hotels have computers for guest use, although pricing can vary from gratis to extortionate. To find a local Internet cafe, start by checking www.cybercaptive.com or www.easyinternetcafe.com. Although such places have suffered due to the spread of smartphones and free Wi-Fi , they do tend to be prevalent close to centers of cheap, backpacker-focused accommodations, such as Victoria, Paddington, and Earl's Court. Aside from formal cybercafes, most hostels have Internet access, and some public libraries allow nonresidents to use terminals.

If you have your own computer or smartphone, Wi-Fi makes access much easier. Always check before using your hotel's network -- many charge exorbitant rates, and free or cheap Wi-Fi isn't hard to find elsewhere. There's a regularly updated list of free hotspots at http://londonist.com/2007/05/free_wifi_in_lo.php -- many are in coffee shops where you'll be expected to buy something small, but you won't raise an eyebrow if you walk into either of the city's two Apple Stores to log on (235 Regent St., near Oxford Circus; and 1-7 The Piazza, Covent Garden). That map has also morphed into the Free Wifi London iPhone app, available for £1.19/$1.99 from the iTunes Store. WorkSnug (www.worksnug.com) is another great -- and free -- mobile app that helps you locate a Wi-Fi-equipped mobile workspace in the city.

Huge swathes of London's West End are also covered by outdoor BT Openzone (www.btopenzone.com) Wi-Fi access, and there are many more BT Openzone hotspots in cafes, hotels, and public places across the city (visit http://btopenzone.hotspot-directory.com for a searchable directory and map). If you have a subscription to a global wireless ISP such as Boingo (www.boingo.com), you can use these hotspots for free, or at a reduced rate depending on your subscription package. For example, unlimited global Wi-Fi access on your smartphone costs $7.95 a month from Boingo, or you can buy 5 days' access to BT Openzone from a smartphone or laptop for £26.99. To locate other free Wi-Fi hotspots, it's also worth using the hotspot locator at www.jiwire.com.

Savvy smartphone users from overseas may even find it cheaper and practical to switch off 3G altogether and call using freely available Wi-Fi in combination with a Skype (www.skype.com) account and mobile app.