London's Heathrow Airport T3, T4 questions

Thanks to all who generously helped with advice and information on how
to get to South Croydon from Heathrow. I have a couple more questions:

1. I would be arriving in T3 (American Airlines). Is there a shop there
where I could buy a SIM card for my mobile phone (unlocked, gsm, has
the right frequencies)?

2. A few days later, I have to see someone off at T3 (American). Then I
have to catch a BA flight from T4 myself. (This flight leaves 1 hr
after the earlier one from T3.)

How long should I allow to commute between the two terminals? What is
the fastest way? Can I walk?

In message , at 09:28:48 on Mon, 12
Feb 2007, Kiran remarked:
Thanks to all who generously helped with advice and information on how
to get to South Croydon from Heathrow. I have a couple more questions:

1. I would be arriving in T3 (American Airlines). Is there a shop there
where I could buy a SIM card for my mobile phone (unlocked, gsm, has
the right frequencies)?

The easiest to find will probably be a Virgin PAYG SIM, which will cost
£5 including £5 of airtime. You can then buy vouchers to top it up. I'm
not sure if you'll find a suitable shop landside at the terminal though,
most of them are airside/departures at Heathrow.

2. A few days later, I have to see someone off at T3 (American). Then I
have to catch a BA flight from T4 myself. (This flight leaves 1 hr
after the earlier one from T3.)

How long should I allow to commute between the two terminals? What is
the fastest way?

The Heathrow Express train, which is free between the two terminals. The
journey takes about five minutes, and there's a train every 15 minutes.

Allowing time to get to the T123 station (the T4 station is much closer
to its terminal building), I'd allow half an hour. Remember that you
also need to allow the normal time to check in and clear security at T4.

Can I walk?

No, it' the other side of the apron.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 09:28:48 on Mon, 12
Feb 2007, Kiran remarked:
Thanks to all who generously helped with advice and information on how
to get to South Croydon from Heathrow. I have a couple more questions:

1. I would be arriving in T3 (American Airlines). Is there a shop there
where I could buy a SIM card for my mobile phone (unlocked, gsm, has
the right frequencies)?

The easiest to find will probably be a Virgin PAYG SIM, which will cost
£5 including £5 of airtime. You can then buy vouchers to top it up. I'm
not sure if you'll find a suitable shop landside at the terminal though,
most of them are airside/departures at Heathrow.


You cannot buy one until you are past customs and inside the terminal
We keep two on hand here in SA. We use them ourselves and also loan them to
people who are going over, They are then available on mobile when they step
off the plane and can tell people in the departure longe about their
progress. They can also organise contacts with people before they leave,
knowing what their number will be.

Would it be a bit of a moneyspinner for Virgin to sell PAYG cards at the
major airports in other countries? Use their existing Virgin outlets or do
it through the airline? The advantage of having lots of people arrive in the
UK as established virgin customers would be amazin. Make em show their
passports before they buy one and the surveillance society is satisfied

Roland Perry wrote:

: The easiest to find will probably be a Virgin PAYG SIM... I'm
: not sure if you'll find a suitable shop landside at the terminal though,
: most of them are airside/departures at Heathrow.

I don't know Heathrow, but does it make any business sense to try to
sell UK sim cards to people who are departing the country?

"AKT" wrote in message
...
Roland Perry wrote:

: The easiest to find will probably be a Virgin PAYG SIM... I'm
: not sure if you'll find a suitable shop landside at the terminal though,
: most of them are airside/departures at Heathrow.

I don't know Heathrow, but does it make any business sense to try to
sell UK sim cards to people who are departing the country?

Seriously It would make good business sense to sell them simcards for the
countries that they are departing to.

"Skokkie" wrote ...

"AKT" wrote ...
Roland Perry wrote:

: The easiest to find will probably be a Virgin PAYG SIM... I'm
: not sure if you'll find a suitable shop landside at the terminal
though,
: most of them are airside/departures at Heathrow.

I don't know Heathrow, but does it make any business sense to try to
sell UK sim cards to people who are departing the country?

Seriously It would make good business sense to sell them simcards for the
countries that they are departing to.

....And echoes my complaint that I've never seen anyone selling or renting
"Wal-Mart" cheap ($14.99 for the phone alone this week, plus preload cards
at a variety of prices/loadouts) in the arrival terminals. Even a
reasonably priced "QuickRent" with modest charges to/fm one's home country
might go like hotcakes, using a deposit refunded on turnin at departure.

The secret is "Point of sale", putting the product near the customers who
want/need it...

TMO

1. I would be arriving in T3 (American Airlines). Is there a shop there
where I could buy a SIM card for my mobile phone (unlocked, gsm, has
the right frequencies)?

I arrive at T3 on Air Canada and I don't ever recall seeing a place to
get a SIM. The arrivals at T3 are pretty tatty.

For many travellers the most attractive UK SIM is Mobile World sold by
Carphone Warehouse. The SIM kit costs 10 pounds and gives you 10
pounds credit. Rates are quite reasonable including a very low 5p
rate back to North America. But the closest store to Heathrow is
several stops down the Underground. If you're taking underground to
train route that people have suggested, there's stores in or near most
of the large train stations.

In message , at 15:41:06 on Mon, 12
Feb 2007, AKT remarked:
: The easiest to find will probably be a Virgin PAYG SIM... I'm
: not sure if you'll find a suitable shop landside at the terminal though,
: most of them are airside/departures at Heathrow.

I don't know Heathrow, but does it make any business sense to try to
sell UK sim cards to people who are departing the country?

I think you misunderstand. Most of the shops that might sell a SIM are
in airside/departures (and not in airside/arrivals or landside).

Whether it's sensible for them to sell SIMS to those passengers, is
their business, but some sell phones, which amounts to much the same
thing.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 14:24:26 on
Mon, 12 Feb 2007, TMOliver remarked:
Seriously It would make good business sense to sell them simcards for the
countries that they are departing to.

...And echoes my complaint that I've never seen anyone selling or renting
"Wal-Mart" cheap ($14.99 for the phone alone this week, plus preload cards
at a variety of prices/loadouts) in the arrival terminals. Even a
reasonably priced "QuickRent" with modest charges to/fm one's home country
might go like hotcakes, using a deposit refunded on turnin at departure.

The secret is "Point of sale", putting the product near the customers who
want/need it...

And I'm surprised they don't sell things like Heathrow Express tickets
either on the plane, or at departures before you leave. Perhaps it's
just too much for people to get stock of such things, and a decent
margin to sell in relative small quantities.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 03:19:22 on Tue, 13 Feb 2007,
John L remarked:
For many travellers the most attractive UK SIM is Mobile World sold by
Carphone Warehouse. The SIM kit costs 10 pounds and gives you 10
pounds credit. Rates are quite reasonable including a very low 5p
rate back to North America. But the closest store to Heathrow is
several stops down the Underground. If you're taking underground to
train route that people have suggested, there's stores in or near most
of the large train stations.

I'd suggest breaking the journey at Hammersmith, but there is carting
luggage around to consider. Victoria station might be easier. (Note: I'm
not aware of any particular shops either at Hammersmith or the main
concourse at Victoria, but there definitely some promising looking ones
"upstairs" in the far righthand corner at Victoria - up a short
escalator).
--
Roland Perry