Pocket Telecomms

This page is about retail telecommunications (phone companies and Internet providers)
It is also UK centric.
To look up phone numbers and codes, including international codes, see our Information Services page
Telecommunications and networking technology is elsewhere
Page down for Service providers and to send Free SMS messages

Industry-wide information

For the UK

  • Say No to 0870 Find the normal rate numbers behind potentially expensive 0870s (7 Jan 2007)
  • PhonepayPlus formerly ICSTIS, the regulator for premium rate services, interactive games and anything that's charged to your phone (*7 May 2008)
    		•

    Find a WiFi hotspot (free or for fee) from:

  • JiWire (worldwide) (4 Aug 2006)
  • WiFiFreespot (US, Europe; UK countries listed separately) (*4 Aug 2006)
    • check them all – they don't have the same lists

    Service providers

    Global

  • Skype phone, presence and instant messaging between members for free; break out to public networks for less (4 Oct 2006)
    Read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up.

    • UK/Europe based

  • BT (*27 Jan 2008)
  • Log in to account services (25 Nov 2008)
    • (21 Jun 2000)
  • BT Openworld broadband services (*25 Nov 2008)
  • Check BT phone/broadband fauilts (16 Apr 2014)
  • Client login (25 Nov 2008)
  • O2 in the UK (*4 Oct 2006)
  • Orange (8 Mar 2000)
  • Vodafone (8 Mar 2000)
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    North America based

  • AT+T (*10 Mar 2001)
  • Nortel Networks (*10 Mar 2001)
  • Pacific Bell (*10 Mar 2001)
  • Sprint (*10 Mar 2001)
  • Cingular (4 Aug 2006)
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    Internet service/broadband

    UK/Europe

  • Service comparisons:
  • Which broadband? service comparison (4 Aug 2006)
  • ADSL Guide (20 Sep 2006)
  • BT Openworld (21 Jun 2000)
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    North America/worldwide

    not a wide ranging list
  • tiscali active worldwide (4 Aug 2006)
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    Services and Equipment

    Services and software

  • JConnect fax to your email, integrated messaging. But not free (*7 Jan 2006)
  • Agile Mobile IM and presence software for mobile devices (3 Apr 2007)
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    Equipment

  • Nokia (28 Jul 2000)
  • Club Nokia UK owners' club (28 Jul 2000)
  • BlackBerry global, and in Europe (*7 May 2008)
  • TeleAdapt International phone adapters, cable replacements etc
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    Send free SMS

    Many services require you to create a free account. We will extend the list as we discover service which work!

    Single country lists

  • UK: try Cardboard Fish (CBFSMS.com) (14 Jan 2014)
  • or FreeSMS (has address book) (14 Jan 2014)
    • O2 UK have withdrawn their web-based Send Text service (*14 Jan 2014)
  • North America: txt2day "any 10-dgit phone number" (3 Sep 2008)
  • Belgium: BelGSM for the main Belgian networks. En français seulement (3 Sep 2001)
  • Netherlands: O2 Netherlands (Telfort), in het nederlands, similar to UK site but separate login (25 May 2002)
  • Germany: GMX (9 May 2005)
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    Global links

  • Links to many SMS senders worldwide from worldxs.net - also in italiano (24 Apr 2001)
  • A longer list (but lower quality) from Swipnet in Sweden (10 Mar 2001)
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