O2 UK - topup from overseas?

PhotoJim · **O2 UK - topup from overseas? -** 29-12-2006, 22:41

Hello...

I'm a Canadian who is planning an extended European vacation in the summer. I'll primarily be in the UK.

I've gotten an O2 SIM (O2's rates are good enough for me) but I'm having trouble activating it. O2's automated topup service won't take Canadian credit cards.

In North America we are able to buy topup cards with Canadian credit cards, even on American services. Also, a person can buy topup cards online and have the codes emailed, permitting instant topping up. (I got a T-Mobile code just yesterday - it took about two hours.)

What is the best way to top up O2 from Canada, when I don't have a UK credit card? My wife has a friend in London on whom we can impose, but I'd prefer to avoid that if at all possible. I want to get this working and tested prior to arrival in Britain, if at all possible. (I have a second SIM for my wife but I will probably just activate that there - if we already have one working then it isn't the end of the world if it takes a couple of days to get the second one online.)

Thanks in advance,

Jim

MATHA531 · 29-12-2006, 23:38

Many of the British telcom PAYG services have this idiotic policy of only accepting UK credit cards for top ups....O2 is apparently one of them. Of course this flies against the international nature of credit cards and the amounts involved are rarely large enough to make fraud a problem but that's the way it is.

I'm afraid about the only way is to have your wife's friend buy a voucher an get you the number.

I'm afraid the only thing to do is to get your wife's friend to buy a voucher but you know something, I am not sure that even this will work as you would have to dial a number to enter the voucher number and I'm not sure if the account is not activated whether this can be done.

PhotoJim · 30-12-2006, 05:08

I receive text messages so I think I can call to enter the voucher number. If I can't, then I top up when I get to the UK I suppose.

Motel75 · 30-12-2006, 10:54

Or try eBay. You can get the topup code sent to you via e-mail and pay via PayPal, depending on the auction terms.

PhotoJim · 30-12-2006, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motel75

Or try eBay. You can get the topup code sent to you via e-mail and pay via PayPal, depending on the auction terms.

That'd be perfect. I was looking but didn't find any. It's good to know that these vouchers do come up occasionally. Thanks!

Motel75 · 30-12-2006, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

That'd be perfect. I was looking but didn't find any. It's good to know that these vouchers do come up occasionally. Thanks!

Hmm, you're right, at the moment there aren't very many O2 topup cards available, possibly due to the holidays. Be sure you're searching ebay.co.uk, as many sellers only list in the UK, but it's academic if it's just a code you're after, and they haven't specifically blocked bids from elsewhere. At present, I only see one person selling them (ahnerak), but they have several 15-pound cards up for auction (for example http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15-02-top-up-c...QQcmdZViewItem), and you could always ask about terms. (Remember that foreign PayPal accounts take a bigger chunk of the final value, so offering to throw another 50 cents in to cover this can sometimes make a difference with balky sellers.)

PhotoJim · 30-12-2006, 22:19

Thanks for the tip. I actually found those a couple of hours ago and I bookmarked them. I also contacted the seller of my O2 SIM cards and she's expressed willingness to get topup vouchers too. Between the two I should be good to go!

Phonehome · **Topping up -** 14-09-2011, 19:21

The British telecoms only accept UK credit cards for top up but you can also purchase the UK mobile vouchers at ezminutes.com

PhotoJim · 14-09-2011, 21:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phonehome

The British telecoms only accept UK credit cards for top up but you can also purchase the UK mobile vouchers at ezminutes.com

Orange takes my Canadian MasterCard. I'm not sure if it's because I called and asked to register it (and they allowed it) or if it's the default state. I was able to change my credit card number online without talking to them, though.

OLENSFR · **O2 topup -** 22-03-2012, 15:45

Did you ever get an answer to your question about topping up your O2 sim card outside of the UK. I know you can use cash in the UK, but what about in France or Barcelona? Or even from Canada before going over seas? Please let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks.

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	(#1 (permalink))
PhotoJim (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 381 Join Date: 10 Dec 2006 Location: Regina, SK, CA Country:	O2 UK - topup from overseas? - 29-12-2006, 22:41 Hello... I'm a Canadian who is planning an extended European vacation in the summer. I'll primarily be in the UK. I've gotten an O2 SIM (O2's rates are good enough for me) but I'm having trouble activating it. O2's automated topup service won't take Canadian credit cards. In North America we are able to buy topup cards with Canadian credit cards, even on American services. Also, a person can buy topup cards online and have the codes emailed, permitting instant topping up. (I got a T-Mobile code just yesterday - it took about two hours.) What is the best way to top up O2 from Canada, when I don't have a UK credit card? My wife has a friend in London on whom we can impose, but I'd prefer to avoid that if at all possible. I want to get this working and tested prior to arrival in Britain, if at all possible. (I have a second SIM for my wife but I will probably just activate that there - if we already have one working then it isn't the end of the world if it takes a couple of days to get the second one online.) Thanks in advance, Jim GSM: CA: SaskTel (postpaid voice/data,,postpaid data), Rogers (postpaid data); UK: Orange, 3; CH: Swisscom; AT: tele.ring; US: T-Mobile, AT&T, Red Pocket Mobile, Telestial Simple Calling; EE: AirBalticcard CDMA: US: PagePlus Hardware: iPhone 4, iPhone 3G, Nokia E63, Nokia Nuron, Novatel Ovation MC950D & MC998D data sticks, Huawei UG1691 data stick (3G AWS), Motorola RAZR V3, Sony-Ericsson K610i, Sony-Ericsson Z310i, Otech F1 (quad sim) (all unlocked)

	(#2 (permalink))
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 868 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	29-12-2006, 23:38 Many of the British telcom PAYG services have this idiotic policy of only accepting UK credit cards for top ups....O2 is apparently one of them. Of course this flies against the international nature of credit cards and the amounts involved are rarely large enough to make fraud a problem but that's the way it is. I'm afraid about the only way is to have your wife's friend buy a voucher an get you the number. I'm afraid the only thing to do is to get your wife's friend to buy a voucher but you know something, I am not sure that even this will work as you would have to dial a number to enter the voucher number and I'm not sure if the account is not activated whether this can be done.

	(#3 (permalink))
PhotoJim (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 381 Join Date: 10 Dec 2006 Location: Regina, SK, CA Country:	30-12-2006, 05:08 I receive text messages so I think I can call to enter the voucher number. If I can't, then I top up when I get to the UK I suppose. GSM: CA: SaskTel (postpaid voice/data,,postpaid data), Rogers (postpaid data); UK: Orange, 3; CH: Swisscom; AT: tele.ring; US: T-Mobile, AT&T, Red Pocket Mobile, Telestial Simple Calling; EE: AirBalticcard CDMA: US: PagePlus Hardware: iPhone 4, iPhone 3G, Nokia E63, Nokia Nuron, Novatel Ovation MC950D & MC998D data sticks, Huawei UG1691 data stick (3G AWS), Motorola RAZR V3, Sony-Ericsson K610i, Sony-Ericsson Z310i, Otech F1 (quad sim) (all unlocked)

	(#4 (permalink))
Motel75 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 482 Join Date: 15 Jun 2006 Location: Berlin Country:	30-12-2006, 10:54 Or try eBay. You can get the topup code sent to you via e-mail and pay via PayPal, depending on the auction terms. Current DE: Solomo (0172), Lidl Mobile, Netzklub; PL: Heyah; UK: Giffgaff; US: T-Mobile (212, 931); IT: Vodafone Former DE: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Blauworld, 01051mobile, Solomo, Vistream, Simyo, Congstar; PL: Era, Sami Swoi, Orange, POP, iPlus, Heyah, Carrefour Mova, Telepin Mobi, Play; UK: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin; US: T-Mobile, AT&T CZ: Vodafone, Oskar; ES: Lebara; GR: Vodafone, Wind; TR: Turkcell

	(#7 (permalink))
PhotoJim (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 381 Join Date: 10 Dec 2006 Location: Regina, SK, CA Country:	30-12-2006, 22:19 Thanks for the tip. I actually found those a couple of hours ago and I bookmarked them. I also contacted the seller of my O2 SIM cards and she's expressed willingness to get topup vouchers too. Between the two I should be good to go! GSM: CA: SaskTel (postpaid voice/data,,postpaid data), Rogers (postpaid data); UK: Orange, 3; CH: Swisscom; AT: tele.ring; US: T-Mobile, AT&T, Red Pocket Mobile, Telestial Simple Calling; EE: AirBalticcard CDMA: US: PagePlus Hardware: iPhone 4, iPhone 3G, Nokia E63, Nokia Nuron, Novatel Ovation MC950D & MC998D data sticks, Huawei UG1691 data stick (3G AWS), Motorola RAZR V3, Sony-Ericsson K610i, Sony-Ericsson Z310i, Otech F1 (quad sim) (all unlocked)

	(#8 (permalink))
Phonehome (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 1 Join Date: 13 Sep 2011 Country:	Topping up - 14-09-2011, 19:21 The British telecoms only accept UK credit cards for top up but you can also purchase the UK mobile vouchers at ezminutes.com

	(#10 (permalink))
OLENSFR (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 1 Join Date: 22 Mar 2012 Country:	O2 topup - 22-03-2012, 15:45 Did you ever get an answer to your question about topping up your O2 sim card outside of the UK. I know you can use cash in the UK, but what about in France or Barcelona? Or even from Canada before going over seas? Please let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks.