Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Each of these options is explained in greater detail in the following pages. Mixing and
matching works well. For example, I routinely bring along my smartphone for Internet
chores and Skyping on Wi-Fi, but also carry an unlocked phone and buy cheap SIM cards
for affordable calls on the go.
For an even more in-depth explanation of this complicated topic, see
Many Americans are intimidated by dialing European phone numbers. You needn't be. It's
simple, once you break the code.
The English Accent
In the olden days, an English person's accent indicated his or her social standing.
Eliza Doolittle had the right idea—elocution could make or break you. Wealthier
families would send their kids to fancy private schools to learn proper pronunci-
ation. But these days, in a sort of reverse snobbery that has gripped the nation, ac-
cents are back. Politicians, newscasters, and movie stars are favoring deep accents
over the Queen's English. While it's hard for American ears to pick out all of the
variations, most English people can determine where a person is from based on their
accent...not just the region, but often the village, and even the part of a town.
Dialing Within Britain
The following instructions apply whether you're dialing from a British mobile phone or
a landline (such as a pay phone or your hotel-room phone). If you're roaming with a US
phone number, follow the “Dialing Internationally” directions described later.
Britain, like the US, uses an area-code dialing system. To make domestic calls any-
where within Britain, punch in just the phone number if you're dialing locally, and add the
area code (which starts with a 0) if calling long distance.
Area codes are listed (with phone numbers) in this topic, displayed by city on phone-
booth walls, and available from directory assistance (dial 118-500, (
£
0.59/minute). It's
most expensive to call within Britain between 8:00 and 13:00, and cheapest between 17:00
and 8:00. Still, a short call across the country is inexpensive, so don't hesitate to call long
distance.
