Advice sought - using my US iphone 5s in the UK

Over here in the US I have an iphone 5s with Verizon (which is unlocked for international purposes). Next weekend I am flying to the UK for a couple of weeks to spend Christmas with family. I would like to be able to make and receive calls and texts within the UK (I'm not particularly bothered about data as there will be wifi where I am staying). I won't need to make international calls; on this trip I will be visiting Eastbourne/Brighton/London/Molineux.

I know that I need to purchase a nano sim, and it will obviously be a prepaid/pay-as-you-go deal. Given these circumstances, I have the following questions:-

1) What would be the best provider/deal for me?
2) Do the cards/money balances expire after a certain period of inactivity? If I keep the card, would I be able to use it again if I return in 12 months?
3) Where would I purchase the card? Would I have to go to a specialist phone shop, or are they sold in the likes of supermarkets and newsagents?

Thanks to my fellow "nice" Albion fans for any help you can give.

No idea what the best provider but giff gaff is cheap and you can just ask for a sim to be sent to where you are staying in the uk and set it up when you get here.

Have a look at this as an example...

http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/sims/pay-as-you-go/pay-as-you-go-sims

I remember having to buy a PAYG sim in Brighton funnily enough a few years ago, from a newsagent, then chancing upon an Orange shop with hugely better deals.

In short, you'll be topping up. How much and how often depends on what proportion of texts/data/minutes you want.

You could get someone to buy one/order one in advance of your return, and the 30 days won't start ticking until you pop it in your phone and activate it.

Another vote for giffgaff

Free SIM - Order Your Free SIM card with giffgaff.com

8ace said:

Another vote for giffgaff

Free SIM - Order Your Free SIM card with giffgaff.com

Click to expand...

Thanks [MENTION=588]8ace[/MENTION] (and others); SIM duly ordered.