Charging your iPhone 6 Plus from a power outlet in The United Kingdom

Using a Lightning Apple cable and a Type G power adapter to power the iPhone 6 Plus with a UK power outlet.

UK power outlet

Varying different frequencies and region codes can all be daunting when planning on staying in another country, especially to the first time traveller. With only a handful of different types of plug sockets used in the world this article shows exactly what you'll need in advance to charge the iPhone 6 Plus . These instructions have been specifically written to stop you having to worry if you'll be able to charge your iPhone 6 Plus abroad.If you're visiting The United Kingdom the following instructions show how to power your iPhone 6 Plus by using their 230 volt 50Hz Type G plug outlet, with the British using BS 1363 13 amp plugs for power outlets. You'll find that power supplies will vary regionally therefore we suggest reading the Wikiconnections world power connections guide for a complete list showing powering devices in different regions and countries. When visiting The United Kingdom from another country make sure the iPhone 6 Plus can be used with a 240 volt supply. If it originated in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110v double check the device is dual-voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional converter to prevent the device from overheating whilst powering it up. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 6 Plus.

Charging the iPhone 6 Plus in The United Kingdom

Can you use the iPhone 6 Plus in The United Kingdom?

You can connect the iPhone 6 Plus to a UK power outlet.

What is the best travel charger for the iPhone 6 Plus in The United Kingdom?

When travelling with more than your iPhone 6 Plus or visiting more than one country then the best travel power adapter for The United Kingdom is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. Because these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle 100 volts to 240 volts will mean you can travel to over 100 countries in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa just by switching the supplied heads. If your iPhone 6 Plus is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from faster charging times with one of these types of travel adapters and additional support for more power hungry devices.

Unlike other travel chargers having a 4 port charger means you can recharge multiple devices simultaneously without needing to bring seperate travel adapters or occupying additional power sockets. Only packing a single USB travel charger will keep the size and weight down, making it perfect to fold up and store in hand baggage while travelling as well as being convenient for recharging your iPhone 6 Plus at an airport or on your flight. Because of their versatility these types of travel adapters can be used at home so when you're not travelling they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, phones and e-readers without using up an additional plug socket.

If you travel to The United Kingdom we suggest buying a versatile power charger of this nature online; the multipurpose power adapter illustrated below is the universal multi-device USB wall charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries around the world on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for The United Kingdom

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge devices via USB, however for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power adapters offer surge protection which is useful when visiting regions with unreliable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices from voltage spikes. These travel adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling portable power adapter for travellers originating from America going to The United Kingdom.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Likewise having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from the US using type B plugs. This offers the same set of features as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 2 AC outlets but offers 5 USB charging ports. This versatile power strip is compatible with both American plugs and popular plug types A, D,E/F, G, H, I, L and N making it suitable for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting The United Kingdom. [6] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPhone 6 Plus in The United Kingdom?

How to use a Type G power charger for charging your iPhone 6 Plus from a UK power outlet

A guide on how to charge your iPhone 6 Plus from a UK power outlet with a USB Lightning Apple cable with a three pinned Type G power adapter.

  1. If you want to charge the iPhone 6 Plus using the UK power outlet you will need to buy a Type G USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple should normally supply this USB cable with the iPhone 6 Plus.
  2. Start by plugging the Type G USB power plug adapter in the UK power outlet. This plug supply (known as a Type G power outlet [3]) looks like three rectangular holes containing plastic shutters in a triangular shape.
  3. Connect one end of the Lightning cord into the bottom of the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 Plus Lightning connector is situated at bottom of your iPhone 6 Plus under the home button.
  4. Switch on the UK power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of the phone will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is recharging which should take around 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type G power charger for charging your iPhone 6 Plus from a UK power outlet

SIM cards in the UK

What are the best free SIM plans for your iPhone 6 Plus if travelling to Britain?

If you are travelling and need to use your iPhone 6 Plus abroad then we recommend using a free SIM card in the United Kingdom to avoid paying excessive roaming costs from your own country.

Data charges incurred with uncapped international roaming can inadvertently add hundreds to a cell phone bill unless data roaming is switched off, Wi-Fi is used or data is capped. Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK cost an average of £5 per session, therefore ordering a SIM card pre-loaded with £5 credit provides better value which can last for the duration of trip to the UK providing that data usage is light.

There are 15 local mobile network providers in the United Kingdom which offer free SIM only deals online, this list of UK mobile providers in the UK highlights their best value deals and links directly to their SIM card ordering page:

  • O2 will send free pay and go SIM cards with prepaid £10 top ups.
  • LycaMobile can either send a free SIM without credit or the option to pay for a preloaded SIM which includes additional free credit. LycaMobile also offers £15 of free credit when transferring an existing number.
  • Vodafone offer free SIM deals with plans from only £10 per month.
  • Asda Mobile will send you a standard, micro and nano SIM card for free and offer bundles from £5 per month.
  • BT Mobile have contracts from £5 per month for their 4G data including access to their national BT WiFi, choose between a free full sized, micro or nano SIM.
  • giffgaff start with preloaded SIM cards from just £5 along with PAYG plans and also offer free calls and text between other giffgaff customers.
  • Three Mobile free SIM cards are suitable for using 4G without committing to a monthly contract.
  • Virgin Mobile Pay As You Go SIM cards offer two simple pay as you go tariffs aimed towards either heavy calls or heavy data and text usage.
  • Talkmobile offer three different sizes of free SIM cards with the option to include top up amounts as well as longer 30 day and 12 month SIM only plans.
  • Tesco Mobile send up to 4 SIM cards per UK address and offer to triple credit when ordering.
  • Lebara Mobile will supply a free SIM card, order online and credit with a minimum of £5 top up.
  • Pebble Mobile free SIM cards are the only consumer network with national roaming and inclusive EU roaming plans.
  • FreedomPop is a UK mobile provider offering one of the best SIM only deals for the iPhone 6 Plus in the UK with 4G data, text and talk time. Their basic service includes a SIM card with free 200mb of data with 200 minutes and text messages every month; users can then opt to pay for additional data or switch to a paid plan as their demands grow. FreedomPop also offers a premium free SIM only card for the iPhone 6 Plus and are offering a one month of free trial of 1GB of data, 1000 minutes and text messages before paying an £8.95 monthly top-up with no contract or cancellation fees.

Be aware that some providers may only ship SIM cards to UK residential or business addresses, therefore if you are staying in a hotel in the UK we suggest that your free SIM is delivered to a work, family or friends postal address.

You can also purchase prepaid Pay As You Go SIM cards at most UK newsagents and supermarkets, however you won´t be able to take advantage of the heavily discounted online offers. Most towns and cities in the UK have high street mobile phone stores which sell SIM cards promoting their own network at a much higher cost and will also encourage shoppers to take out a long term monthly contract.

Please be aware if you are flying to a UK airport some arrival halls will sell preloaded SIM cards at highly inflated prices. Instead we recommend taking advantage of any available free airport WiFi until a suitable SIM card can be obtained once outside the airport.

iPhone 6 Plus SIM card only contracts

For longer trips to the UK there are 4 providers which don´t ship free PAYG cards but will still offer monthly SIM plans online:

  • iD Mobile have capped SIM only contracts from just £4 per month and offer data rollover with all GoTo contracts.
  • TalkTalk have SIM plans starting from less than £4 per month.
  • Truphone will send prepaid SIM cards with auto top-up and the ability to add local US and Australian numbers alongside a local UK number.
  • EE are a newly formed mobile network in the UK formally comprised of T-Mobile and Orange.

How to use a free SIM card with a locked iPhone 6 Plus

If you do change network carriers you will need to ensure you´re using an unlocked iPhone 6 Plus prior to using a different SIM card. If the iPhone 6 Plus wasn´t unlocked at the time of purchase you should be able to request to your current mobile carrier to unlock it, use an online mobile phone unlocking service or look for instructions online on how to unlock your iPhone 6 Plus yourself. Be aware that the cost of unlocking the iPhone 6 Plus will be significantly cheaper than using paying excessive roaming costs.

See also

  1. Wikipedia - UK Wikipedia web page
  2. Apple - official iPhone user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type G power outlet
  4. Type G USB power plug adapter - Suitable for use in England, Ireland, and Scotland, a grounded three pin Type G adapter turns UK electrical power outlets into USB ports for reliable charging..
  5. USB to Apple Lightning cable - The Apple Lightning cable is a charging and syncing cable for more recent Apple devices and connects compatible iPhones and iPads to a USB port.
  6. Universal multi-device USB wall charger - A universal multi-device USB wall charger features USB PD and standard ports for fast charging simultaneous. These includes interchangeable international plug adapters making it ideal for travel and certified for safety to protect against current and heat.