Texting a non-UK number abroad

[Anonymous]

So i'm trying to text a number in Ghana (non-UK number) and it charges me approx. 17p per text. Obviously total cost is tallying up, so i was wondering if anyone knows a bolt-on i could use to cover my texts abroad?

To clarify, im a pay monthly customer on an iphone 5s. Looking for a one-off monthly cost which may be cheaper to message someone abroad.

Thanks in advance,
Kammy

[MI5]

It's a bit cheaper with an international sim https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/international-sim/

[Bambino]

Skype messenger or Whatsapp over WiFi?

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately where she is staying there is no wifi at all 😞

[jonsie]

She doesn't need wifi if she has any of the apps. She can receive messages via data even if you send via wifi. It depends if she has a data allowance on her account.

[Anonymous]

I dont think this will work 😞

She doesn't have any data or wifi to receive messages.
I tried a 3rd party app which sends SMS messages for free but she hasn't received them - i assume she needs data to receive them

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Any apps other than the stock SMS phone app will need a data connection of some sort.
The only way to get your texts any cheaper would be to use a non O2 sim that gave you special rates to international numbers.
It may be worth you looking into giffgaff or Lycamobile as they both offer cheaper rates than o2's 14p per text (international sim).