[isusovaca]

I'll be moving to Edinburgh in September and I would be really grateful if someone can recommend the following:
best mobile operator (lots of internet and texts, calls are not so important)
http://giffgaff.com/goodybags/10pound-facebook-goodybag is this a good offer?

I want to set up a bank account where my parents can send me money and I can withdraw it and have a debit card so I can also pay with it/ withdraw at ATMs, which bank is the best, is it RBS?

And finally, I want to buy a laptop, what are the best shops to visit and can I see their inventory online?

Thanks!

[megara]

Hey! Are you going to Edinburgh Uni? Im there, going into 2nd year so feel free to PM me any questions!
(Ill answer these ones when im on my laptop!)
^^ Meg

[JGMycroft]

Hey isusovaca, I would try the Edinburgh thread in the university section. You might get more replies.
Also, congrats on moving to Edi! I lived there for about a year on exchange so you're definitely in for a treat.
The GiffGaff thing looks pretty good. It's run by the O2 network so it should be pretty reliable. You should check to see if it's limited to any one area though.

As for banking, I banked with RBS when I was there and never had a problem with money transfers or withdrawing from ATMs. The only thing is that if you want to set up a student account, you have to deposit a few thousand pounds

As for laptops, I would suggest getting one before you get there. I find that the prices are quite a bit higher in the UK for electronics. I don't know where you'll be coming from though so that might or might not be the case.

[twinlensreflex]

Hey, I'm moving to Edinburgh too

The only network I have experience with is 3, I'm paying £33-ish a month for unlimited data and 3000 texts and I have no idea what else. I've had coverage literally everywhere except in tunnels on trains and in the middle-of-nowhere-Wales.

As for banking... If you want safety (in that RBS has paid a lot out in fines over recent years and so forth) and reputation I'd suggest a building society instead (Nationwide etc). You can still use ATMs and so on. No idea about student accounts though.

If you're buying it over here I guess Apple and Currys/PC World are the biggest places for buying laptop-y stuff. Although amazon sell some too. I'm not very good with that sorta thing

[isusovaca]

Thanks guys, I'll look around web computer shops in Edinburgh to see will I buy my laptop home or will I wait for uni