Ah ha...

I understand your reluctance to rely solely on having free sim cards sent to your hotel but I would like to just add my 2 cents worth....

It's more likely you will find the cards have arrived safely at a 2 star rather than a 5 star hotel!

Damn AT&T - they can be as inconsitent as the airlines! They responded immediately (and affirmatively) to my request for unlock codes, emailed them to me. Not sure why they are making you jump through hoops. No matter, though, even if they say no - just google cell phone repair in your area and you will no doubt find lots of places that will unlock for a small fee.
I ordered the Lebara SIM via their web and it was mailed to my home prior to departure. Took about a week or so if I recall correctly. Also purchased a second Lebara SIM at a phones4U store in London, which are ubiquitous. They will, by default, sell you the SIM card PLUS top up time, which is why the price is higher. I knew we would be using the time so went ahead and bought it, but you can always ask for the SIM without the added time. Still may not be as cheap as ordering from Lebara online, so if you have enough lead time you can go that way.

Update: AT&T sent me an email (so just over 24 hours) with unlock instructions for two phones. My guess is they didn't do the third I had asked for as it is old and is tri band, not quad.

xyz, I sent an email to that ebay seller asking if the Lebara SIM had the same terms as the Lebara website. His/her auction didn't mention free Lebara to Lebara calls (SA-WEET!!!) and had a different price for UK minutes.

One more question for you folks...looking further into ebay...some sellers are offering multi-pack SIMs for dirt cheap - for example: http://cgi.ebay.com/10-sim-cards-of-...3286.m63.l1177

How can they do that?!? Are the terms/tariffs (see I'm larning British) the same as the mfg websites?!?

Basically a lebara sim pack is a lebara sim pack...whether you buy it on ebay or directly from the company or a phone store..you get the tariffs that exist when the card is activated so if lebara is advertising free lebara to lebara for sim packs it sells almost surely the same is true for the sim packs sold on ebay. I know I order a vodafone UK one as soon as the revised passport tariffs came out...got it put it in the phone...checked on the web...have £1 credit as advertised and will wait till I arrive in the UK to free sms them for passport.

Most of the phone stores in the UK require a top up of either 5 or 10 quid with their "free" sim cards (although in most cases you will be using the credit anyway).....

xyz123, You should be able to add passport from here (via your online account) if you want.