Mobile Networks

I'm thinking of moving from EE to Tesco/O2 be interested in hearing comments from anyone using these networks !

Cheers

H

Dunno about them but I've been using Giffgaff for about 3 years and they seem to be unbeatable for cost and service. They are actually O2 as well. I use unlimited data, calls and text (£20/ mo) but they also do low usage plans from £5. You can change your plan each month and there's no contract.

Murray

Tesco are ok, nothing fabby. You get that treble top up deal with PAYG which is ok

If you want a "good deal" you may have to go to a direct debit system

I got that Virgin mobile one at the start of the year which is great for data (60GB for 18 quid a month) but if you do a lot of phonecalls you would deffo need a different package

Virgin use EE btw and I've found their mobile net very reliable

Edited By Ady1 on 30/04/2018 22:09:48

Does anybody still do a real Pay As You Go?My PAYG EE (originally Orange) phone was very simple - buy credit, use it up (slowly in my case), top it up when it's close to running out. I've been very happy with it.

Unfortunately I lost it last week and had to buy another. It was sold to me as PAYG but it's not. It's 'Pay us some money and we'll credit you with far more minutes, texts etc. than you can use, and any you don't use in thirty days are lost. Then you have to pay us again every 30 days for another lot, or the phone becomes a doorstop'.

This seems at best a rip-off, and at worst fraudulent. So I repeat, does anybody do a real PAYG?

George

I'm with O2 (Contract) and have no problems ... my wife is on PAYG with O2 (Classic PAYG Tariff) which is a standard real PAYG

Dave

My wife & I are both with Virgin mobile, she is on PAYG & I'm on monthly, My wife pays on average £6.00 per mo. & I'm on approx' £8.00 per month, both of us have 500 min' & 500 free texts per month carried over to the next month so can't complain.

George.

does anybody do a real PAYG?

Tesco do them, the free credit lasts 30 days but the top up lasts at least a year (maybe more)

I quit O2 because their PAYG was a bit of a rape job for me, in 3 years of use I think I got a 1 pound "bonus"

Edited By Ady1 on 01/05/2018 00:49:43

Does anybody still do a real Pay As You Go?

Yes - I use Virgin for both landline, internet, TV & mobile. As a landline user, they have a lower rate for PAYG (8p/min & 8p texts, with free Virgin - Virgin calls & texts). I top up £20 every 18-24 months (no time limits).

I did have a data only contract tablet with EE. It worked reliably enough in the UK, but was useless abroad. Getting EE to cancel the contract at the end of the signed-up period was made especially difficult by EE & I would not choose to use them again. Currently have a pre-paid 3 data only Sim for the tablet - £27 (IIRC) for 24Gb over 2 years & works equally well home or abroad.

Nigel B

I think the answer is yes - if you still have your old PAYG phone / sim card.

The latest is you pay monthly use it or not.

If you do not use the phone much then there are cheap deals of £5 to £8 /pm giving enough data, texts and calls to keep a low user satisfied.

J

I agree with Muzzer, I had a Samsung phone on 02 Contract and got a new SIM Card from their subsidiary, Giffgaff. Didn't need to get phone unlocked as Giffgaff piggy backs 02. Very satisfied with the "goodybags" monthly choice different amounts of data/calls/txts for various costs. Can set chosen amount as recurring so don't forget to top up.

John

GiffGaff says their airtime credit never expires but you must use the phone at least once every six months to keep the number active. If you let the number go inactive then you loose all credit. Requirement for at least one call / text in a given period seems to have always been normal for PAYG. My first one was once every 6 weeks, some were once a month ion those days.

Like Murray and John I find that GiffGaff works fine for me. Got a new Apple iPhone SE off them for a very attractive price a month or so back when I was forced to admit that my faithful iPhone 4 on iOS 7 was obsolete. ApplePay and the Waitrose self scan app are nice!

Slightly off topic but if you have a BT phone line the Smart-Talk app lets you use your mobile at home on you standard calling plan just like a normal phone. Cheaper. Something I do fairly often as a mobile is better at the call record keeping business than an ordinary DECT wander phone or handset. Now if only they'd figure out how to make mobile pick up a DECT signal directly.

Clive.

Edited By Clive Foster on 01/05/2018 10:01:35

Something to be aware of if changing to a network that piggybacks to EE etc, you may not get WiFi calling, very usefull in areas of poor coverage.

We are in a dip that the signal goes over since they consolidated ( removed) the masts near us.

Gif gaf etc are cheaper in some cases, but lack of signal for us at home is the decider for using EE.

I am on PAYG with O2 and have my own SIM-free Android phone but because I use data I buy a £10 bundle every month.

I live in Cumbria and the only good way IMHO to choose an operator is to find one that provides the best coverage for the services you want in the areas you live and work in.

There are only 4 real operators in the UK - EE, 3, Vodafone and O2. Every other seller piggy-backs on one of these. See **LINK**

HTH

Jon

Thanks for the comments everyone

H

Point of detail, recent change: EE are now BT. I doubt it will make much difference at least in the short term.

It's a fair cop although they're still trading under the EE banner and the original owners are still involved. Deutsche Telekom now owns 12% of BT and Orange owns 4% of BT after the trade.

Tesco do a useful feature that many others don't - a spending cap. So if you are on a monthly contract you can set say a £5 extra charges limit, and it won't let you go over that (you can disable it of course if e.g. in an emergency abroad). Good for peace of mind that you won't be hit by a huge unintended bill.