Value for money Pay as You Go sim cards
Discussion
Pay As You Go tariffs have a couple of methods to extract money: the 'monthly' top-up scheme where you 'only pay a fiver/tenner' every month, and lose unused credit, or the true PAYG schemes where you deposit funds or buy a top-up, which gets used at the going rate for calls, texts and data.
Some schemes like O2 roll-over unused allowances into the next month, and offer accruing discounts for top-ups.
The two cheapest *true* PAYG rates are Three's 3-2-1 at 3p a minute for calls, 2p for texts, and 1p per megabyte. This is matched by O2's PAYG Classic at the same rate. Both can be topped up with cash in supermarkets or online with a credit debit card.
Both charge for calls to retrieve voicemails, but voicemail can be disabled easily from the handset on O2, or by a call to customer services on Three. The handset will notify of missed calls, so voicemail is not as useful as it was.
Giff-Gaff works on a bonus paying referral scheme: but true PAYG rates are much higher than the two above at 15p per minute, 5p per text, and 5p per megabyte of data. ASDA PAYG rates are similar.
However: all of the above offer much better rates for buying a top-up pack ('Goody-bag' on Giff-Gaff) - at the risk of spending money for services you might not fully use. 'Out of pack' rates can be much higher if you use more than the monthly allowance.
EG: Tesco Mobile 'Rocket-Packs' offer 250 mb of data, 100 mins of calls, and 100 texts for £5 a month. On a 3-2-1 PAYG tariff, the same usage would be £13.50.
For a true low-usage tarriff, 3-2-1p is hard to beat, but for moderate use, a provider with cheap top-up packs will be more economical.
Choice of SIM will depend on the available signal in your area.
Some schemes like O2 roll-over unused allowances into the next month, and offer accruing discounts for top-ups.
The two cheapest *true* PAYG rates are Three's 3-2-1 at 3p a minute for calls, 2p for texts, and 1p per megabyte. This is matched by O2's PAYG Classic at the same rate. Both can be topped up with cash in supermarkets or online with a credit debit card.
Both charge for calls to retrieve voicemails, but voicemail can be disabled easily from the handset on O2, or by a call to customer services on Three. The handset will notify of missed calls, so voicemail is not as useful as it was.
Giff-Gaff works on a bonus paying referral scheme: but true PAYG rates are much higher than the two above at 15p per minute, 5p per text, and 5p per megabyte of data. ASDA PAYG rates are similar.
However: all of the above offer much better rates for buying a top-up pack ('Goody-bag' on Giff-Gaff) - at the risk of spending money for services you might not fully use. 'Out of pack' rates can be much higher if you use more than the monthly allowance.
EG: Tesco Mobile 'Rocket-Packs' offer 250 mb of data, 100 mins of calls, and 100 texts for £5 a month. On a 3-2-1 PAYG tariff, the same usage would be £13.50.
For a true low-usage tarriff, 3-2-1p is hard to beat, but for moderate use, a provider with cheap top-up packs will be more economical.
Choice of SIM will depend on the available signal in your area.
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hstewie said:
hstewie said: I've been on Three PAYG for a few years and find them excellent.
Stuff doesn't seem to expire.
Just watch roaming charges if you go outside the EU as it can be ruinous.
I'm on Three 3-2-1 PAYG, now coming up to ten years. Works well for me, as normally trapped at a desk with wifi and a VOIP deskphone. Stuff doesn't seem to expire.
Just watch roaming charges if you go outside the EU as it can be ruinous.
Three have a decent £10 add-on pack for their PAYG: 2GB data plus unlimited minutes and unlimited texts for £10 (lasts 30 days) from their web-page login, effectively unlimited calls and texts for £10 a month. Works well for 'busy' periods, as can then relapse into PAYG hermit mode when un-busy.
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