Three PAYG price increases

[stevesuk]

I'm a fairly light user of mobile data - and I've been on PAYG with Three for years, on the tariff which is 3p a minute, 2p a text and 1p per MB of data.

Just got a text this morning to say they're increasing their prices - which is fair enough. But then I looked, and it basically equates to a 400% increase on the cost of sending a text or using data (will be 10p per minute, 10p per text and 5p per MB of data) - which I think is pretty unreasonable.

It's the 400% increase in the cost of data that bothers me, because with WhatsApp etc., that's my main use of the SIM when out the house and away from WiFi.

Anyone with experience of https://www.1pmobile.com/ - which seems to offer 1p a minute, 1p a text and 1p a MB (using EE's network) - or indeed other recommendations for decent value PAYG (in particular for data)? It may be that even at 5p per MB, Three is still decent value - but it never hurts to look around.

Thanks!

[The Hofff]

Yes I saw that message and wasnt impressed.

However, based on my usage (£2/3 a month) it wont make much difference as I'm mostly on our wifi, additionally Three are the only one that allow wifi calling on PAYG, which I need in our house, so stuck with them really.

[RizzoTheRat]

Vodafone charge what looks like quite a lot, but it's capped at one pound per day, great if you don't use it much but on the odd day you do you use a lot of data, but not good if you use a little bit every day.

How much do you actually use in a month? Some SIM only contracts are relatively cheap, eg TalkMobile is a fiver/month for 250MB or seven quid for 3GB

[stevesuk]

Yes, it may well be that for my usage, its still the best deal - I top up very rarely (probably £5 every 2 or 3 months).

Just miffed about the size of the increase. 400% in a single hit is almost extortionate - I guess with it being PAYG with no contracts involved, there's nothing to stop them doing it though.

[James_N]

Does anyone know if this applies to the data reward sim as well?

I have the data reward sim (gives you 200mg free every month - no top up needed), which is enough for me, as i'm on WiFi most of the time too (at work and at home etc) so need very little in the way of allowances. I probably spend 30p a month.

I only ask as i have had no text yet.

[droopsnoot]

Oh, that's annoying. I'm on the same tariff, haven't had the text yet but that's probably because the phone is off. I hardly use it, and Three were by far the cheapest PAYG provider last time I checked.

[stevesuk]

James_N said:

Does anyone know if this applies to the data reward sim as well?

I have the data reward sim (gives you 200mg free every month - no top up needed), which is enough for me, as i'm on WiFi most of the time too (at work and at home etc) so need very little in the way of allowances. I probably spend 30p a month.

I only ask as i have had no text yet.

Yes, my son has that SIM - and we basically never have top it up So I hope that's continuing.

Edit: The terms & conditions for the Data Reward SIM state:

Usage in excess of the 200MB free data each month will be charged at our standard rates (3p per minute voice calls, 2p per text, and 1p per MB) www.three.co.uk/Store/Pay_As_You_Go_Price_Plans. These rates may change in the future

So I guess the cost will be increasing to the new 10/10/5 tariff, but you still get the free 200Mb per month of data? (now worth £10 a month)

Thinking of ordering one myself - do we think you can port a number between two Three accounts?

Edited by stevesuk on Tuesday 12th January 12:28

[James_N]

It does seem like the increase will hit the data reward sims too. Shame as a £2 topup would last me a good while, although it’s not lasted me as long during these times but at least it was still cheap!

I’ll be off to 1p mobile and will probably just turn mobile data off apart from WhatsApp which I’m sure won’t use much

[droopsnoot]

Worth noting that 1p mobile require a £10 topup every 120 days. For most people that won't be an issue, of course.

[stevesuk]

They must have spent all day on Twitter copying and pasting the same stock reply to irritated customers "this is the first increase in many years for these customers". According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, the only way you could justify a 400% increase using that phrase, would be if you last changed prices in 1980

I'm trying, but failing, to find out if credit bought before today's announcement will still be subject to the current 3p/2p/1p tariff. Or whether on 16 February, your existing credit is suddenly worth a lot less.

But a digression... Clearly customers like me who only spend a small amount each month are not the kind of customer they're looking to keep. The 400% increase is to encourage us to move elsewhere I suspect.

droopsnoot said:

Worth noting that 1p mobile require a £10 topup every 120 days. For most people that won't be an issue, of course.

Yes, I noticed that. So basically its a minimum of roughly £2.50 per month.

Other than that, it looks good. European roaming at the same rates, UK customer support etc.

But just wondered if anyone on here actually uses them?

edit: good reviews on Trustpilot

Edited by stevesuk on Tuesday 12th January 20:23

[James_N]

droopsnoot said:

Worth noting that 1p mobile require a £10 topup every 120 days. For most people that won't be an issue, of course.

You can also pay £30 initial topup and that lasts you all year. No having to worry about the 120 days thing!

[James_N]

Alternatively, has anyone tried China Mobile? Whilst I don't need all of the overseas malarkey, you can't argue with the price of their trial pack at £1 a month. This would be absolutely fine for my usage but wondered what others thought?

/edit - also runs on EE. Can't imagine customer service or trying to get hold of anyone is easy at all, but at that price, might be OK

Edited by James_N on Wednesday 13th January 08:37

[stevesuk]

James_N said:

Alternatively, has anyone tried China Mobile?

China Mobile SIM in a Huawei phone - I'd be getting a visit from MI5

[droopsnoot]

James_N said:

You can also pay £30 initial topup and that lasts you all year. No having to worry about the 120 days thing!

Cheers, I did see that - not significantly cheaper but as you say, saves remembering to top up.

Looks like I'll have to get used to paying a bit more for my mobile. Irritating, as it's not that long since I switched *to* Three to get the costs down. Time to have a look around again I think.

[James_N]

I am tempted by China mobile, although you have to consent to the data you provide going to their HQ in China but £1 a month would do me just fine and works out cheaper than 1p mobile (for my useage at least)

[ReverendCounter]

James_N said:

I am tempted by China mobile, although you have to consent to the data you provide going to their HQ in China

You've GOT to be kidding.

[bitchstewie]

Funnily enough I just got a text notifying me of this and came here to moan

Where else is competitive for data?

[liner33]

I was with 1p mobile for years for my emergency phone but for what you actually get I'm not sure its that good. A few of the big names will do unlimited texts and calls for £5 pm with data allowance

[stevesuk]

One possible answer for me, is to put a Three free data reward SIMs (assuming it's still going to offer 200Mb of free data per month) in to my dual SIM phone, and tell the phone to use that for mobile data - keeping the other SIM (with my personal mobile number) for the occasional call or text.

With my usage, I reckon that will pretty much even out things for a while until I decide what to do.

Edited by stevesuk on Thursday 14th January 15:22

[Donbot]

Bugger. I'm not on 3 but using the same tariff with o2 classic. I'm guessing that's going to go the same way soon as they wont offer it to new customers.