Discussion
For years I've had a PAYG account with Tesco Mobile and it worked fine. £10 lasts me about a year, maybe more
But now Tesco are changing it to 'Essentials', which is basically a cheap contract for £2.50pcm. That would be OK, except it uses 'Volte' which my phone (Nokia CO2) can't do.
I've googled for PAYG deals but am getting nowhere; everything is a 'bundle' which means paying for something I'll hardly use. Don't want to pay £60 a year for something that stays switched off in a cupboard; I hate mobile phones and resent paying anything for them!
What are my options for mobile telephony?
But now Tesco are changing it to 'Essentials', which is basically a cheap contract for £2.50pcm. That would be OK, except it uses 'Volte' which my phone (Nokia CO2) can't do.
I've googled for PAYG deals but am getting nowhere; everything is a 'bundle' which means paying for something I'll hardly use. Don't want to pay £60 a year for something that stays switched off in a cupboard; I hate mobile phones and resent paying anything for them!
What are my options for mobile telephony?
The0perator said:
You need a 2g operator then?
3 do a payg sim I don't think thats £60 a year just a topup every so often. The deals on lebrana are amazing at times with no commitment but a monthly charge of mayb £2 for 9 months then up higher....
3G is being turned off so I doubt anything works on 2G.3 do a payg sim I don't think thats £60 a year just a topup every so often. The deals on lebrana are amazing at times with no commitment but a monthly charge of mayb £2 for 9 months then up higher....
I've looked at Lebara but can't see anything less than £5pcm.
So is PAYG dead? We're looking at maybe 10 minutes of calls and 10 texts a year, data only in extremis.
Or I get a new (more likely refurbished) handset than can do 'Volte' and stay with Tesco.
I use a giffgaff SIM in my burglar alarm. Works fine on 2G, credit doesn't expire as long as you do something (make a call, send a text) in 6 months.
2G has several more years as a fallback for 4G/5G but there won't be any data services like EDGE, just calls/texts. I suspect the virtual networks will be charged more for 2G calls too, hence being keen to get people on 4G and VoLTE.
The Tesco Mobile page says https://www.tescomobile.com/help/device-help/netwo...
What about the 2G network?
You'll still be able to make voice calls and send texts as you do now, however you will not be able to use the internet without a Wi-Fi connection and you may notice a decrease in clarity of your calls.
The 2G network will continue to play an important role in connecting emergency calls and supporting connected devices like smart meters.
All mobile network operators have agreed with the UK Government to switch off 2G by 2033.
2G has several more years as a fallback for 4G/5G but there won't be any data services like EDGE, just calls/texts. I suspect the virtual networks will be charged more for 2G calls too, hence being keen to get people on 4G and VoLTE.
The Tesco Mobile page says https://www.tescomobile.com/help/device-help/netwo...
What about the 2G network?
You'll still be able to make voice calls and send texts as you do now, however you will not be able to use the internet without a Wi-Fi connection and you may notice a decrease in clarity of your calls.
The 2G network will continue to play an important role in connecting emergency calls and supporting connected devices like smart meters.
All mobile network operators have agreed with the UK Government to switch off 2G by 2033.
Giffgaff certainly still do a PAYG sim. I have one in a spare phone.
The only usage requirement is that you do something with it every six months - make a call, send a text etc. As long as you do that the credit you have remains valid.
https://www.giffgaff.com/pricing
The only usage requirement is that you do something with it every six months - make a call, send a text etc. As long as you do that the credit you have remains valid.
https://www.giffgaff.com/pricing
Simpo Two said:
3G is being turned off so I doubt anything works on 2G.
I've looked at Lebara but can't see anything less than £5pcm.
So is PAYG dead? We're looking at maybe 10 minutes of calls and 10 texts a year, data only in extremis.
Or I get a new (more likely refurbished) handset than can do 'Volte' and stay with Tesco.
2G is very much alive and kicking.I've looked at Lebara but can't see anything less than £5pcm.
So is PAYG dead? We're looking at maybe 10 minutes of calls and 10 texts a year, data only in extremis.
Or I get a new (more likely refurbished) handset than can do 'Volte' and stay with Tesco.
It is used widespread for voice calls & text, emergency services, IoT and in many rural areas where 4g and 5g dont have a good signal
Mr E said:
Simpo Two said:
; I hate mobile phones and resent paying anything for them!
What are my options for mobile telephony?
With tongue firmly in cheek. To not?What are my options for mobile telephony?
You can get the odd special offer below that.
I got a deal on a second eSIM from Lyca for instance.
There are VoLTE phones pretty cheap, but I think in rural areas VoLTE only would be a poor service.
There are many areas where LTE (4G) coverage is poor to non existent.
If Tesco are shunting lots of their cheapskate customers onto 4G only, there will be tears when they get to Devon next Summer.
Back in the day, some people found foreign SIMs which were very cheap per month, but cost a fortune per call or text.
The big plus was that they would roam to any UK network.
https://www.rwgmobile.wales/rates-plans-eng-per/
scroll down for
Pay-as-you-go
You can use our service on a simple pay-as-you-go basis. Just top-up your account and charges will be deducted as and when you use it. Your credit will never expire.
VOICE: 5p min UK landline/mobile
SMS: 5p/SMS
scroll down for
Pay-as-you-go
You can use our service on a simple pay-as-you-go basis. Just top-up your account and charges will be deducted as and when you use it. Your credit will never expire.
VOICE: 5p min UK landline/mobile
SMS: 5p/SMS
MrBen.911 said:
Giffgaff certainly still do a PAYG sim. I have one in a spare phone.
The only usage requirement is that you do something with it every six months - make a call, send a text etc. As long as you do that the credit you have remains valid.
https://www.giffgaff.com/pricing
I have the same in a tablet. Bought the sim card last year at the co-op for 99p and stuck £10 on it, still have £7.50.The only usage requirement is that you do something with it every six months - make a call, send a text etc. As long as you do that the credit you have remains valid.
https://www.giffgaff.com/pricing
Simpo Two said:
For years I've had a PAYG account with Tesco Mobile and it worked fine. £10 lasts me about a year, maybe more
But now Tesco are changing it to 'Essentials', which is basically a cheap contract for £2.50pcm. That would be OK, except it uses 'Volte' which my phone (Nokia CO2) can't do.
I've googled for PAYG deals but am getting nowhere; everything is a 'bundle' which means paying for something I'll hardly use. Don't want to pay £60 a year for something that stays switched off in a cupboard; I hate mobile phones and resent paying anything for them!
What are my options for mobile telephony?
Looks like Tesco still go a PAYG Lite:But now Tesco are changing it to 'Essentials', which is basically a cheap contract for £2.50pcm. That would be OK, except it uses 'Volte' which my phone (Nokia CO2) can't do.
I've googled for PAYG deals but am getting nowhere; everything is a 'bundle' which means paying for something I'll hardly use. Don't want to pay £60 a year for something that stays switched off in a cupboard; I hate mobile phones and resent paying anything for them!
What are my options for mobile telephony?
https://www.tescomobile.com/help/usage-and-top-up/...
alangla said:
I thought forum orthodoxy on this was to get the O2 Classic Sim? A quick search on eBay shows they re still available for a whole 20p including postage. 3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB with the credit lasting forever as long as you use it occasionally.
This. My mother moved to this when three scrapped their similar plan a few years ago. Don’t think you get 5g on this but I don’t think that matter much to the kinds of users this is aimed at anyway. Still has the UK prices when roaming in Europe too. colin79666 said:
alangla said:
I thought forum orthodoxy on this was to get the O2 Classic Sim? A quick search on eBay shows they re still available for a whole 20p including postage. 3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB with the credit lasting forever as long as you use it occasionally.
This. My mother moved to this when three scrapped their similar plan a few years ago. Don t think you get 5g on this but I don t think that matter much to the kinds of users this is aimed at anyway. Still has the UK prices when roaming in Europe too. Thanks very much everyone for some useful ideas. Picking up on some...
If I get a new SIM can I keep my number? I'll also have a devil of a job moving contacts over as I know Android about as well as piloting a moon rocket...
Overnight I've been thinking that it might be unwise to get trapped into too much of a bargain basement deal. The phone needs to be better futureproofed than the frightful Nokia CO2 I currently have which uses Android Go and takes an age to do anything. I don't have the knowledge or inclination to scrabble around trying to rebuild a system every time one bit of it gets discontinued.
I think rather than trying to cope with 2G - and let's face it it might be handy to download a map once in a while - I'll pitch it the other way and go for 5G but in a budget handset - and perhaps go onto the Tesco Essentials tariff because it's simplest and customer service is good.
What do we think of this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FLL715NL
It's a bit like having a Ferrari for going a mile to the shops once a week - but frankly any modern smartphone would be! It's far too big, but they all are, and I will use about 2% of it, but it will hopefully not become defunct after a year or two.
So that would be £145 plus £2.50pcm which over three years - hopefully nothing will break before then - it's £235, or £78pa.
Somebody said:
https://www.rwgmobile.wales/rates-plans-eng-per/
scroll down for
Pay-as-you-go
You can use our service on a simple pay-as-you-go basis. Just top-up your account and charges will be deducted as and when you use it. Your credit will never expire.
VOICE: 5p min UK landline/mobile
SMS: 5p/SMS
Interesting; never heard of them but how established are they/likely to disappear?scroll down for
Pay-as-you-go
You can use our service on a simple pay-as-you-go basis. Just top-up your account and charges will be deducted as and when you use it. Your credit will never expire.
VOICE: 5p min UK landline/mobile
SMS: 5p/SMS
James_N said:
Looks like Tesco still go a PAYG Lite
That's the one I'm on, but it's disappearing at the end of the year when they close 3G. It's being replaced by Essentials.alangla said:
I thought forum orthodoxy on this was to get the O2 Classic Sim? A quick search on eBay shows they re still available for a whole 20p including postage. 3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB with the credit lasting forever as long as you use it occasionally.
I shall investigate!If I get a new SIM can I keep my number? I'll also have a devil of a job moving contacts over as I know Android about as well as piloting a moon rocket...
Overnight I've been thinking that it might be unwise to get trapped into too much of a bargain basement deal. The phone needs to be better futureproofed than the frightful Nokia CO2 I currently have which uses Android Go and takes an age to do anything. I don't have the knowledge or inclination to scrabble around trying to rebuild a system every time one bit of it gets discontinued.
I think rather than trying to cope with 2G - and let's face it it might be handy to download a map once in a while - I'll pitch it the other way and go for 5G but in a budget handset - and perhaps go onto the Tesco Essentials tariff because it's simplest and customer service is good.
What do we think of this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FLL715NL
It's a bit like having a Ferrari for going a mile to the shops once a week - but frankly any modern smartphone would be! It's far too big, but they all are, and I will use about 2% of it, but it will hopefully not become defunct after a year or two.
So that would be £145 plus £2.50pcm which over three years - hopefully nothing will break before then - it's £235, or £78pa.
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