Advice on best mobile 'pay as you go' deal please.

KTP_2

Hi. Can anyone advise me please. I have a mobile phone for emergencies only and previously was only required to make a call/text once a year in order to stay connected with Vodaphone. I recently went to send a xmas text and found I had been suspended. When I rang up (on landline) I was told that I am now expected to top up at least once every three months in order to stay connected. At a minimum cost of £5 per top-up that's £20 to spend each year on a phone that I use very very occasionally. I am not prepared to spend this but I recognise the need for a mobile as I have two young children and we are often out and about in areas with no access to telephone boxes etc. Can anyone advise me of a better deal? I literally want to spend only £5 per year in order to have the use of a service should I need it. The lady at Vodaphone could only advise me to use the phone more but this is not possible as I am extremely anti-social!

elsien

Have a look at Asda mobile - I'm not sure about how long the credit lasts for, you'd need to check with them, but I can't find anything in the blurb saying there's any limits. They're cheap. And they use the vodafone network, so you shouldn't need to unlock your phone.

Edit - just found this in the t and c's re suspension/disconnection, so you'll need to make occasional calls.

(c) if you choose not to use the Services for a continuous period of 180 days (‘use the Services’ means (i) making any chargeable outbound calls (excluding calls to 2732, see Price Plan for prices), or (ii) any topping up of your account)

Doesn't say you have to top up regularly though, just make the odd call.

anonymousie

Got my parents on IKEA mobile and no top ups needed as a regular thing, they also email me when they need to make a chargeable call to keep the account "live" (as I "own" the accounts- they are very old and even topping up is something they get me to do!).

t0rt0ise

I recently changed to Tesco who use O2. They have a lite deal that they don't advertise widely but it is there if you ask and it's cheap.

jb66

elsien wrote: »

Have a look at Asda mobile - I'm not sure about how long the credit lasts for, you'd need to check with them, but I can't find anything in the blurb saying there's any limits. They're cheap. And they use the vodafone network, so you shouldn't need to unlock your phone.

Edit - just found this in the t and c's re suspension/disconnection, so you'll need to make occasional calls.

(c) if you choose not to use the Services for a continuous period of 180 days (‘use the Services’ means (i) making any chargeable outbound calls (excluding calls to 2732, see Price Plan for prices), or (ii) any topping up of your account)

Doesn't say you have to top up regularly though, just make the odd call.

the phone would still have to be unlocked as asda will have a diffrent network Id

elsien

I didn't need to unlock when I changed from vodafone to asda.

KTP_2

Hi to everyone who responded to my plea! Thank-you for your advice. I will check out your suggestions and let you know!

jrawle

elsien wrote: »

(c) if you choose not to use the Services for a continuous period of 180 days (‘use the Services’ means (i) making any chargeable outbound calls (excluding calls to 2732, see Price Plan for prices), or (ii) any topping up of your account)

But then on the Topping Up page it says:
Credit does not expire as long as a chargeable event is made within 3 months.

http://www.asdamobile.com/help/topping_up.html

So 3 months or 6 months? I might contact them to find out. In fact, the "Price Plan" the T&Cs keep referring to seems to be missing now. I'm sure there was more information on the website when I looked around Christmas, but it's been rearranged recently so that some links from Google are broken.

I am about to switch from Virgin from ASDA because it seems to be cheaper all round. Plus I occasionally use GPRS to look up train times etc. and Virgin's 30p per day doesn't suit the few KBs' use I need. I've ordered my 50p SIM and will transfer my number when it arrives.Virgin require activity every six months. But sending an extra 4p text every three months will hardly break the bank. The only thing missing from ADSA is online itemised calls, but I think I can live without that for the handful of calls I make per year!