free sim card - ok for just recieving calls?

andy223

hi all

I need a mobile just for emergencies and i wouldnt use a contract as ive got a work phone.

The free sim cards do they work forever for recieving calls even if you dont put credit on them?

Wintermute

I'm far from an expert when it comes to PAYG, but from the time that I had a PAYG SIM I'm pretty sure you always have to top up an initial amount to activate the SIM, probably about a tenner and the credit generally expires after a set period of time (sometimes about a year) so you could probably get away with paying a tenner or so a year.

lozzaman

o2 requires an initial top up to work. I don't think any of the other networks do.

NFH

Orange PAYG SIM cards last forever as long as you make or receive a call at least once every 6 months (or top up). Since making a call with no credit is quite hard, it's easier to receive a call. I'm guessing that Orange's rationale is that they receive interconnection charges on received calls, so it's good enough for them to keep the SIM alive. I believe all other networks require you to make a call or top up every 6 months, so Orange is the winner on this. Whatever you go for, check the T&Cs carefully as things could have changed since I last checked.

Andy7856

Vodafone used to give you free credit (£1). Make a incoming call to activate the SIM then send a 10p text every 6 months to keep the line open. Basically the free £1 will give you 5 years of service. Vodafone also offer £5 top up (most start at £10), that way you could in theory put on a very tiny amount for emergency use where you cant use your work phone (eg coverage/lost phone/want to turn off your work phone).

G_M

Asda SIM costs £5 but comes with £10 credit. Calls (when you make them) pretty cheap at 8p (texts 5p).

Note:
"3.1 We can suspend (i.e. bar) or terminate the provision of the Services .......
(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 "

colinicky

G_M wrote: »

Asda SIM costs £5 but comes with £10 credit. Calls (when you make them) pretty cheap at 8p (texts 5p).

Whos network do Asda use ?

G_M

colinicky wrote: »

Whos network do Asda use ?

"
To make sure ASDA Mobile customers get great coverage wherever they are we've teamed up with Vodafone, our network partner. Their extensive network covers 99% of the UK population and is available in over 180 countries worldwide."

Andy7856

Just to clarify: ASDA texts cost 4p not 5p, (every little helps...) I use ASDA its a cheap and cheerful network as i find VF slightly better coverage in rural areas round Yorkshire, never need to really use customer service. When i bought my SIM and used the £5 credit up, when my old number had been transferred over to the new SIM they depleted credit was fully restored to the full £5

Guys_Dad

Andy7856 wrote: »

Just to clarify: ASDA texts cost 4p not 5p, (every little helps...) I use ASDA its a cheap and cheerful network as i find VF slightly better coverage in rural areas round Yorkshire, never need to really use customer service. When i bought my SIM and used the £5 credit up, when my old number had been transferred over to the new SIM they depleted credit was fully restored to the full £5

I had an ASDA sim for 3 months during atransfer over from my firm's phone to another one as I wanted to keep my number and I wasn't sure which network to go on.

I found them very good as far as customer service went, but I did find my credit seemed to run down very quickly.

Never got to the bottom of it. I suspected minimum call costs to mobiles were the problem (didn't use data).

Anyway, found it cheaper for my use to go to sim-only.

I was impressed, however, when I saw a recent link to the POST OFFICE network. £2 per month for no free minutes or texts, but cheap calls and texts.

G_M

Guys_Dad wrote: »

I was impressed, however, when I saw a recent link to the POST OFFICE network. £2 per month for no free minutes or texts, but cheap calls and texts.

Link? Google doesn't find it.