Tesco Mobile - Any Good?

Wood.Justin

Hi Folks,

I'm debating on whether to move to Tesco Mobile on one of their sim only £7.50 per month 1 month rolling contracts. I know that they use the O2 signal which is quite good where I live so I have no concerns about coverage.

I was just curious as to if any of you guys had hands on experience with them either as a PAYG or Pay Monthly customer?

I'm only really interested in unlimited texts and a few minutes of talk time as all I do is text really.

Your thoughts are appreciated, many thanks in advance.

Note: Not changing networks/contract until the latter part of 2011 (Nov-11 ish).

Regards,
- Justin

david39

I've been with Tesco Mobile PAYG for three years and found them excellent. I haven't found anywhere where the phone did not get a signal other than in the usual type of place like in tunnels.

I only use the phone occasionally so a £10 top up lasts me weeks but somehow I've got onto a PAYG tarrif with them that once I do a £10 top-up they give me another £10 credit for free - but the credit has to be used within 30 days.

It seems to only work for the first top up each month, but all calls and texts come off the free credit first, leaving the £10 original top up intact until the freebie is used up or expired. I don't know how I got onto this tariff - I was pressing links on their website and suddenly got transferred to a page that told me that I would be receiving it from thereon. I find their Mobile website somewhat confusing so doubt I could duplicate it again.

Recently, my wife was in hospital for three weeks so I used a lot of texting. I topped up with £10 and got £20 free extra time - but it's only been £10 free since.

foxtrot_mike

I have been interested in this thread as I thought Tesco were given a lower priority on the network than 02 customers.

However I have been very interested in the network as Im looking for a 12 month contract, i like the 02 coverage too.

I was also looking at Vodafone but not sure whehter they are better or worse than Tesco.

snailsontour

I've replied to this on another thread I think - but basically I highly recommend Tesco as a service provider both for my iphone on a 12mth contact(due up in August) and also my husbands PAYG with the excellent top-up x3 credit.

Providing you aren't tied up with the whole brand image thing, then Tesco is brilliant:)

terriandaaron

my dd has a 7.50 contract sim only, she gets free sms and 600 minutes for this, never had any problems, once she went over her minutes and rather than billing me they just charged me the 2.50 to the next bracket fo that month for her minutes.

Esqui

foxtrot_mike wrote: »

I have been interested in this thread as I thought Tesco were given a lower priority on the network than 02 customers.

I asked the OH, as he works for Tesco Mobile. An hour of rambling explanation later, he says there's no priority in terms of when masts are at capacity. However, there's less data usage available for Tesco customers, and if there are network problems, o2 will tend to repair their stuff first.

foxtrot_mike

Can you port your number over to them with a PAC code?

Esqui

Yes, you can do that with any mobile provider

Edinburghlass_2

I took out their £10 a month rolling sim when it was 500 mins, unlimited texts and some data. Been very happy with it, never had any problems and their online account makes it easy to see how many minutes used and more importantly how many left in a month as I was down to 4 minutes last month!

coolesticeking

This priority stuff is a load of garbage - A lot of retention advisors seem to try and use this trick when you leave to make it feel that the new network you are moving to is far less superior than your current one.

There is part of the GSM spectrum which allows groups of allocated users to be able to cut off others if a mast is congested by entering a special code before a number, and is used a lot for emergency service personnel in other countries but not the UK.

As long as the phone mast you are connect to is not full with calls already your calls, texts, data etc will go through just like on any network.

If you use O2 for example now and move to Tesco Mobile the service in relation to signal quality should be the very same. It's only the prices etc that are different.

Audacious

I've been using the Tesco £10 500mb/500mins/3500txts (fair use limits) for a couple of months now... it's all good but I really am not getting close to my limit so I think I want to downgrade to giffgaff normal tariff, unless they offer it to me for less. Has anyone had any luck getting this price reduced or do they just hand over the PAC?