Good, cheap basic phone/package?

cashferret

My sister currently has a contract with the “3” mobile phone company which she’s had for 3 years. She now needs a new phone and new contract. She will want to keep all her old numbers and transfer the Sim card. Any suggestions who has got a good contract and decent basic phone with no trimmings?

grumbler

Your question makes no sense because obviously their is no such thing as "good contact" that fits everyone's needs.
The same applies to a "decent basic" phone. Very basic and very decent PAYG phones cost just a few pounds plus £10 topup.

MarkBargain

It's a broad question. Probably best to buy a SIM-only contract for £10-a-month or under, then get buy a basic PAYG handset on the same network to go with it. It really depends what her needs are in terms of minutes, texts and internet.

cashferret

Hi Grumbler and Markbargain - yes, I suppose it is a bit of a broad question! But neither of us know anything really about phones or contracts. My sister wants a phone just to make phone calls and texts, not to use the internet or to have a cameraphone or any other extra feature like that.

She is maybe on the phone 90 minutes/week tops and makes 20 texts/week at the most.

So would she get on the phone to 3 and ask for a SIM only contract? And how would she get a PAYG handset on the same network to go with it? Is that a matter of asking 3 for one, or going into any phone shop, or into a 3 shop?

Sorry if this is basic - we really don't know anything and she's been stuck with a near-dead phone that won't hold charge for over a year because we don't know how to do this!

MarkBargain

cashferret wrote: »

Hi Grumbler and Markbargain - yes, I suppose it is a bit of a broad question! But neither of us know anything really about phones or contracts. My sister wants a phone just to make phone calls and texts, not to use the internet or to have a cameraphone or any other extra feature like that.

She is maybe on the phone 90 minutes/week tops and makes 20 texts/week at the most.

So would she get on the phone to 3 and ask for a SIM only contract? And how would she get a PAYG handset on the same network to go with it? Is that a matter of asking 3 for one, or going into any phone shop, or into a 3 shop?

Sorry if this is basic - we really don't know anything and she's been stuck with a near-dead phone that won't hold charge for over a year because we don't know how to do this!

90 minutes a week is a fair amount, so she's need an allowance of around 500 to be comfortable.

Three will offer 600 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet for £15-a-month on a 12-month contract, but there are cheaper deals elsewhere.

T-Mobile sometimes offer 600 minutes, 500 texts and 0.5GB internet for £7.50-a-month, that is a promotion that sometimes comes up. This currently costs £10-a-month I believe on a 12-month contract, see www.chitterchatter.co.uk/simonly.php I suspect that is the best deal available currently, unless anyone can beat it?

As for the handset, just go into the Carphone Warehouse or somewhere like that and buy a T-Mobile PAYG handset that suits. That will work with SIM-only too.

jhp

Talk Mobile works over Vodafone does for £12 a month but only a one month contract.

500 minutes
Unlimited texts (Subject to Fair Use Policy )
500MB mobile internet data included

http://www.talkmobile.co.uk/simple.html

Sim will work in a Vodafone Payg or unlocked phone.

erdd2

Due to the structure of my home, it is difficult to get a good signal with with many phones and providers. I bought the most basic nokia for £8.99, it is open to all networks, is very basic but has a great signal.

Virgin are offering good deals at the moment for customers that have other services with them

cashferret

Thanks, MarkBargain, jhp and erdd2 - those £10-ish a month deals sound particularly good and that's interesting about that nokia - my sister lives out in the country and it's hard to get a good signal there.

Thank you all for your help!

macman

cashferret wrote: »

Hi Grumbler and Markbargain - yes, I suppose it is a bit of a broad question! But neither of us know anything really about phones or contracts. My sister wants a phone just to make phone calls and texts, not to use the internet or to have a cameraphone or any other extra feature like that.

She is maybe on the phone 90 minutes/week tops and makes 20 texts/week at the most.

So would she get on the phone to 3 and ask for a SIM only contract? And how would she get a PAYG handset on the same network to go with it? Is that a matter of asking 3 for one, or going into any phone shop, or into a 3 shop?

Sorry if this is basic - we really don't know anything and she's been stuck with a near-dead phone that won't hold charge for over a year because we don't know how to do this!

So why don't you just pop in a new battery and then get a SIM-free deal? The phone is already quite adequate for what she needs, why get yourself into a new contract just to downgrade the phone?

cashferret

Hi macman - the phone also gets very hot after she has been using it for a short while so it's defective not just in terms of the battery.

I was thinking, after reading the thread, that she could get a basic Nokia for £8.99 like errd2 suggests, and sort the contract out separately.

macman

Sounds like the battery is short circuiting, have you tried changing it?-they're about a fiver on your local market stall.
Can't believe you've had it with that problem for a year without addressing it.