Which UK Pay As You Go Mobile Providers Let You Keep Your £10 Top Up?

MadeInMachines

I'm currently with Orange who apparently do let you keep £10 after your free stuff runs out at the end of the month. However that gets rapidly depleted with things like a whopping 65p per Mb data charge. Are there any other options that give you benefits each time you top up for a month (or more) and still allow you to use your £10 credit?

I thought giff gaff and tesco looked good and but then realised they might take your £10 so it's more like a contract. I'm don't know how you pay for things outside the free stuff?! Maybe you need to top up £20 - not sure.

In comparisons between mobile providers this factor seems to be overlooked even though it's possibly the most crucial!

Also which is the best network for UK rural areas? Are there any broadband wifi signal boosting options that work?

Thanks

grumbler

Get Ovivo sim with free 100+100+300Mb every month without any topups.

I am sure that there is no any best network for all rural areas. All networks claim to have 99% 2g coverage. '3', and EE have the best 3g coverage - 93%: http://ukmobilecoverage.co.uk/best.

For boosters see: Home Signal Boosters?

MadeInMachines

Wow that sounds too good to be true! That would effectively give me free phone usage as I don't really use any more than that. There tariffs for things not included are reasonable too - seems too good to be true! Are they reputable and reliable? Would be good if they had signal boost - do they?

Thanks

buglawton

Ovivo to Ovivo Calls and Texts will decrease your FREEDOM allowance, but are completely FREE of charge once your FREEDOM allowance is depleted. They do not decrease voice or text allowances in any Ovivo Packs you may have purchased in!addition!to your FREEDOM plan.

Duh?

grumbler

They use Vodafone network. Vodafone do offer boosters, but it isn't clear if it works with Vodafone virtual networks (like Ovivo) and whether they sell it to anyone:
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-accessories/vodafone-sure-signal
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-accessories/sure-signal?business=true

Ovivo New Network. 200 minutes 200 Texts Free indefinitely.

neil40

T-Mobile give 100 mins for topping up a tenner & you can keep your credit.
Ig you have an iphone, you can get internet for a year free too.

HappyMJ

MadeInMachines wrote: »

Wow that sounds too good to be true! That would effectively give me free phone usage as I don't really use any more than that. There tariffs for things not included are reasonable too - seems too good to be true! Are they reputable and reliable? Would be good if they had signal boost - do they?

Thanks

Reputable and reliable...well probably not but who cares it's free so use it while it lasts. I personally don't see the business model working forever so I can't say it's going to be reliable in the long term.

boliston

I'm pretty sure vodafone give you 500mb + texts if you top up by £10 per month and orange give you 500mb + texts if you top up by £15 per month.
I'm not sure if vodafone have a way of buying more data if you run out mid month (orange let you top up with an extra 500mb but that uses £7.50 of credit).
When I was with vodafone this was not a problem as I could only get 2g in quite a few places but orange/EE seems to have much more 3g in rural somerset so 500mb goes real fast, hence the need for extra data.

cally6008

Tesco triple your credit .. top up £10, receive £20 free credit .. and you use your free credit up first

MadeInMachines

Yeah tesco seem alright until you see they also have the whopping 60p per mb charge for internet - absolute scam! Still a lot better than orange as they charge 65p and don't give you 3x topup but can't see that extra credit lasting at all if you happen to use the internet on your phone. Genuinely horrific.

Quite tempted by Ovivo although the fact that they have 317 twitter followers doesn't inspire great confidence!

I did order a bunch of sim cards and vodaphone seemed to be better in my area in terms of signal for some reason. I'll check if they charge a reasonable internet rate.

Thats the most important for me really as once the free stuff is gone my credit depletes almost instantly on orange. Over £4 in less than one hour and I really did basically nothing on the internet except a few whatsapp messages. The way they work is means you are in essence under a virtual £10 a month contract - you just don't get a phone or hardly any free texts, calls or internet.

Herongull

Another one to consider is Talk Home Mobile.

For a £5 topup, you get hundreds of UK minutes and you keep the £5.

Particularly useful if you want to phone abroad, as you also get hundreds of free minutes to phone abroad. Looks good for people with friends or relatives abroad.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4331061