Last days of Giffgaff??

Herongull

Giffgaff used to be an innovative mobile company with an interesting business model (users get payback for answering others queries, thereby reducing customer support costs). This enabled them to have the cheapest rates, and at one stage I think everyone got free data (but no longer).

Now:

They have reputation for service outages.

Payback has become a joke. If people have a query, they get about 30 answers, half of which are copied from someone else's answer (which not be right as that person was guessing) and the other half tells them to ask an agent. This is because to get any significant payment people have to give a huge number of answers and so those seeking payback have an incentive to churn out lots of junk.

And the rates are way uncompetitive:

Light Users
Talk Home Mobile, White Mobile and Ovivo are far better cheaper.

Medium Users
Talk Home Mobile and Ovivo are far cheaper.

Heavy Users
There are sim only deals from three and Virgin that are either cheaper for a similar number of minutes, texts, data or else give more minutes, texts, and data for the same price.

Even Giffgaff's once big selling point: free calls and texts within network is also available from rivals such as Ovivo, White Mobile, Icard Mobile, Talk Home Mobile and Now Mobile.

Despite this Giffgaff doesn't even seem to trying to compete or innovate.

Given most of its target customer base would have students, people on modest incomes, and the thrifty, are its days numbered now?

Buzby

Of the 'networks' you mention, they are all MVNO's (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) so need the technology of another (senior) partner in order to provide the advertised service - a 'front' if you like.

Any innovation they can offer can only be on price, as they have no ability to do anything else, bearing in mind they have to work within the constraints of the physical network they signed up to.

The outages multiply too - assuming the actual network being used is up and working (not their responsibility) there can be issues with their links to this network, authentication, billing and a myriad of issues that can knock their customers off, whilst those on the core network are unaffected.

Let's assume O2 has (another) major technical issue that affects connectivity. It is a given than GiffGaff will be off too, but you are fooling yourself if you believe any MVNO will be reconnected ahead of that network's own customers.

So it makes sense to realise that MVNO's are a useful revenue stream to a network but nothing more than this, and for those that prize reliability over cost the answer is clear.

I always believe dealing with the organ grinder is preferable than doing the same with a monkey.......

Herongull

What you say is true, but it misses my main point. I'll try to restate it more clearly.

AFAIK Giffgaff is also an MVNO.

It seems to have become a very uncompetitive MVNO compared with rival MVNOs.

People who are price sensitive, interested in value for money, and thrifty tend to use MVNOs.

So how long can an uncompetitive MVNO last?

[Deleted User]

I'm with Giffgaff... can't say i've heard of 'White Mobile' ever.. also, i don't fancy needing to download an app and getting advertising with Ovivo

Giffgaff isn't dead yet

Silk

ringo_24601 wrote: »

I'm with Giffgaff... can't say i've heard of 'White Mobile' ever.. also, i don't fancy needing to download an app and getting advertising with Ovivo

Giffgaff isn't dead yet

You don't get any advertising on Ovivo or download an app ...all you get is an email once a week sent to your registered email address with offers etc which don't have to read

sillygoose

Well GiffGaff seems to have survived a while, I do think by the way Ovivo has had to chop and change its going to die sooner rather than later.

With deals its a matter of how well it fits your needs, as soon as what is included doesn't then the competitiveness quickly goes out the windows.

Although its now really £12 a month I still find its the best option:

250 minutes is enough to take virtually all the burden off the landline account so that now just costs line rental. (a necessary evil)

Unlimited texts - not too bothered but several hundred can tot up a month.

Unlimited internet - Great as mobile data is left constantly on, phone checks and collects multiple email accounts every 15 minutes numerous other uses - monthly use anything from 200mb to 650mb
BUT the intrinsic safety net has value too, anything goes wrong causing massive data use and worse case I get cut or told to behave. What I don't get is a £800 bill and have to start a thread on here asking how I can get out of it.

To date I have not used any of my initial credit, the 'goody bag' has always covered it all.

Not had any real billing or account issues, had one big network outage that happened and was exactly the same length and issue as our expensive corporate contract O2 phones (of course) so no worse.

Herongull

ringo_24601 wrote: »

I'm with Giffgaff... can't say i've heard of 'White Mobile' ever.. also, i don't fancy needing to download an app and getting advertising with Ovivo

Giffgaff isn't dead yet

Huh??? There is no need to download an app with Ovivo?? And the only advertising is on their website, plus a few emails a week (which you can always filter straight to waste bin if you don't want them).

[Deleted User]

Well, as someone on the £10 giffgaff tarrif (I wanted tethering.. you get 250mins, unlimited SMS, 1GB data), I looked at Ovivo and figured out i'd need to spend £15-20 to match the deal I get (since I'd need additional SMS and data).

I'm not sure why I'd be leaving giffgaff based on that

Herongull

sillygoose wrote: »

Well GiffGaff seems to have survived a while, I do think by the way Ovivo has had to chop and change its going to die sooner rather than later.

With deals its a matter of how well it fits your needs, as soon as what is included doesn't then the competitiveness quickly goes out the windows.

Although its now really £12 a month I still find its the best option:

250 minutes is enough to take virtually all the burden off the landline account so that now just costs line rental. (a necessary evil)

Unlimited texts - not too bothered but several hundred can tot up a month.

Unlimited internet - Great as mobile data is left constantly on, phone checks and collects multiple email accounts every 15 minutes numerous other uses - monthly use anything from 200mb to 650mb
BUT the intrinsic safety net has value too, anything goes wrong causing massive data use and worse case I get cut or told to behave. What I don't get is a £800 bill and have to start a thread on here asking how I can get out of it.

To date I have not used any of my initial credit, the 'goody bag' has always covered it all.

Not had any real billing or account issues, had one big network outage that happened and was exactly the same length and issue as our expensive corporate contract O2 phones (of course) so no worse.

You get much more than that (other than the big data allowance which you don't need if you use your home wifi) for £5 with other MVNOs.

Giffgaff only works if you are not price/value sensitive, but their customer base was targeted at people wanting value for money.

LouLou

I think GiffGaff are doing just fine...unless the OP knows something I don't.

The issues with the Community (ie, the hopeless replies you get on there) are well-known. You can fight back by hitting the Report button on each stupid response you get..not sure what happens, but I think the worst offenders can lose Payback/get a warning. Not sure, though.

Recently I asked a question about a Huawei G300, and someone replied, "I think it's an Android phone, I'm not sure though...!"...Okay, so why bother replying? If you're on the internet it would take literally seconds to check that. And he didn't even answer my question.

I've had a few problems in recent months activating a new account (for my sister)..apparently they were sending out "unprovisioned SIMs" but getting an accurate answer proved nigh on impossible. Then it took a further few days to even top-up my poor sister's phone due to other "gremlins".

A few weeks later, I got a replacement SIM for myself (same number, account details) as I needed a MicroSIM and THAT was another unprovisioned SIM and it wouldn't allow me to top-up with a voucher. Was without any mobile phone service for nearly 3 weeks...asking and pleading for help, stupid replies from Agents, going round in circles. Very, very frustrating getting "Ask Agent" replies x100 when you just want to ruddy use your phone! One Agent asked me if I'd used the voucher already (OK, they do have to check, but what a dumb question..and it kills another 24 hours before you can respond to them).

One Agent even sent me a copy/pasted blurb telling me how to top-up. I know this already as I've been with them for two years.

They really could do with a Live Chat service; all this 24 hours waiting for each reply is absolutely dreadful.

I made an official complaint and barely got an apology.

Only with them because they're so cheap...

sillygoose

Herongull wrote: »

You get much more than that (other than the big data allowance which you don't need if you use your home wifi) for £5 with other MVNOs.

Giffgaff only works if you are not price/value sensitive, but their customer base was targeted at people wanting value for money.

I think your missing my point slightly in that I want 250 minutes, I want unlimited texts and unlimited internet is essential - so for my requirements I have not seen anyone better than £10 (OK now £12) all in, with as good as guaranteed no chance of any other charges - unless I left the phone on all night dialled into the speaking clock!

I do need to use plenty of mobile data, if I am in reach of home wifi I use a computer not a phone to do things, its better at it.

All I am saying is you can't knock GiffGaff for value as sure you can get other deals for £5 but if it doesn't cover all the same (required) bases its irrelevant.

Show me something with 200+ minutes, unlimited text and data and a strong HSDPA signal around here cheaper and I would certainly look at it!!