SIM Only for OAP that doesnt lose credit, light user - does it exist?

safemode

My folks have a mobile phone, basic LG (not a smartphone etc).
However, they keep saying to me every now and again that they never have credit in it. They are topping it up, but not regularly or frequently. As they are very light users of mobile phones.

I fear they are topping it up and never using it within 30 days?
So assume they are losing the topup.? I don't know what top-up they are getting other than its a vodafone SIM in the phone.

I myself have a work phone/contract the same one for last 6 years and never bother with mobile phone deals etc. So am in the dark as much as they are.

But they come to me asking for advice. :-/

I remember back years ago you could have a plain top up for your phone and not lose credit. In actual fact my dad just found and a real old phone in a drawer that has a vodafone SIM in it and reports it has £9 credit, he has never touched it in over 10 months he says.

So is this deal still around or is the standard to now only use it or lose it within 30 days. The small print on these things don't make it clear for the uneducated.

Can someone give me advice on whats available to them.

- Very light users. Only for emergencies. etc.
- Dont want 3G etc. Just basic calls and text (if they can even work that out)

Thanks for any guidance.

victor2

I don't think Vodafone credit expires, it's just the "extras" that only last 30 days. You just have to keep the number alive by using it for a quick call or text at least once every 90 days.
Not sure about the 90 days though, maybe somebody could clarify that.

chanz4

ovivomobile.com

Herongull

You need to make a call or text or use data every three months with Ovivo to keep the sim active, but calls, texts and data are all free (within your monthly allowance) so it is no hardship.

KxMx

You need to find out what tariff they are on, how much and often they are topping up and how much they use it. Also check they know how to look up their balance, and are they looking at 0 or a few £ which some think isn't enough.

Nan& Granddad both got high balances because they thought when they make a call they must get another top-up!

Once you are satisfied their story is correct, (sometimes with the older generation the technology know-how just isn't there, my grand parents went through I don't know how many Freeview TV's before we cottoned on that they were not "going wrong/no good" it was user error!)you can look around for basic PAYG tariffs.

I am on Tesco Lite (PAYG) and it's 4p texts and 8p calls, credit doesn't expire and I hardly ever have to top-up.

Wouldn't work on a Vodafone handset without it being unlocked though.

gjchester

safemode wrote: »

I fear they are topping it up and never using it within 30 days?

Depends on the network but it's usually a "chargeable event" ie top up or make a call text that uses credit, every 90 or 180 days.

After that they may stay alive but could also be cut off and the credit lost.

ALL Networks have this condition or there would be very few PAYG number left as people put them in drawers after an upgrade, they may not act on it and leave a phone line active for more than he 3/6 months but the T&C allow them toclose lines and take the credit if it's unused.

simax

They're not on the really old Vodafone PAYT plan which had a £5 monthly service charge?

Neil49

Switch to Ovivo as mentioned above. 100 free minutes and 100 free texts per month. Just call someone every so often to keep it active.

You just need to put £10 on your account to cover voicemail retrieval, picture messaging etc when setting up as these are chargeable (which is the case with most phone companies).

They use the Vodafone network so you may need to unlock your phone.

Vodafone

safemode wrote: »

My folks have a mobile phone, basic LG (not a smartphone etc).
However, they keep saying to me every now and again that they never have credit in it. They are topping it up, but not regularly or frequently. As they are very light users of mobile phones.

I fear they are topping it up and never using it within 30 days?
So assume they are losing the topup.? I don't know what top-up they are getting other than its a vodafone SIM in the phone.

I myself have a work phone/contract the same one for last 6 years and never bother with mobile phone deals etc. So am in the dark as much as they are.

But they come to me asking for advice. :-/

I remember back years ago you could have a plain top up for your phone and not lose credit. In actual fact my dad just found and a real old phone in a drawer that has a vodafone SIM in it and reports it has £9 credit, he has never touched it in over 10 months he says.

So is this deal still around or is the standard to now only use it or lose it within 30 days. The small print on these things don't make it clear for the uneducated.

Can someone give me advice on whats available to them.

- Very light users. Only for emergencies. etc.
- Dont want 3G etc. Just basic calls and text (if they can even work that out)

Thanks for any guidance.

Hi safemode,

To enable me to see what's going on here could you ask your parents email me with the relevant details via the link in our profile here?

All they need to do is copy and paste the link into their web browser and it will take them to the Contact us form on our website.

To ensure that it reaches me could they also quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line and once our automated reply arrives could you update the thread with their email reference number and I'll get back to them as soon as possible?

Thanks,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

andyt8

chanz4 wrote: »

ovivomobile.com

Thanks for the suggestion. Looks ideal for light use mobile phone we have at our club.