Using a smartphone for calls & texts only?

jjlothin

Please excuse my woeful ignorance, but my beloved Nokia slide phone has just given up the ghost and I'm trying to decide whether to get another one second-hand from EBay - or to make use of a new smartphone (locked to Vodafone) to which I have (legitimate!) access.

I DON'T want to use the phone for anything other than calls, texts, taking the occasional picture - I hate the idea of having my emails following me round everywhere (I'm addicted enough to clicking 'send & receive' whenever I'm on a PC in any case). And I'd want, if possible, to have anything that did location-tracking etc switched firmly OFF.

Is it possible to use a smartphone (once unlocked) in this way (on a GiffGaff PAYG basis)? Or would I be better sticking to my old untechnological ways?

mac.d

You can just turn mobile data off on the smartphone and use it for calls/texts only. You can still go online via wi-fi when you are at home/work, so have the 'bonus' of not needing to switch on your PC if there is something you want to check.

However, battery life is the big downside of a smartphone, even if you are a low user you will still only get a couple of days between charges. That's probably the plus point for you just to buy a new non-smartphone (unless your Nokia is a fairly recent model I would think you'd be better buying a newer model than getting one particular model second hand).

In saying that, as someone with low usage and not that fussed about being connected all the time to check emails/facebook or whatever, I will say a smartphone is very handy to have, even if you don't intend to use much of its smart capabilities.

JJ_Egan

Why buy a smartphone when you don't want any smart feature's?

Silk

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Why buy a smartphone when you don't want any smart feature's?

The OP already has a smartphone

marleyboy

Maybe OP has been offered a smartphone but only wants the phone feature. My car has built in parking sensors that I dont want. It didn't put me off buying the car.

grumbler

jjlothin wrote: »

Is it possible to use a smartphone (once unlocked) in this way (on a GiffGaff PAYG basis)?

Yes, but for calls and texts only there are better options than Giffgaff.

jjlothin

mac.d wrote: »

You can just turn mobile data off on the smartphone and use it for calls/texts only. You can still go online via wi-fi when you are at home/work, so have the 'bonus' of not needing to switch on your PC if there is something you want to check.

However, battery life is the big downside of a smartphone, even if you are a low user you will still only get a couple of days between charges. That's probably the plus point for you just to buy a new non-smartphone (unless your Nokia is a fairly recent model I would think you'd be better buying a newer model than getting one particular model second hand).

In saying that, as someone with low usage and not that fussed about being connected all the time to check emails/facebook or whatever, I will say a smartphone is very handy to have, even if you don't intend to use much of its smart capabilities.

Good point re battery life - thanks, mac.d!

jjlothin

grumbler wrote: »

Yes, but for calls and texts only there are better options than Giffgaff.

I can't imagine getting much better than £5 per month for 100 minutes + 300 texts, plus for some strange reason I get extra minutes any time someone phones me! :j

mobilejunkie

I can do more than imagine. There are 12 month cashback contracts costing £5.50 per month (after cashback) offering 2GB and unlimited minutes and texts. Of course, it's a lot more before cashback, is a 12 month contract and depends on you knowing how to get eh cashback - but I never do anything else.

grumbler

jjlothin wrote: »

I can't imagine getting much better than £5 per month for 100 minutes + 300 texts,

I can: 250m + Unltd + 250Mb for the same £5:

http://store.virginmedia.com/virgin-media-mobile/sim-only/pay-monthly-sim.html

300+300+300 for £5: https://www.vectonemobile.co.uk/b/pay-monthly-select-plan/step1.aspx

[Deleted User]

You could buy a £10 dumb phone with a battery that'll last forever ; but it won't take pretty pictures