Best Sim-only Deals guide Discussion

robatwork

You're correct Virgin is currently EE and due to move to Vodafone in Autumn. Very unlikely given they want to merge with O2, although that deal is still under scrutiny:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/virgin-and-o2-merger-referred-for-in-depth-investigation#:~:text=Liberty Global plc (Liberty) owns,investigation on 19 November 2020.

I wouldn't personally go with VM at the moment given my coverage varies wildly between those 3 networks. May take a couple of years for the dust to settle.

savvygirl1986

brookhouse said:

Macc said:

Dumb question. I've just switched from vodafone to Lebara. My port date is the 25th. So do I carry on using the Vodafone sim until then? 

Yes, and when it stops working switch off your phone, swap SIMs and start up again. Should all go smoothly. I'm impressed with Lebara so far as a no-frills but good value package.

That's good to hear I am thinking of switching to them from vodafone. Getting fed up of vodafone they keep telling me I can't move to sim only until a certain date I contact them on that date and they say that I can't move yet. Also their best offer appears to be 1G for £8/£10 i think it was I have been with them for 13 years have always got a cheaper deal but I was getting a new phone each time which I don't want to do anymore. I'm happy with vodafone coverage so to use a piggyback provider is ideal

Zimmi

Hello, I have just tried to use the MSE blagged Lebara deal. BEWARE it is not what MSE suggest it should be. I signed up from the MSE link and saw the deal on my screen. I completed all the personal detail information and setup a Paypal payment regime. When I proceeded through to the next section Honey applied a discount to the account which resulted in a zero balance. I completed the exercise and a few day later the sim arrived. I went through the process of changing sim and porting my number. Suddenly there was a constant stream of text messages stating that I am out of credit, I have used up my 50 GB limit, I need to top-up my account, as top-up is activated my account has been credited.

I contacted Lebara to find out what was occurring. First I was told that money had been added to my account because I had exceeded my data allowance. I told the person that I had not used my phone for anything other than a couple of text messages and two telephone calls. Then I was told that I don't have a plan. I explained that I had followed the MSE blagged plan for 3GB data, which they do not offer on their website, but was told that I do not have a plan. I was then told there was nothing further that could be done to help me. I suggested that the only thing that could be done was to cancel the contract and the person swiftly agreed. This MSE blagged option is therefore not a real option and they will take your money because you are accepted but as a PAYG customer. I have been charged £3.50 for a call that should have been included in the UNLIMITED part of the plan to which I thought I had signed up. Be very careful with Lebara because they are not, in my experience totally honest. The email they sent clearly states " ...See the remaining allowance on your mobile data plan or bundle.". That confirms that I have a plan, or does not afford me the possibility to think that I am plan less. Now I have to unport my unported number and somehow get it back out of the ether.

holmesr923

My 1penny mobile is great .as I said :calls 1p per minutes ,1p for 1MB of data. No plan, no monthly charge. Simply when you have used up £10 -my chosen option-i have it automatically loaded with another £10.Piggy backs on EE. I use about £10  every 3 months. Bob H

hob66

I have just signed up for the Lebara 3GB SIM unlimited texts, unlimited calls, 100 international minutes and the first monthly payment of £2.50 has been paid. I have transferred my Vodafone pay as you go mobile phone number to their SIM no problems with that, trouble is I made a mistake on the app accidently signed up for the Auto Top-Up when I thought I was sorting  my monthly payment from PayPal so now I have paid £5 too much. Have switched that off after I realised my mistake, so just ignore that option when setting up your account. After Lebara had transferred my old phone number today I now also have £10 'customer service credit' sitting on my account and don't know why and where it came from.  I did have 81p balance left on my Vodafone account which you loose on transferring your mobile no. I will phone Lebara and ask them for help and let you know the outcome.

Martin_the_Unjust

I think you get £10 free credit for signing up.

Both my wife and I have been using Lebara for several months now and we both are more than happy with the service.

oldagetraveller1

"accidently signed up for the Auto Top-Up when I thought I was sorting  my monthly payment from PayPal so now I have paid £5 too much."

Me too! Instead of the auto renew option and an immediate £5 debited from the payment card. Not the end of the world but I'll probably never use it.

"I think you get £10 free credit for signing up." A £10 credit for porting in a number, not signing up.

I suspect Zimmi is on a mission because they made a mistake, when going for the "deal", and failed when using some other way to save more money?

hob66

Good news just spoken to Lebara and told them of my mistake and they are going to refund me the £5 for automatic top up that I paid in error.  They said the £10 customer service credit was a good will gesture and that if I needed to increase my 100 international minutes then I can use the credit for that which i will do as I phone family abroad.

oldagetraveller1

Thanks for that hob66. I'll give it a try re the fiver! I didn't even consider contacting them.

Edit to add, just off the phone, 5588 and only had to wait about a minute to speak to someone. No problem, the £5 is being refunded.

Edit - And now has been refunded.

HonestJohn

hob66 said:

Good news just spoken to Lebara and told them of my mistake and they are going to refund me the £5 for automatic top up that I paid in error.  They said the £10 customer service credit was a good will gesture and that if I needed to increase my 100 international minutes then I can use the credit for that which i will do as I phone family abroad.

They give you £10 when you port your number