Best Sim-only Deals guide Discussion

chankie888

Hi JNM21 - thanks for your comment!  Are we saying the Three network sometimes is a bit patchy?

Update on my side - After requesting the PAC code I got an email confirming PAC details with a note saying to call 0800 800 150 to see if they were any more plans suitable before i left.  Called this number last week, after some 20 mins chat the lady landed on family plan 2x10G at £18 (which was the same as the normal website deals for those with bt broadband) so i said i would sleep on it....Called again today and got family plan  2x15G (12G with extra 3G) at £18 which i accepted on 12 month contract....The cheapest deal for two Sims i was looking at with Mobile ID was £15pcm (10G+15G) so at £18pcm (15G + 15G) only £36 more annually....plus i was paying £23pcm before... 

All in all, happy with BT mobile service and the contract received though i did have to make three phone calls of 10mins , 25 mins and 15mins.....

chankie888

Chap also said my BT sport app was linked to my BT broadband so nothing to do with my mobile plans so was red herring!

jnm21

Three (and MVNO based on Three) have many of the best prices.  When I last made the mistake of putting my main number on Three, I got fed up calling someone to be told "I tried to call you a few days ago/last week/etc." - they had the absolute worst coverage inside supermarkets, etc., compounded by a lack of "you were called by ..." texts.  What was intolerable was you could sit looking at your phone with a few bars of signal & miss a call.

Since being charged an early termination fee after being promised I wouldn't be that time, I promised myself never again.

Since then I have only ever used them for internet/spare phone sims.  For a long while they were reliable in a fixed position internet device (i.e. in a 4G router mounted in a bedroom window) - even that slipped - I had one sim with 200 minutes & unlimited data for about £3, where the data reliability was so bad I thought about cancelling!  They kindly offered me the chance to start paying stupid money for the same inclusive data, actually helping me make the jump to cancel.

Recently I tried them again & yet again the data was unreliable in the extreme, so thankfully they let me leave early with no fee.

 
It isn't even a signal issue (before someone well meaning advises folk to test the signal before signing up) I have seen 75/80% 4G signal failing to deliver 1Mbps & equally deliver 30 & 40Mbps just hours later.

In short they offer good/great prices, but just not worth the hassle - more & more folk reporting issues including some former "Three is great - been with them several years" folk - issue is the service can deteriorate at any time, so even a 12m contract is a risk.  I even read a suggestion that service quality can drop after 14 days (the cooling off period)!  I'm not saying I agree, but the fact I don't summarily dismiss the suggestion says it all!

Glad you got sorted. 

positiveevibes

Looking to switch to VirginMobile with 5G in some areas I will be going - £10 for 20gb or with EE £10 for 10gb but 4g only. Apparently EE is much better in London so I guess it would be a better deal comparing with VM?

chankie888

Positive, how likely are you to go anywhere near 10gb?

J_B

We took out the MSE recommended deal with Three

£8 pcm, U/L minutes and texts, 12GB data

It's just reached it's term and they wanted us to put the price up to £12

I went on livechat and renewed for £8 pcm for 24 months

xman

SP250 said:

Looked at all the sim only deals on MSE and it seems none of them are for the O2 network.  I am currently with EE and every other call drops out.  After checking with the network coverage for my house, O2 is the only one with half decent coverage.  So where do I go from here?  All suggestions greatfully received.

Try the uSwitch website - there you will find some good o2 deals on 12 months contracts

slb2020

The "Best SIM only deals" page of MSE is very useful for comparing the prices of different providers. However, one aspect it does not cover is what happens if you use up your data allowance before it renews and you want to continue using your phone.

For example the recommended provider for under 4GB per month is TalkMobile, offering 3GB for £4.95 per month. Smarty only gives 2GB and charges £5 per month.

However, if you need more data more data one month, with TalkMobile you buy a Booster. A 1GB booster costs £6. It expires after 7 days See talkmobile.co.uk/booster-details

Smarty is better value here, offering a 1GB topup for £1. Moreover, this never expires. See help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/982374-our-add-ons

I would like to see some information about these topup charges included in the price tables. Doing so might help bring down prices.

jnm21

slb2020 said:

The "Best SIM only deals" page of MSE is very useful for comparing the prices of different providers. However, one aspect it does not cover is what happens if you use up your data allowance before it renews and you want to continue using your phone.

For example the recommended provider for under 4GB per month is TalkMobile, offering 3GB for £4.95 per month. Smarty only gives 2GB and charges £5 per month.

However, if you need more data more data one month, with TalkMobile you buy a Booster. A 1GB booster costs £6. It expires after 7 days See talkmobile.co.uk/booster-details

Smarty is better value here, offering a 1GB topup for £1. Moreover, this never expires. See help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/982374-our-add-ons

I would like to see some information about these topup charges included in the price tables. Doing so might help bring down prices.

That is why it is important to go for a tariff with more data than you will ever need (or go for a prepaid/1 month contracts).

There are some providers who let you vary your contract month to month, but a good deal on more data that you need will still beat them. 

brookhouse

I have to say Smarty is starting to look very attractive. They have WiFi calling, voLTE and are claiming to be bringing in 5G.

Roaming appears safe for now.

Rolling monthly contract and decent data allowances.

Not sure any other MVNOs can match that.

My only concern is the reliability of the Three coverage.