Cheap Pay-as-you-go Deals Article Discussion

condoghost

Best Pay-as-you-go Sim Deals

Including the top data bundles, from £5/mth for 3GB

Chris Knight | Edited by Gary Caffell

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Time for an update?
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Check to see which PAYG is best for you - traditional or bundled
The chart 'Traditional PAYG rates compared' hasn't been updated since 22 Dec 2021 and does not detail the minimum top up requirement making what looks at first glance 'a good option' a very bad one indeed eg £10 top up every 4-months works out to be 1,000 units of data/calls/text whereas for many 'occasional/backup use' is maybe 1 or 2 or 3 units a month at most - perhaps none at all? I have a mobile for emergency use only eg car breakdown or delay because of traffic accident or whatever, maybe I've forgotten what it was my wife asked me to buy... For those of us in that situation, a minimum top up or call pricing going from 1p/min to 10p/min and now to 35p/min? What next? £1/min?
Sure others can go on 'not here to subsidise those who don't use it enough' but surely social responsibilities ought to be 'inclusive' especially given a mobile phone is often the only option when faced with such a need it shouldn't be priced in such a way to be 'way over priced'. It means such 'occasional use' will now be 'only in an emergency', but there we go - such is life
PS let's keep the 'comments' to 'informational' 'advice which is best' rather than 'what do you expect' or some such negative connotation 

flaneurs_lobster

For those people with 3's Data Reward SIM, best to look after them because it seems Three have (inevitably) killed them off for new users. They are saying that existing users will continue to receive 200MB free "for life" together with 3/2/1 PAYG rates for now.

https://www.three.co.uk/terms-conditions/data-reward-sim

Although it seems that the 200 MB/mth free data deal can no longer be registered for, it's not clear if Data Reward SIMs acquired from (say) eBay will still, a) activate and b) charge 3/2/1 rates.

SpanishBlue

fyr said:

"3" RIP OFF PAYG INCREASE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY:

I was shocked by level of this increase; how does the regulator permit? Way above inflation.
Don't hold out any hope for a refund from 3 of your unused balance by the way;
I had an online chat session yesterday, and call agent said I didn't qualify.
Also 3 provides my home broadband; asked if credit could be moved here; NO AGAIN:(
The only way to get credit transferred is to sign up to a 3 SIM Only contract.
No thanks, will let credit run down, and swap to 1P Mobile.

Remember whilst 1P Mobile might be good for some, it will cost you a minimum of £30 a year as you have to top up with £10 every 4 months.

For those that just make occasional use of their mobile, Asda Mobile might be a better option where they just charge 4P per minute/text/MB of data. https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

merchcon55

condoghost said:

3 is no longer a 'cheap' pay-as-you-go option for sure. There 1-2-3 tariff was the bees knees but then all that changed with calls 10p/min, now from 12/07/2022 it will be a whopping 35p a min - talk about 'daylight robbery'!
Maybe I'm just 'guessing' here but perhaps they're looking to exit the PAYG market by pricing themselves out of it?
Calls increase to 35p/min, 15p a text, 10p per MB of data. You have the right to exit because of these changes and refund requests pf any outstanding credit must be made no later than 17/07/2022, full details got to 3.uk/xi3
Three has gone from the 'Best Out There' to 'Avoid Like The Plague'

Three would appear to be joining O2, Vodafone and EE and really not wanting "occasional use" customers:

Three:  35p / 15p/ 10p

O2: 55p/ 30p/

Vod: 35p/ 20p/ 2 quid 1st 50mB, then 10p

EE: 35p/ 15p

** not sure what O2 and EE per MB rates are for PAYG

I have 2 numbers from 3 that I use primarily for incoming calls - so I'll still just send the occasional text or send a whatsapp message to keep the account active.

For occasional users perhaps ASDA (4p/4p/4p) an idea to change to - using Vodafone, so you would want to confirm Vodafone reception in your area before changing over.

twopenny

What bugs me, and I went through the same last time, is that you look at the sim packs or websites and the information is scant on the Terms & Conditions plus how you are paying.

The packs don't always explain how long your credit lasts or how to top up.

Just looked at the Asda site, no options to select cookies, under automatic payment no details up front about what this means. Presumably you give your bank details but that's a presumption. No details just a button to click.

The more you have to sort online the less information there is.

It really is time that all these companies for whatever product should have the details easily visible.

It's become a way out of  responsibility for so many.

I pay about £3 pm for my phone up to now with calls being more one month and maybe none for two more and don't use data. There are millions like me.

twopenny

Seems that Asda to a Talk and Text plan for £4.

flaneurs_lobster

1p Mobile have unlimited talk/text (+250MB/mth) for a year for £36. 

br1anst0rm

flaneurs_lobster said:

For those people with 3's Data Reward SIM, best to look after them because it seems Three have (inevitably) killed them off for new users. They are saying that existing users will continue to receive 200MB free "for life" together with 3/2/1 PAYG rates for now.

https://www.three.co.uk/terms-conditions/data-reward-sim

Although it seems that the 200 MB/mth free data deal can no longer be registered for, it's not clear if Data Reward SIMs acquired from (say) eBay will still, a) activate and b) charge 3/2/1 rates.

Wise advice, but sadly it came too late for me!  I had one of these Three SIM cards, with 3/2/1 rates.  It was inserted in my "tablet" which I use mainly when travelling, and mainly to access the internet (no phone calls).  With the pandemic and all that, I travelled little and last used the tablet in Nov 21.  I have just found out that Three disconnected or de-listed that SIM and my account in April (without any warning or notifcation).  So I'm back to square one, and  I'm now faced with a set of much more expensive and less appealing options if I want to have a mobile connection and data on that tablet device.

flaneurs_lobster

br1anst0rm said:

So I'm back to square one, and  I'm now faced with a set of much more expensive and less appealing options if I want to have a mobile connection and data on that tablet device.

I've not used an O2 Classic SIM in a mobile data device but they are still available on eBay and are still charging 3/2/1 rates. Worth a go? Quid or so to purchase, tenner to top up.

twopenny

Thanks Flaneurs. I looked at 1p mobile before but seems I have to give my card details to a fairly vague company and I'm not happy with that.
In the old days of this all starting BT was made to have a low cost option for low users. That vanished.
I'd like to see it back and updated. There seems to be free rein on the companies now.