Recommendations Please

Murielson

Looking for any recommendations from those in the know for us older folk. My good lady and myself, 50+, 2 x phones now well out of contract and ready for renewal/change and after best we can get.

With Vodafone and on 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB data monthly for £30.50 per month per phone.

Samsung Android (currently 2 year plus old S5 minis mobiles) and could do with new handsets, not interested in moving to iphone and Samsung preferred as I couldn't go through teaching my wife how to use a different phone system!! Also have daughters iphone on my account (£40 per month, Red Plan comes with unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 10GB data).

Never use all monthly contract minutes, never use a lot of texts but recently started different job and using more data and therefore want to hike this up to at least 1GB or beyond.

Long time with Vodafone but also long time with Tesco so is Tesco mobile comparable with Vodafone coverage nowadays? Thinking Tesco points if worthwhile.

Interested in what others might be getting that might be good for us. Thanks in advance to anyone who is kind enough to offer any advice.

eDicky

Murielson wrote: »

With Vodafone and on 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB data monthly for £30.50 per month per phone.

You should be able to reduce this to about £5 for similar allowance or better, choose a suitable SIM-only plan according to MSE article and advice here, call Vodafone for your PAC and they may offer you a similar deal for retention of your custom. Use the same handsets or buy your choice of new ones for the best deal you find independently.

[Deleted User]

The links at the top of the thread would be your best place to start.

boatman

Go sim only first, then worry about changing phone.
https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/mobile-coverage

ballyblack

Long time with Vodafone but also long time with Tesco

Depends where you live. Tesco (uses o2 network) and find their customer service much better than Voda which was a disaster for me

Murielson

Some good stuff already and many thanks to all above for taking the time to respond. Have wandered around the forums and articles and appears to be a bit of a minefield if not careful and just surprised I haven't investigated this previously due to my natural frugal nature!!

Happy with Vodafone coverage and no experience of anything else to be honest. All family on Vodafone (I think), certainly the 3 phones on my contract anyway. Live in Andover Hampshire so may explore coverage in a bit more detail.

Also need occasional foreign usage and not certain if this plays a part when looking at best options. Is it worth asking in somewhere like Carphone Warehouse or are they tied to particular suppliers (although they seem to cover all suppliers)? How independent are they?

[Deleted User]

If Vodafone coverage is good for you I'd stick with as you know what you're geting. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/piggybacking#tablepiggyback lists all of the companies who piggyback on Vodafone which should be usable in your current handsets without worrying about being sim locked.

CPW are independant but you will come under serious sales pressure to buy there and then so be prepared.

boatman

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

CPW are independant but you will come under serious sales pressure to buy there and then so be prepared.

Buy online, not in store, you can then take it back, CPW are somewhat awkward when it comes to returns in store.

pmduk

If you cross the threshold into any phone store, go with a pad and pen, NO bank details or cards, and a determination not to buy then and there.

Murielson

Thanks again all, much appreciated and now looking into what is best for us but certainly thinking probably sim only and stick with phones that we have for now.

Neil49

Plusnet also have good deals on from time to time and these quickly appear on the MSE site.

Latest offering is 2.5 gb data, 1500 mins and unlimited texts for £7 but I don't know how long this will last for. This is for a 30 day rolling contract so you can get out and move on without penalty should you wish.

It also includes overseas use (Roam Like at Home) but you should check the terms and conditions to see what it covers.

https://www.plus.net/mobile/plans/sim-only/

They use the EE network which is pretty good for coverage.