Looking for a truly free SIM card

poppellerant

I have a spare phone that I want to use now and again, therefore I am looking for a SIM card. The phone has been unlocked by O2, therefore any network should work.

I did have a GiffGaff SIM, but was unimpressed by two things:
1) The need to register on their website and create a seemingly pointless username and account.
2) The need to top up with £10 to activate the SIM.

I do understand that point #2 is pretty common. However I begrudge paying £10 to register a SIM which I am hardly going to use. I literally want to use the phone as a backup, should anything happen on my primary phone or network.

I hope somebody can help me find a cheap or free SIM with a near to zero activation cost, as my searching is proving fruitless.

custardy

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.DLL?Command=New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Article,varset_cat=simsupport,varset_subcat=,Case=obj(38395)

S0litaire

What do you want to do with the spare phone?
Is it just for "emergencies" calls and messaging?

Take a look at Three's "Data Reward Sim"
https://www.three.co.uk/Free_SIM_MBB/Order

it's aimed at tablet devices and things like that, but you can "top up" the credit and use voice calls, txts

You get 200mb data free every month as standard. so you can use messaging apps on the phone, or pick up emails or check website.

Don't think their are any totally free sim cards available.

Jon_01

You do realize that the £10 to register the sim also gives you £10 worth of calls/texts/data?

As long as you make a call/send a text every 6 months that money will stay on the sim.

Farway

The TPO one also requires £10 top up every three months, hardly fits the "free" category required by OP

I use Asda, PAYG, as, for much same use as OP wants, £5 lasts forever, one text now & then to keep it going

prowla

I have an O2 one I keep in a spare phone.

I put a tenner into it a few years ago and do a ping call every few months to make sure they don't think it's unused and turn it off (the balance is now £7.45).

It has the added benefit that I get some of the O2 deals.

McKneff

What is a ping call pls

custardy

McKneff wrote: »

What is a ping call pls

A call to meet the network requirements of minimum calls per x months.

Gravedigger

Might be being a bit thick here, but why would you top up a phone, make the odd ping call then turn it off? Or do you mean turn it off until you need to make a call?

custardy

Gravedigger wrote: »

Might be being a bit thick here, but why would you top up a phone, make the odd ping call then turn it off? Or do you mean turn it off until you need to make a call?

These are back up phones,not daily use phones. Eg you could use an O2 sim to access Priority, but want to keep the sim active whilst using another network

Uxb

custardy wrote: »

These are back up phones,not daily use phones. Eg you could use an O2 sim to access Priority, but want to keep the sim active whilst using another network

Another example of such usage is upmarket alarm systems with an autodialling GSM/GPRS module in them.
When the alarm triggers they will text the mobile numbers stored in them to advise of the alarm trigger.
You want the sim card not to expire, yet it is most likely hardly ever to be 'used' during a typical 6 month period (unless you get lots of alarm triggers!).