How to leave GiffGaff? Using data too fast!

DawnRose8

My daughter's phone has a GiffGaff sim but it's hemorrhaging data and costing me a fortune.
She's turned off apps to save wasting money on background functions but uses her phone to listen to music and it's lasting no time before I have to top up again.
There's loads of stuff online about this being a problem with GiffGaff but none on how to ditch them.
Do I have to get a new sim and change her number? Will she lose her contacts, photos etc? Sorry I have no clue with all this.
Thanks.

System

DawnRose8 wrote: »

My daughter's phone has a GiffGaff sim but it's hemorrhaging data and costing me a fortune.

Solution is simple. If she's over 18 get her to get one in her own name or PAYG if she can't pass a credit check.

She's turned off apps to save wasting money on background functions but uses her phone to listen to music and it's lasting no time before I have to top up again.
There's loads of stuff online about this being a problem with GiffGaff but none on how to ditch them.
Do I have to get a new sim and change her number? Will she lose her contacts, photos etc? Sorry I have no clue with all this.
Thanks.

Is she connecting to home wifi at home and mostly using it at home? If so you need to check that its not like my phone which will use both wifi and mobile network for data to increase the speed. If she's using Spotify Premium or Amazon Music she can download music to listen to offline.

Ultimately though if she's using lots of data it'll be no different on another network. If you change network you can port the number using a PAC code. You request a PAC code from Giff Gaff, sign up to new network, give them the PAC Code and a few working days later her old number is on the new network. Using the PAC code usually terminates any mobile phone contract. Contacts will only be lost if they're stored on the SIM card but she can copy them to the phone memory before swapping. Photos etc will be unaffected.

tacpot12

Why not try her on the £25 goodybag? This has unlimited data but puts a speed restriction after 20GB.

DCFC79

Maybe you need a contract where you can put a cap on it, Tesco is one.


You just port her number, it wont be lost.

grumbler

DawnRose8 wrote: »

She's turned off apps to save wasting money on background functions but uses her phone to listen to music and it's lasting no time before I have to top up again.

Hardly a surprise as audio streaming uses ~ 50-140Mb per hour

Neil_Jones

Tarambor wrote: »

Contacts will only be lost if they're stored on the SIM card but she can copy them to the phone memory before swapping. Photos etc will be unaffected.

If the contacts are synced to your Google account (for Android) (or the iCloud for Apple devices) then changing the SIM doesn't change this.

The photos are different - sim changing won't affect them but I can't be sure if you have to opt in to Google Photos to archive those automatically.

Neil49

The problem isn't with Giffgaff, the problem is with your daughter and the way she uses her phone.

No matter which network you use the data usage will be the same.

Follow the advice given in the replies above with regard to setting up the phone and downloading files using your home WiFi for offline use. Alternatively find a provider that will give a greater data allowance for not a lot more money.

neilmcl

Neil49 wrote: »

The problem isn't with Giffgaff, the problem is with your daughter and the way she uses her phone.

No matter which network you use the data usage will be the same.

Follow the advice given in the replies above with regard to setting up the phone and downloading files using your home WiFi for offline use. Alternatively find a provider that will give a greater data allowance for not a lot more money.

Totally agree. I fail to see how this is just a problem related to Giffgaff, the data usage is solely down to the daughter.

silverwhistle

I use Giff Gaff but find the £7.50 package fine (even better with the minutes following a price increase to £8). I have numerous wireless links for various venues, railway companies, friend's houses and so forth and never get anywhere near my data limits.

Give her a set amount of money and let her sort the issue out herself, after all, she is meant to be a digital native.:-)

Mind you, those of us from the early days of the internet and using 9.6 kilobit US Robotic modems probably have more respect for bandwidth!:D

System

grumbler wrote: »

Hardly a surprise as audio streaming uses ~ 50-140Mb per hour

I stream Spotify a lot as in hours a night sometimes as well as streaming 2hr shows on BBC Sounds App and watching YouTube. Even including app updates and using Satnav extensively my data usually tops out at no more than 10GB.

JJ_Egan

Daughter is streaming over Giffgaff network and has to pay . Streaming over home wifi is free .
Its not Giffgaff as said .
I have Giffgaff sim and data costs me about 40p per year .
I would suggest turning data off on the phone as a starter .