Pay as you go.

jeff_chandler

Hi all. I have a Samsung Galaxy mini 2 that has been in a drawer for a few years which my wife could use. My wife isn't tech savvy and hardly uses her phone. She has a very old Nokia on Vodafone but doesn't hold charge for long. Her last sim card I purchased for her, I thought was a pay as you go but, when she put a tenners worth of credit on the phone it ran out after a month. 
She wants a PAYG sim card for this Samsung which when I last used it was on T mobile, I guess it will be EE now. All she wants is a micro sim card that will allow her to put a fiver or a tenners worth of credit on the phone and will last her all year. It is frustrating when she shops and we can't get in touch with her or she can't phone us to ask if we need anything from shops etc. Are there such sims that will enable her to do that. I know she'll need to change number but that isn't a problem. 
Kind regards Jeff. 

in_my_wellies

I'm a bit like your wife and use PAYG because I don't use my phone much. I use Giff Gaff and find them easy to use. I can call and text other GiffGaff users for free for about 3 months after I top up but otherwise the credit stays there. I think I have to use the phone number once every three months to keep it. 
No idea if this would be suitable for your phone

jeff_chandler

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm also not a tech savvy person like most these days but, I do know that phone will probably be locked to T Mobile or EE as they are now known. I don't want to be mauling around with changing to other companies like Giff Gaff, which me personally haven't heard of but, sound like what she is after. 

Kind regards Jeff.

Farway

I'm no expert but I suspect the Galaxy being a smart phone will use credit up like a drunken shopper because the phone will keep wanting to check for updates or whatever and spending credit on Data

I suppose you could maul it around to work with Wi Fi only for data

Alternatively, buy a replacement battery for the old Nokia?

oldagetraveller1

No need to"maul"anything. Just turn off or don't turn on mobile data or roaming. Also select to update apps etc. over wifi only.

Quite straightforward in settings.

EssexExile

oldagetraveller1 said:

No need to"maul"anything. Just turn off or don't turn on mobile data or roaming. Also select to update apps etc. over wifi only.

Quite straightforward in settings.

Exactly. I put no more than £15 a year on my phone & it's fine. Mobile data is on.

mac.d

Can't see anything on the EE website about how to use just bog standard PAYG its all just packs (which only last for 30 days as you found out), but you should be able to phone their customer services from the phone (150) and request your £10 credit just to be used as standard PAYG. I'd try that first, as otherwise you're going to need to get the phone unlocked to use another providers sim card in it, or buy an unlocked phone.

Farway

mac.d said:

Can't see anything on the EE website about how to use just bog standard PAYG its all just packs (which only last for 30 days as you found out), but you should be able to phone their customer services from the phone (150) and request your £10 credit just to be used as standard PAYG. I'd try that first, as otherwise you're going to need to get the phone unlocked to use another providers sim card in it, or buy an unlocked phone.

OP could try Asda, uses EE network. free sim on line or 50p over the counter in any asda. They have bog standard PAYG option

J_B

mac.d said:

Can't see anything on the EE website about how to use just bog standard PAYG its all just packs .

I can't find anything either but I know that they do exist and both my in-laws have them .... maybe you will need to phone??

sdduk

If you want to stop a pack and go to bog standard Payg.
After you top-up phone with a pack Text stop pack to 150 and it will then go to normal Payg
I bought a EE payg normal phone and it came with a £10 pack and thats what i did above.

mnbvcxz

Ee basic PAYG is astronomically expensive.

I used white mobile in an orange locked phone once for a bit and it worked quite well. Not the cheapest but ok value. Might work for T-Mobile too.

8 year old smartphone may not have great battery either 

Wonder if this unlocking guide works? 
https://community.giffgaff.com/d/9408132-unlock-the-samsung-galaxy-mini-2-gt-s6500-gt-s6500d-for-free