PAYG alternative(s) to EE?

[Deleted User]

Try to get an O2 Classic payg sim and port your number across.
EE indoor coverage on PAYG tends to be poor as they only have 1800MHz coverage and above.

Telegraph_Sam

I do in fact have an O2 Classic payg sim in my "main" mobile but it is impossible to get a duplicate with this tariff any more for use with the backup mobile. It's worth its weight in gold dust (almost). Instead I am thinking of getting a Tesco Lite Sim, but that isn't quite so simple if you want it without the strings attached. I left it with the lady at the local Tesco Mobile shop to sort out with their HO - something about having to switch to Lite from another tariff ...
Is it possible to put a new PAYG SIM into a mobile but not top it up but just use it to passively surf the internet, receive and send emails, receive but not make phone calls???

Farway

Telegraph_Sam said:

I do in fact have an O2 Classic payg sim in my "main" mobile but it is impossible to get a duplicate with this tariff any more for use with the backup mobile. It's worth its weight in gold dust (almost). Instead I am thinking of getting a Tesco Lite Sim, but that isn't quite so simple if you want it without the strings attached. I left it with the lady at the local Tesco Mobile shop to sort out with their HO - something about having to switch to Lite from another tariff ...
Is it possible to put a new PAYG SIM into a mobile but not top it up but just use it to passively surf the internet, receive and send emails, receive but not make phone calls???

'ere you go, couple of seconds on Google, 99p inc postage

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/O2-Sim-Card-New-and-Sealed-Only-20p-Classic-O2-Pay-As-You-Go-02-O2-PAYG-/113267345823

Telegraph_Sam

Amazing.  I can only assume that the vendor has got hold of some SIM cards as were available when the Classic tariff was still on offer, and that this tariff is "linked" to the SIM even if the card itself has not been topped up. If I can in effect take over this SIM and benefit from the tariff, that should suit the purpose admirably. Is that how you read it?

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

Amazing.  I can only assume that the vendor has got hold of some SIM cards as were available when the Classic tariff was still on offer, and that this tariff is "linked" to the SIM even if the card itself has not been topped up. If I can in effect take over this SIM and benefit from the tariff, that should suit the purpose admirably. Is that how you read it?

Appreciate you read the telegraph and therefore enjoy a good fairy story 
Seen them frequently mixed in with the other O2 PAYG sims at Co-op, ASDA etc

Telegraph_Sam

I have ordered one from the eBay web site on the understanding that what is provided will be the Classic tariff.

Farway

Telegraph_Sam said:

I have ordered one from the eBay web site on the understanding that what is provided will be the Classic tariff.

I had one from there a bit back, worked just fine. In fact for some reason I was only charged 1P so even better buy

Pete99

Check coverage for your postcode on ofcom . org web site, I can't get good coverage where I live with O2 but Vodaphone is OK so I switched to Lebara they also have PAYG as well as cheap monthly plans OK for me so far.

Telegraph_Sam

It really does seem to be a postcode lottery and I have limited confidence in coverage maps. So far I have no complaints with O2 indoor or outdoor whereas Asda / EE is at best unreliable. A slightly more knowledgeable man at Asda has however just given me a tip about manually selecting which "mast" I get a signal from and I will experiment. 
It seems that the O2 sim card vendor gets bulk supplies of these for his biz from O2 and as a result they allow him to use the Classic tariff.  But at 20 p incl postage (first class) it's not a major investment!
If I considered Lebara I'd want to check that PAYG really did mean PAYG, or if this is tied in to a monthly minimum top up commitment as seems to be common.

Pete99

No top up commitment, also if you port your number to them they give you £10 in your account, you can set it to auto top up by min of £5 when your balance gets to £3 which is handy but you don't need to, ideal if you don't use your mobile much.