SIM credit that does not expire

Redrado

I am overseas a lot and so I don't have a UK mobile. But I need a UK mobile number to receive bank texts (OTP) in order to access my UK bank account online. I have used the bank's mobile app so far but some things can't be done that way.
So I need a UK SIM card which doesn't put demands on me to use for making outgoing calls or texts, and any credit doesn't expire. I may use the phone for an occasional call or text but its unlikely.
I've read that all or almost all the mobile providers and piggyback operators have some form of expiry or that they demand usage within a 3-9 month period, or you lose your credit and number. 
But it doesn't make sense to me to pay even £5 a month to have a number when I won't be using it to make calls/texts.
I am sure there are other people who are in this position and I am hoping someone on this forum has 1-2 suggestions.

flaneurs_lobster

Many PAYG sims out there that need £5 upwards to activate and the credit will not expire BUT not aware of any that don't impose a "use it every 2-6 months or lose it" clause.

PHK

flaneurs_lobster said:

Many PAYG sims out there that need £5 upwards to activate and the credit will not expire BUT not aware of any that don't impose a "use it every 2-6 months or lose it" clause.

Yes, OFCOM insists that numbers which are not used are recycled (or we would run out of numbers). So there will always be a period in which some use must be made. 

Personally, I think the price of two text messages a year is an acceptable cost for a service. 

marlot

RWG tell me that my credit never expires.  But I do have to send/receive a text/make a call every 90 days.

They'll allow a £5 topup.

Runs on EE.

No online account though - so you have to text to see how much credit you have left.

Redrado

PHK said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Many PAYG sims out there that need £5 upwards to activate and the credit will not expire BUT not aware of any that don't impose a "use it every 2-6 months or lose it" clause.

Yes, OFCOM insists that numbers which are not used are recycled (or we would run out of numbers). So there will always be a period in which some use must be made. 

Personally, I think the price of two text messages a year is an acceptable cost for a service. 

I agree, 2 texts a year etc., is fine. But that isn't the only stipulation. You must add credit too every month. This means that even with £5 a month, I would end up adding £60 a year and almost never use it. If I could find an annual top up total of about £20, that would be fine.

Or, get all the heads of financial companies together into a room and bash their heads together, to impress on them that text messaging is not secure, it never has been and they all already know that, so why do they insist on OTP for "security"?.
And also, why don't they allow account holders to have an international number to send text/make calls to them?

flaneurs_lobster

Redrado said:
 

I agree, 2 texts a year etc., is fine. But that isn't the only stipulation. You must add credit too every month. 

No you don't. I've got a couple of active RWG sims, never had more than a fiver on them since purchase a couple of years ago. Ditto a giff-gaff sim, still active with £4 after 18 months. Don't think Three's PAYG needs periodic top-ups.

Where are you getting your duff information?

PHK

Redrado said:

PHK said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Many PAYG sims out there that need £5 upwards to activate and the credit will not expire BUT not aware of any that don't impose a "use it every 2-6 months or lose it" clause.

Yes, OFCOM insists that numbers which are not used are recycled (or we would run out of numbers). So there will always be a period in which some use must be made. 

Personally, I think the price of two text messages a year is an acceptable cost for a service. 

I agree, 2 texts a year etc., is fine. But that isn't the only stipulation. You must add credit too every month. This means that even with £5 a month, I would end up adding £60 a year and almost never use it. If I could find an annual top up total of about £20, that would be fine.

Or, get all the heads of financial companies together into a room and bash their heads together, to impress on them that text messaging is not secure, it never has been and they all already know that, so why do they insist on OTP for "security"?.
And also, why don't they allow account holders to have an international number to send text/make calls to them?

That's not true.  Some providers insist on regular top-ups but others don't.

As for your other comments,  to me they seem ill-informed.  SMS is reasonably secure. The message is directly injected into the service providers message centre  and then delivered to the number (remembering that the handset has authenticated onto the network and the phone owner has unlocked the phone and, if they have any sense, used a SIM PIN)

And of course the OTP is used alongside usrname/password AND the networks use software to prevent the risk of sim swapping cloning .

As for international numbers, that would involve forwarding the message through multiple providers with no verification and no guarantee of the level of security of those providers.

Redrado

flaneurs_lobster said:

Redrado said:
 

I agree, 2 texts a year etc., is fine. But that isn't the only stipulation. You must add credit too every month. 

No you don't. I've got a couple of active RWG sims, never had more than a fiver on them since purchase a couple of years ago. Ditto a giff-gaff sim, still active with £4 after 18 months. Don't think Three's PAYG needs periodic top-ups.

Where are you getting your duff information?

I found 3-4 websites which all said the same thing. To be honest though, there is a bewildering & confusing array of choices, conditions, and with many operators. And thus, I may have overlooked some info or glazed over others!!
I looked at the RWG website who seem to have some interesting deals. Which one did you get please?

flaneurs_lobster

Redrado said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Redrado said:
 

I agree, 2 texts a year etc., is fine. But that isn't the only stipulation. You must add credit too every month. 

No you don't. I've got a couple of active RWG sims, never had more than a fiver on them since purchase a couple of years ago. Ditto a giff-gaff sim, still active with £4 after 18 months. Don't think Three's PAYG needs periodic top-ups.

Where are you getting your duff information?

I found 3-4 websites which all said the same thing. To be honest though, there is a bewildering & confusing array of choices, conditions, and with many operators. And thus, I may have overlooked some info or glazed over others!!
I looked at the RWG website who seem to have some interesting deals. Which one did you get please?

The deals I have with RWG are no longer available but their current offerings all offer good value. Order a free SIM and top it up with a fiver.

Redrado

The deals I have with RWG are no longer available but their current offerings all offer good value. Order a free SIM and top it up with a fiver.

Thank you. The 2 year SIM deal seems OK, as it works out to £1.45 a month and gives 250 mins, 250 sms and 2G data.
But I'll order the free SIM and then top up as you suggest once the SIM arrives, and then see how it goes with them before going further.

Their charges for non bundle calls/sms are high at 50p per min/50p per text, but this means that (if I've read their info right), it will cost me £1 per year to keep my phone number which I am fine with.