Mobile phone contract with less than 2 years' UK residency?

PlatinumChaos

@pmduk: I don't think so, no.
@tinker411: Talkmobile's website: "In order to perform an identity check we will require address details from the last three years."  Thanks for the tip about Virgin Mobile though.

tinker411

PlatinumChaos said:

@tinker411: Talkmobile's website: "In order to perform an identity check we will require address details from the last three years."  Thanks for the tip about Virgin Mobile though.

Ahhh 😣 looks like Talkmobile use the same/similar procedure to Tesco Mobile, I did wonder when I posted earlier.

In that case, I'd say you're going to need a provider that does a credit check rather than an ID check, and subsequently reports to the CRAs, which I suspect means it's going to be the big boys on sim only - EE, Three, Vodafone and O2.

To help that along you'll need to check on the usual bits (most has been mentioned in this thread already, but I'll re-add here) changing any nos into yeses; being on the electoral roll, having a bank account, having a credit card, having a utility bill in your name etc.

jagorcevina

I would sugest you to try Vodafone, maybe even through some of thirth party web sites. I came for  tge first time in UK in January 2019,  but I've started my first job in UK  in July 2019. In November same year for black friday I've applied for sim only through Mobilephonedirect and I was successful. And in June this year I've called Vodafone to ask them can I upgrade because I needed a phone, and they upgrade me to a contract with a phone. And my husband get his contract with a Vodafone and he have bad credit rating. 
I hope this will help you. 

PlatinumChaos

tinker411 said:

PlatinumChaos said:

@tinker411: Talkmobile's website: "In order to perform an identity check we will require address details from the last three years."  Thanks for the tip about Virgin Mobile though.

Ahhh 😣 looks like Talkmobile use the same/similar procedure to Tesco Mobile, I did wonder when I posted earlier.

In that case, I'd say you're going to need a provider that does a credit check rather than an ID check, and subsequently reports to the CRAs, which I suspect means it's going to be the big boys on sim only - EE, Three, Vodafone and O2.

To help that along you'll need to check on the usual bits (most has been mentioned in this thread already, but I'll re-add here) changing any nos into yeses; being on the electoral roll, having a bank account, having a credit card, having a utility bill in your name etc.

Electoral roll - tick
Bank account - tick
Credit card - tick
Utility bill - tick

jagorcevina said:

I would sugest you to try Vodafone, maybe even through some of thirth party web sites. I came for  tge first time in UK in January 2019,  but I've started my first job in UK  in July 2019. In November same year for black friday I've applied for sim only through Mobilephonedirect and I was successful. And in June this year I've called Vodafone to ask them can I upgrade because I needed a phone, and they upgrade me to a contract with a phone. And my husband get his contract with a Vodafone and he have bad credit rating. 
I hope this will help you. 

@jagorcevina: Thanks for your recommendation. Unfortunately, when I go to mobilephonesdirect and look for Vodafone SIM-only, they don't offer monthly contracts, and when I start the process for a 12-month contract, I hit the 3-year-address-history brick wall again. Was your first SIM-only a monthly, 12-month or 24-month contract? I'm wondering if they've tightened the restrictions since you got yours.

Farway

PlatinumChaos said:

@jagorcevina: Thanks for your recommendation. Unfortunately, when I go to mobilephonesdirect and look for Vodafone SIM-only, they don't offer monthly contracts, and when I start the process for a 12-month contract, I hit the 3-year-address-history brick wall again. Was your first SIM-only a monthly, 12-month or 24-month contract? I'm wondering if they've tightened the restrictions since you got yours.

How about looking at VOXI ? They do monthly rolling contract plan

They are cheapo Voda clone, run & owned by Voda, in fact when my SIM from them failed they sent a Voda one

https://voxi.co.uk/plans

For info

VOXI trading under Vodafone Ltd
Registered office: Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2FN
Registered in England No 1471587

PlatinumChaos

VOXI's plans say "No contract, cancel anytime", and since they don't carry out a credit check, I guess they don't report to the CRAs either, so I wouldn't be able to improve my credit history. It really does seem to be a case of either "no credit check (and therefore no need for 3 years of UK address history) but no credit history benefit" or "credit check (which includes the need for 3 years of UK addresses) and benefit from reporting to CRAs". The problem is finding a provider that doesn't require 3 years of UK addresses but will report to the CRAs. Thanks for the feedback though.

pmduk

What about Three, they recently accepted someone I know, with a very spotty record?

pmduk

It's not a mobile contract, but have a look at loqbox. They lend you a notional sum of money, which you repay over 12 months, with them reporting your repayments to  CRAs. at the end of the 12 month you have your savings back.  I can't recall the full details, so please double-check before committing yourself. 

jagorcevina

PlatinumChaos said:

tinker411 said:

PlatinumChaos said:

@tinker411: Talkmobile's website: "In order to perform an identity check we will require address details from the last three years."  Thanks for the tip about Virgin Mobile though.

Ahhh 😣 looks like Talkmobile use the same/similar procedure to Tesco Mobile, I did wonder when I posted earlier.

In that case, I'd say you're going to need a provider that does a credit check rather than an ID check, and subsequently reports to the CRAs, which I suspect means it's going to be the big boys on sim only - EE, Three, Vodafone and O2.

To help that along you'll need to check on the usual bits (most has been mentioned in this thread already, but I'll re-add here) changing any nos into yeses; being on the electoral roll, having a bank account, having a credit card, having a utility bill in your name etc.

@jagorcevina: Thanks for your recommendation. Unfortunately, when I go to mobilephonesdirect and look for Vodafone SIM-only, they don't offer monthly contracts, and when I start the process for a 12-month contract, I hit the 3-year-address-history brick wall again. Was your first SIM-only a monthly, 12-month or 24-month contract? I'm wondering if they've tightened the restrictions since you got yours.

It was 12 month contract. Because I was in the country only 11 months, I just put address I was at that moment. They could easily see that I wasn't on that address last three years, but their system doesn't allow to leave that question blank.

PlatinumChaos

@pmduk: Three also require the last 3 years of addresses. (I've only been in the UK for 15 months.) And I'm already halfway through a Loqbox loan. (I know many people are sceptical about it, but it's actually pretty good.)
@jagorcevina: Maybe I'm being too honest for my own good, but when I enter the date on which I moved to my current address, it says: "You need to supply the last 3 years UK address history. Please supply your previous address below.", and a foreign address isn't recognised.