Any PAYG tariffs for a phone to only use for incoming Paypal verification texts? 19 December 2021 at 2:35PM in Mobiles 15 replies 601 views

soupdog

I only use my mobile for my family and never give out the number. Paypal is an exception as they insist on a mobile number and text it with a verification code occasionally to allow purchases. However they have now started giving out my mobile number to merchants and consequently I'm starting to get spammed. This can't be stopped as its in Paypal's T&C.

I'm therefore looking for the cheapest way to get a PAYG sim into an old phone of mine. Then I can give PayPal that number instead and leave the phone my desk for PayPal to text to it if they want to but which otherwise won't be used at all or even looked at (except to send a one word text every 6 months if that's necessary to keep it alive).

I've hear 3 did something once but I can't get their signal where I live so that's no good. Also O2 did once but I'm starting to lose the will to live trying to understand their tariff structure and exactly what you get (eg I have somewhere a PAYG sim with £5.50 credit still on it for unlimited calls and texts but as I also have mobile data turned off I don't understand what the 'credit' would ever be used for)

Can anyone give any advice to achieve what I want  (until we can get a class action against PayPal preventing them releasing our mobile numbers!)

notbritishgas

Try RWG mobile.  The free service also gives you 50 minutes of calls or texts a month. And of course a number to receive calls. The SIM is a three in one so should fit your old phone. So no cost to you.

molerat

notbritishgas said:

Try RWG mobile.  The free service also gives you 50 minutes of calls or texts a month. And of course a number to receive calls. The SIM is a three in one so should fit your old phone. So no cost to you.

I've hear 3 did something once but I can't get their signal where I live so that's no good

Which rules them out !

alanjones60

molerat said:

notbritishgas said:

Try RWG mobile.  The free service also gives you 50 minutes of calls or texts a month. And of course a number to receive calls. The SIM is a three in one so should fit your old phone. So no cost to you.

I've hear 3 did something once but I can't get their signal where I live so that's no good

Which rules them out !

He means its a three in one sim in relation to the sim size needed. You pop out the correct size you need. RWG runs on EE

cx6

buy an EE sim with a £10 bundle.

when you get it text 'stop.pack' to 150

you will then have a payg phone that only requires a chargeable event every 6 months

Swipe

cx6 said:

buy an EE sim with a £10 bundle.

when you get it text 'stop.pack' to 150

you will then have a payg phone that only requires a chargeable event every 6 months

Why spend £10 when the OP can use RWG for free and get 50mins of free calls or texts and 250MB of data every month?

molerat

alanjones60 said:

molerat said:

notbritishgas said:

Try RWG mobile.  The free service also gives you 50 minutes of calls or texts a month. And of course a number to receive calls. The SIM is a three in one so should fit your old phone. So no cost to you.

I've hear 3 did something once but I can't get their signal where I live so that's no good

Which rules them out !

He means its a three in one sim in relation to the sim size needed. You pop out the correct size you need. RWG runs on EE

They have changed then, they used to run on Three, I understood the bit about the SIM.

soupdog

I think it's EE now. When I went to RWG and did a 'check my coverage' thing it took me to the EE site. Surprisingly though it said I'd get a weak signal outdoors and none indoors. But I have an EE mast in line of sight about 2Km away and get a good EE signal on my other phone indoors.

I've had to email RWG anyway as when I went to order one of their sims it asked for my mobile number, which is a strange thing to ask for when I'm trying to order a sim to get a mobile number in the first place! Also I wanted to check if RWG will allow me to get a sim from them when my address is in England, not Wales

soupdog

cx6 said:

buy an EE sim with a £10 bundle.

when you get it text 'stop.pack' to 150

you will then have a payg phone that only requires a chargeable event every 6 months

Thank you, an interesting Idea. But I think I'll try the free RWG sim first, that is if I can get one without already having a mobile number as the whole point is that I don't release my real mobile number to anyone but family.

getmore4less

The RWG SIM comes with a new number.
No top-up required.

3 data reward can also be set up with no top up, comes with 200MB a month min top-up £2 if you want to pay for something report are still on the 321 rates.

glennevis

soupdog said:

I think it's EE now. When I went to RWG and did a 'check my coverage' thing it took me to the EE site. Surprisingly though it said I'd get a weak signal outdoors and none indoors. But I have an EE mast in line of sight about 2Km away and get a good EE signal on my other phone indoors.

I've had to email RWG anyway as when I went to order one of their sims it asked for my mobile number, which is a strange thing to ask for when I'm trying to order a sim to get a mobile number in the first place! Also I wanted to check if RWG will allow me to get a sim from them when my address is in England, not Wales

You may have misunderstood what RWG were wanting. After you receive their SIM you email them with the number of that SIM in order to activate it, stating which plan you require (e.g. free). The number is pre-allocated therefore printed on the SIM carrier.

The RWG SIM in my recently provisioned spare phone comes up as 'Now' network, Now are an MVNO on the EE network.