Very basic help wanted - does PAYG internet exist?

PHK

01NSkinner said:

savergrant said:

How much data will you be using?
1p mobile is the cheapest for calls texts and data payg at er 1p. But you need to top up £10 every 120 days.
But for light usage rwg will give 750mb free each month on one top up of £15. Go over your limit and it is 1p per mb 5p per min or text.

Spending a few minutes on an app. A few times in a day and then maybe not again for a week or two or three. Is that a lot or not?

It’s not just the data used by the app but the data used by the phone (eg checking that the app’s certificates are in order, looking for updates to the phone or security updates - the updates themselves can be done via WiFi, syncing contacts etc) 

For an accurate answer you need to get some idea of how much data you actually use. Eg does the app use 10Mb, 100Mb when you use it. 

savergrant

If it is something you are already doing your phone will have a record of your mobile data usage (remember if you can connect to WiFi in a public place it will be free). So you will know. If not it is a bit of guesswork but 1mb to view a web page is a rough guide. Some forum users are on the £5 sim from rwg ( you get a free monthly allowance of 50 mins and 50 texts plus 250mb of data and then just use the credit if you go over but those allowances are pretty low for smartphone usage). I got one of those as an emergency phone for my nine year old  I think the £15 topup sim will last me a few years and the credit is there if I have a spell away from WiFi. And so long as the sim makes an outgoing call every two months the credit will never expire 

savergrant

Here is the link. Bizarrely even though the offer is free they still list it under pay monthly!

https://www.rwgmobile.wales/webshop/pay-monthly/

If you prefer you can order the sim then topup and receive  the bundle quoting the new phone number, that just protects against loss in the post. Just make sure you topup through this link rather than by calling the topup number or you might not get the bundle applied.

savergrant

I would also advise getting the sim first since I think unusually now they come ready activated. By which I mean you can read the number off the card and receive calls and texts immediately. If they have been topped up they can make calls  so if the postman delivered it to the wrong address not only could someone else use up your credit, but they could potentially use your phone number for criminal activities. I think there are instructions to activate the sim but they are now coming preactivated.

savergrant

Keeping on top of your rwg account is a bit fiddly and low tech, but perfectly useable.

Calling *669# gives you a credit balance text

Texting info ukrwg0 (£5 topup) or info ukrwg1 (£15 topup) to 669 gets a reply text with your remaining allowance. Important do not forget the word info. If you text the wrong bundle code it will reply to say you don't have that bundle.

We have now learned that the allowance is refreshed at 9pm on 1st of each month.

I'd say it is worth a shot and if you run down £15 inside three months you probably ought to be on a contract or monthly bundle.

savergrant

Allowance text in reply to info ukrwg1 (also the £2 pm bundle now free after a £15 topup)

You have 99 minutes, 99 texts, 750 MB of your RWG UK Teaser bundle remaining

getmore4less

RWG is the current go to for some free monthly allowance and cheap PAYG rates no min top, no expiration.

3 used to have 200MB free option with 421 rates(eg. 1p MB PAYG)

We used to just about get away with that amount being careful to use WiFi as much as possible.

Also use O2 classic on the 321 rates no free.

Recently the Labera/Lyca price war resulted in 1p per month 6 month option 30 day contact best allround value with the need to renew in 6 month.

km1500

make sure you set updating apps to 'over wifi only'

01NSkinner

Many thanks for the help here. Appreciated.

01NSkinner

So what's the cheapest phone that would work with an RWG sim card? There's a Samsung Galaxy A13 advertised by Tesco for £139.99 for example.