Plusnet Renewal: No Joy - Options?

GrumpyDil

SJMALBA said:

Knowing next to nothing about mobiles, but out of curiosity, what is the least we could reasonably expect to pay for a mobile replacement for out landline phone, purely for making/receiving calls?

Pence if you are willing to shop around and move every 6 months or so. 

Lebara and Lyca mobile have been doing offers recently where they offer unlimited calls and texts and various data allowances for less than £1.00 a month. I currently have three contracts on Lyca until May and will look again then. Even on normal prices I would not expect to pay more than £5.00 a month for calls, texts and a small amount of data. 

problems

SJMALBA said:

I am wondering about the feasibility of going for a mobile, in place of the landline phone, but would need a new mobile, and, as mentioned, know next to nothing about them...

Worth going for it in my opinion if it works out cheaper, you can always leave your landline phone plugged in to receive calls and give your new mobile number to the doctor etc as a secondary number so you won't miss any calls while you are out.

I suppose the main difference between your Nokia and a modern mobile would be that most modern ones are all touch screen so the whole phone is a screen (on one side ) and most these days have large capacity batteries that are non changeable.

My last 2 phones have been by Xiaomi, a note 9 pro and note 10 pro which I have had little problems with. I uninstall programs or apps that I don't need much the same as I do on a Windows PC. Three of my grown up children have iphones and the other android  but iphones are beyond my reach price wise and probably wasted on me.

SJMALBA

problems said:

SJMALBA said:

I am wondering about the feasibility of going for a mobile, in place of the landline phone, but would need a new mobile, and, as mentioned, know next to nothing about them...

Worth going for it in my opinion if it works out cheaper, you can always leave your landline phone plugged in to receive calls and give your new mobile number to the doctor etc as a secondary number so you won't miss any calls while you are out.

I suppose the main difference between your Nokia and a modern mobile would be that most modern ones are all touch screen so the whole phone is a screen (on one side ) and most these days have large capacity batteries that are non changeable.

My last 2 phones have been by Xiaomi, a note 9 pro and note 10 pro which I have had little problems with. I uninstall programs or apps that I don't need much the same as I do on a Windows PC. Three of my grown up children have iphones and the other android  but iphones are beyond my reach price wise and probably wasted on me.

That hadn't occurred to me - thanks. That makes this option even more viable...

AFAIK, my old Nokia might/would not be an option (2G only, perhaps? - though maybe that's a future consideration?), so a new phone might/would be needed; I suppose that the cheapest phone I could find, then going for sim only with unlimited calls, would be the way to go

I run Linux on my laptop, so Android for me on a phone, I guess? 

EDIT: As my existing phone works with texts, presumably still OK for calls as well? So just a new sim, then? And port the existing number...?

Brie

In the past I have checked the price with PN but then got EE to match it.  I may consider changing next time though as the signal around here is absolutely dire for my mobile and even the internet is iffy at times.  

savergrant

SJMALBA said:

problems said:

SJMALBA said:

I am wondering about the feasibility of going for a mobile, in place of the landline phone, but would need a new mobile, and, as mentioned, know next to nothing about them...

Worth going for it in my opinion if it works out cheaper, you can always leave your landline phone plugged in to receive calls and give your new mobile number to the doctor etc as a secondary number so you won't miss any calls while you are out.

I suppose the main difference between your Nokia and a modern mobile would be that most modern ones are all touch screen so the whole phone is a screen (on one side ) and most these days have large capacity batteries that are non changeable.

My last 2 phones have been by Xiaomi, a note 9 pro and note 10 pro which I have had little problems with. I uninstall programs or apps that I don't need much the same as I do on a Windows PC. Three of my grown up children have iphones and the other android  but iphones are beyond my reach price wise and probably wasted on me.

That hadn't occurred to me - thanks. That makes this option even more viable...

AFAIK, my old Nokia might/would not be an option (2G only, perhaps? - though maybe that's a future consideration?), so a new phone might/would be needed; I suppose that the cheapest phone I could find, then going for sim only with unlimited calls, would be the way to go

I run Linux on my laptop, so Android for me on a phone, I guess? 

EDIT: As my existing phone works with texts, presumably still OK for calls as well? So just a new sim, then? And port the existing number...?

How old is your phone? And what does your network identify as? Until about 4 years ago I was using a 2001 Sony (pre Ericsson merger) which identified o2 as btcellnet but worked. Would be worth checking network coverage for every network before committing to a contract though as networks are prioritising 4g and 5g transmitters and weakening 2g signals. Also worth noting you need a 3g or later phone to use any sim which runs on Three.

SJMALBA

savergrant said:

SJMALBA said:

problems said:

SJMALBA said:

I am wondering about the feasibility of going for a mobile, in place of the landline phone, but would need a new mobile, and, as mentioned, know next to nothing about them...

Worth going for it in my opinion if it works out cheaper, you can always leave your landline phone plugged in to receive calls and give your new mobile number to the doctor etc as a secondary number so you won't miss any calls while you are out.

I suppose the main difference between your Nokia and a modern mobile would be that most modern ones are all touch screen so the whole phone is a screen (on one side ) and most these days have large capacity batteries that are non changeable.

My last 2 phones have been by Xiaomi, a note 9 pro and note 10 pro which I have had little problems with. I uninstall programs or apps that I don't need much the same as I do on a Windows PC. Three of my grown up children have iphones and the other android  but iphones are beyond my reach price wise and probably wasted on me.

That hadn't occurred to me - thanks. That makes this option even more viable...

AFAIK, my old Nokia might/would not be an option (2G only, perhaps? - though maybe that's a future consideration?), so a new phone might/would be needed; I suppose that the cheapest phone I could find, then going for sim only with unlimited calls, would be the way to go

I run Linux on my laptop, so Android for me on a phone, I guess? 

EDIT: As my existing phone works with texts, presumably still OK for calls as well? So just a new sim, then? And port the existing number...?

How old is your phone? And what does your network identify as? Until about 4 years ago I was using a 2001 Sony (pre Ericsson merger) which identified o2 as btcellnet but worked. Would be worth checking network coverage for every network before committing to a contract though as networks are prioritising 4g and 5g transmitters and weakening 2g signals. Also worth noting you need a 3g or later phone to use any sim which runs on Three.

Phone was launched in December 2002, apparently.
My PAYG SIM is RWG, which I think is EE?
Checking coverage, O2 and Vodafone look good, Three and EE less so...

Jonboy_1984

Had this a couple of years, despite multiple attempts they wouldn’t budge, even though I only wanted them to match their new customer price, not the lowest alternative provider I had found.

Moved to Vodafone and been quite happy ever since.

The only issue we had was we subsequently moved house and had to take the Vodafone as still in contract period, and they couldn’t port the landline number despite being in same dialling code…something to do with it originally being BT, then ported to Plusnet, ported to Vodafone from what I could make out.

SJMALBA

Phoned Plusnet again - even bigger waste of time than before. Again, didn't ask about prices seen elsewhere etc. - clearly not interested. Oh well, off we go to pastures new... 
The existing contract ends on the 1st of February - When should I aim to sign up with a new provider, in order to avoid/minimise termination charge (which PN says will apply)?

brewerdave

SJMALBA said:

Phoned Plusnet again - even bigger waste of time than before. Again, didn't ask about prices seen elsewhere etc. - clearly not interested. Oh well, off we go to pastures new... 
The existing contract ends on the 1st of February - When should I aim to sign up with a new provider, in order to avoid/minimise termination charge (which PN says will apply)?

The issue is the anytime calls package you are after - I recently renewed my fibre deal with PN @ £22.99PM inc Evening and Weekend calls but ,when I asked about the calls packages (as our mobile signal is useless), the agent quoted £10.28 pm and wasn't prepared to offer anything off- I'll carry on using 18185 for any daytime calls I have to make thanks !!

savergrant

Surprised to hear you are thinking of moving from rwg, unless you are a heavy user which you don't seem to be, or you have reception issues. Best value for long term light usage, and no commitment if your needs change.