Best PAYG sim card for emergency use only? (for 2023) 27 January at 12:45AM in Mobiles 18 replies 516 views

Steveyg777

due to this post (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5897608/best-payg-sim-card-for-emergency-use-only/p2) being closed now I wondered what the best option is in 2023?

My mom wants to be able to contact me during the night in case of an emergency but I've tried using my phone at night but I've been suffering from bad sleep ever since (I think my body is really sensitive - please don't waste everuones time sending messages about emf's being harmless, etc because its not the point of the post).

I always turned my phone to aeroplane mode before and would like to do this again. so I got hold of an old phone and need a payg sim to put in it so I can receive calls from my mom if she needs me (which ill put at the other end of the bedroom). this way I can use my phone with my sleep app in aeroplane mode without issues and still be contactable.

Any advice on the best option?

flaneurs_lobster

Do you know which phone operators give you good coverage at your home (specifically in your bedroom)?

Which operator do you use in your everyday phone? 

Are you reliant on wi-fi calling?

prowla

I have an RWG SIM, which needed a one-off payment and that's it.

I've also got a free Sky one which came with a phone I bought from them (they won't hand them out otherwise); it's got an initial allowance to get you going, but if never upgrade it to a plan it just stays like that.

A lot of these free/low-use SIMs are offlined if you don't use them, so I do a two-second call from them every month or so, just to ensure they remain active.

savergrant

If your mum can cope with you having a different number just for emergencies in the night you could order a free sim from vodafone, o2, or asdamobile (I think tesco and lebara also but haven't tried their service recently) and just stick it in your phone. They will be able to receive calls and texts for 6 months or so without you needing to topup. Put the date on the calendar and order another sim just before the 6 months is up. You can then port your emergency number to the new sim.

ProDave

Steveyg777 said:

I always turned my phone to aeroplane mode before and would like to do this again. so I got hold of an old phone and need a payg sim to put in it so I can receive calls from my mom if she needs me (which ill put at the other end of the bedroom). this way I can use my phone with my sleep app in aeroplane mode without issues and still be contactable.

Any advice on the best option?

Another way to tackle this, would be keep your normal phone and keep it away from your bed at night, and then set up another phone just with your sleep app installed.  This "bedtime" phone would in effect just be used as a tablet and would be permanently in airplane mode.

It avoids even needing a SIM for the second phone and avoids the confusion of your mother needing to remember to call a different number.

MikeJXE

If you have an iPhone you can set all calls to do not disturb except your mothers and any other you wish 

Neil49

MikeJXE said:

If you have an iPhone you can set all calls to do not disturb except your mothers and any other you wish 

Same with my Samsung android phone. 

Go to Settings / Notifications / Do not disturb and set up a Schedule. You can set calls from Favourite Contacts Only during the time settings you define (and also messages should you wish to). 

Murmansk

If you put your phone in aeroplane mode it won't be able to receive or make calls

savergrant

"If you put your phone in aeroplane mode it won't be able to receive or make calls"

I think that is the point of the post, needing a second phone to be able to receive a call in an emergency.

Steveyg777

flaneurs_lobster said:

Do you know which phone operators give you good coverage at your home (specifically in your bedroom)?

Which operator do you use in your everyday phone? 

Are you reliant on wi-fi calling?

Hi guys, thanks for the replies (rhymes lol).

good networks in my area is 3 and vodafone. the emergency phone is so old it won't do wifi calling lol its an old nokia 1600 (not touch screen)

my everyday phone uses vodafone

Steveyg777

savergrant said:

If your mum can cope with you having a different number just for emergencies in the night you could order a free sim from vodafone, o2, or asdamobile (I think tesco and lebara also but haven't tried their service recently) and just stick it in your phone. They will be able to receive calls and texts for 6 months or so without you needing to topup. Put the date on the calendar and order another sim just before the 6 months is up. You can then port your emergency number to the new sim.

thanks. yeah she can cope with that. can I not just make a (free?) call  to check my balance so that I don't lose the sim?