Finding a wifi connection in remote location

flaneurs_lobster

victor2 said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

This is being overthought, a mobile phone with mobile data enabled will use so little data in everyday use as to be not worth worrying about. 

Can @twopenny tell us some details of their phone contract? Would be relevant to any advice about what to activate when. 

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM. I left Three when their rates went up from their 3-2-1 plan to something silly, so I moved to Asda, who promptly put their data rate up to 10p/MB. A smartphone with an email app, google maps, and various other apps that use data in the background, will soon eat up 10MB+ of data.

I have my mobile data turned off and only use it if something just can't wait or I'm going away for a few days and want to stay in touch. Then I usually buy a few GB of data in advance for around a fiver.

Without doing that, my credit would soon get eaten up, preventing me from making a call, so it is worth worrying about IMO.

I take your point about PAYG data rates, it's why I asked about the OP's phone contract.

Got myself an O2 Classic PAYG SIM ("3-2-1") from eBay last week (for some reason they sent me 2), cost 99p (free postage). 

Activated just fine (£10), added to O2 app, now in a spare phone.

facade

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

victor2

facade said:

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

Three and Asda (using Vodafone) still offer them, and they were just the first two bigger operators I looked at.

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

flaneurs_lobster

victor2 said:

facade said:

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

Three and Asda (using Vodafone) still offer them, and they were just the first two bigger operators I looked at.

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

And Vodafone https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/best-sim-only-deals/pay-as-you-go-sim

And EE https://shop.ee.co.uk/sim-only/pay-as-you-go-phones

And O2 https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/pay-as-you-go

Although the rates are not overly generous

BikingBud

victor2 said:

facade said:

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

Three and Asda (using Vodafone) still offer them, and they were just the first two bigger operators I looked at.

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

flaneurs_lobster said:

victor2 said:

facade said:

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

Three and Asda (using Vodafone) still offer them, and they were just the first two bigger operators I looked at.

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

And Vodafone https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/best-sim-only-deals/pay-as-you-go-sim

And EE https://shop.ee.co.uk/sim-only/pay-as-you-go-phones

And O2 https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/pay-as-you-go

Although the rates are not overly generous

I feel @facade was indicating an open ended facility, whereas all of these appear to have a validity period usually 1 month or 30 days so you are tied into a recurring subscription.

Just because some feel it is expensive, do not shy away from paying a small sum for a great capability and a potential safety enhancement. As I said access can be had for less than a pint of beer, other financial comparisons are available.

I have a twin SIM phone with GiffGaff and Lebara SIMS, separates out friendly callers from others, both with unlimited calls and texts and also with good data packages, plenty of capacity to do many things and not be concerned about bursting data limits. If you select a light data plan I would recommend that you turn off auto-updates and app updates when on mobile data and only enable when on wifi, ie at home.

To add to others above:
https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/en/best-sim-only-deals/c/simo-contract
https://www.giffgaff.com/sim-only-deals 

Also consider the great advice here: 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/#toppick1

facade

victor2 said:

facade said:

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

Three and Asda (using Vodafone) still offer them, and they were just the first two bigger operators I looked at.

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

Those are not PAYG, they are "pay monthly without a contract, but it autorenews so the only difference is you could cancel at any time"

PAYG is "buy minutes and they last forever (as long as you keep making a call every few months ) then top up when you run out." This doesn't generate monthly revenue, so operators Don't Like Them.

Ideal for that spare 'phone  or the basic dumb phone you take with you on a night out.

flaneurs_lobster

facade said:

victor2 said:

facade said:

victor2 said:

I am probably one of many who has a mobile on a PAYG SIM.

<snip>

Whatever you do, don't let it expire, you can't get PAYG sims any more, except from small operators you haven't heard of like RWG.

Three and Asda (using Vodafone) still offer them, and they were just the first two bigger operators I looked at.

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go

Those are not PAYG, they are "pay monthly without a contract, but it autorenews so the only difference is you could cancel at any time"

PAYG is "buy minutes and they last forever (as long as you keep making a call every few months ) then top up when you run out." This doesn't generate monthly revenue, so operators Don't Like Them.

Ideal for that spare 'phone  or the basic dumb phone you take with you on a night out.

I'll give you that O2 no longer have a true PAYG proffer (but even then the O2 Classic SIM is available but not from O2) but all of the other schemes mentioned above can be operated as PAYG as you define it. The rates, however, make them very unattractive (eg Vodafone is min £2/day for any use of data). 

Username03725

k_man said:

For clarity, a data signal or WiFi is not required to send or receive SMS messages, only a mobile signal.
Many remote locations with weak signal are able to send and receive SMS, even if voice calls or full mobile data are unreliable.

Well yes, but as I said at the top of my reply let's keep it simple and not bog down in unnecessary technical detail. Long & short of it is that if your phone is getting enough phone signal it can send & receive an SMS. It can also do that if you've enabled wifi calling but then you're off into discussing why WhatsApp might be a better option better if you're using a wifi or data signal etc. 

Our man seemed to be confusing different means of data delivery. Hopefully he now has a a better idea of how different mechanisms can achieve pretty much the same end result.

twopenny

So I use my home internet connection to download the What3Words app?

I've not downloaded one before so it's entering Google account first then internet to find the website and app download?)

It seems that it says download on Google Play for me and just click on install?

To the incident I may need to give a location for :-

When I got the text from AA it had links. Should I turn on Data or wifi if I need to use it so that I can click on the links?

And to give the info from W3w app? Do I need to get into that and if so wifi or data?

Or will it automatically send via my phone signal as I thought was suggested?

Can you give me a blow by blow idea of how it will work when I need it?

While it's not a problem in an emergency I'm with 1p mobile. So 1p a minute for calls and texts and 1pmb for data. There are annual payments but so far so good for my needs. I'm well in credit to my surprise as things have been busy.

flaneurs_lobster

Without sight of the texts from the AA it's a guess but I'd suggest the links were to the Google Play Store entry for W3W so that you could download it (using mobile data that has to be turned on) and then use the app to generate the W3W three words for your location on the moor.

Download it to your phone now (what phone do you have btw, might be helpful) and use it to find your current location's code. 
You will have to register for an account. 

Get that bit done then it might be obvious what the next bit would be.