True PAYG, no "monthly plan"?

stevemortgages

Hi everyone, I'm trying to find a good old fashioned PAYG deal. 

I need a sim card, to add £10 to it, then put it in a spare mobile phone for my Mum to use as an emergency phone in case something happens to hers. 

It may never get used, which is why I don't want a monthly SIM Only plan, which every provider seems to be pushing these days! 

Am I right in thinking that if I get a SIM from a provider but don't sign up to a plan, that it would work as I need?

Thanks! 

marlot

RWG do a 2-year plan if that's an alternative.  https://www.rwgmobile.wales/webshop/offers/2-year-sim-250-mins-250-sms-2gb-data-every-month-for-24-months-one-off-charge/

But I'd make sure to understand how often the phone needs to be used before the SIM is disconnected.

flaneurs_lobster

Assuming you want a free PAYG SIM then Three, Asda or Giffgaff should suit (as long as they get decent reception).

https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/free-sim
https://mobile.asda.com/order-sim
https://www.giffgaff.com/free-sim-cards

All need a call or text from the phone every 180 days or so to stay active, but you'd be checking your Mum's phone is OK hopefully this often anyway. 

Rodders53

Surely it's all in the MSE guides? 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/best-pay-as-you-go-sim-cards/#occasional

Suggests Three or Asda may be most suited to a plain PAYG backup (but both will need to be used every 180 days/6 months approx) to keep 'alive' and maintain the credit balance...

DO read the T&Cs yourself to confirm.

stevemortgages

Thank you all!   Yes Rodders, I misread the title of that section, sorry! I saw Best SIM, and my brain saw Best SIM ONLY !! 

Ms_Chocaholic

GiffGaff and Tesco Mobile use the O2 network, I use GG with no probs.

Spint

I need one too.

Can someone confirm if I'm right here?

According to the weblinks above and what else I can find, it seems the cheapest option to simply keep a SIM alive for emergencies or whatever is £3.33 per month (£10 bundle that lasts 180 days). Is that correct?

Thanks very much.

**EDIT**

...or this one?

d123

The are still o2 Classic PAYG sims on eBay, 2025 activation dates and available for 20p last time I checked.

3p call and 2p per text. 

flaneurs_lobster

Spint said:

I need one too.

Can someone confirm if I'm right here?

According to the weblinks above and what else I can find, it seems the cheapest option to simply keep a SIM alive for emergencies or whatever is £3.33 per month (£10 bundle that lasts 180 days). Is that correct?

Thanks very much.

**EDIT**

...or this one?

Asda PAYG, £5 top-up should last forever(ish) if it's used to send a text once every six months. 

Some have reported that it needs a top-up of £1/5/10 every 6/9/12 months but that's not been my experience - had one running without top-up for > 3 years (but these things change over time so YMMV).

If it demands more than a fiver then either cough up or bin it and get another.

savergrant

Spint said:

I need one too.

Can someone confirm if I'm right here?

According to the weblinks above and what else I can find, it seems the cheapest option to simply keep a SIM alive for emergencies or whatever is £3.33 per month (£10 bundle that lasts 180 days). Is that correct?

Thanks very much.

**EDIT**

...or this one?

Not sure about your maths. A £10 bundle which lasts 180 days (if there is such a thing) would be £1.67 pm.
If you aren't expecting to have any emergencies and simply want credit for very occasional short calls the main players are rwg, tesco lite tariff, or a third party o2 classic.

J_B

flaneurs_lobster said:

Asda PAYG, £5 top-up should last forever(ish) if it's used to send a text once every six months. 

Some have reported that it needs a top-up of £1/5/10 every 6/9/12 months but that's not been my experience - had one running without top-up for > 3 years (but these things change over time so YMMV).

If it demands more than a fiver then either cough up or bin it and get another.

Aged in-laws have EE 'real' PAYG last topped up with a tenner in 2021

As long as they make a call or send a text every 6 (?) months, it remains active.

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