1Penny top up/yearly options?

Boohoo

Hello.

My Dad has been with 1penny for 5 years and 2 or 3 years ago hewas told that he(and 1,000's of others) where going to stop auto top-ups and use their credit at £2.50 a month wether they use £2.50 worth of mins, txt or data.

He is now down to £3.59 and i was going to do a top up for him but it's £40 a year or £2.50 a month if he tops up £10 every 4 months.

I sent them an email asking if the min £2.50 still in use as his credit is nearly all gone and they said yes.

He doesn't use his mobile much and but some months he calls Gibraltar, Jersey and Ireland to talk to his relatives which was cheaper than the landline. He doesn't use wifi calling, zoom or whatsapp just landline of mobile.

Is 1penny mobile wrong about min fee or will he have to keep paying to use them.?

Boohoo

Sorry i should have put this thread in the Mobile section.

Any way it can be moved please?

HillStreetBlues

For background https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/10/some-1p-mobile-will-see-their-minimum-spend-change-to-p2-50-ever/
All pre Jan 21 were moved to having to pay £2.50 pm, but as I understand it will carry, so even when old credit runs out. The only way I see to avoid it is to start a new contract.
I was with them when the changed happened but I moved away as didn't agree with it (I had built up a lot of credit).

PHK

Just to clarify, it’s a minimum spend of £2.50. If you haven’t spent more than that then your charged the difference. 

Boohoo

HillStreetBlues said:

For background https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/10/some-1p-mobile-will-see-their-minimum-spend-change-to-p2-50-ever/
All pre Jan 21 were moved to having to pay £2.50 pm, but as I understand it will carry, so even when old credit runs out. The only way I see to avoid it is to start a new contract.
I was with them when the changed happened but I moved away as didn't agree with it (I had built up a lot of credit).

my Dad had £80 odd credit when it happened and was told he can leave but no refund so he carried on.

I am not sure if new contract means new number or if new credit stays active until used up?

Boohoo

PHK said:

Just to clarify, it’s a minimum spend of £2.50. If you haven’t spent more than that then your charged the difference. 

Yes £2.50 PM wether you spend/use nothing or £2.49 rounded up to £2.50

PHK

At 9p a minute calling Gibraltar, Jersey and Ireland is probably going to take a chunk of the £2.50.  

How many minutes does he spend on calls to those places ?

Boohoo

PHK said:

At 9p a minute calling Gibraltar, Jersey and Ireland is probably going to take a chunk of the £2.50.  

How many minutes does he spend on calls to those places ?

He spends 15 mins to each place once every 2 months, they take it in turns to call each other so 6 times a year per country.

PHK

So it looks like he spends more than £2.50 every other month but possibly less than £2.50 other months. 

Looking at alternatives there doesn't seem to be anything significantly cheaper because they either have a higher per minute charge or a minimum amount per month. 

zagfles

Didn't they change the T&Cs for everyone to a min spend of £10 every 3 months? They did for post 2021 customers, ISTR they did for everyone? 1pMobile Terms and Conditions 

twopenny

Yes, I think there are different contracts  but for me who doesn't use it much it's cheaper than anything else.

They seem to be heading down the usual bundles route which is a shame - but there's one at £30 a month (if he;s not using much data) which is the same as you have now.

When the top up comes around they have kindly taken the amount out of the extra I've built up. They text that a top up is due, and the dashboard showing  exactly what has happened to account is very clear and easy to understand. Can you access your dads to have a look?

They are toping up every 3mts where it used to be 4. Customer service excellent and quick too which is valuable.

I don't think you'll find cheaper than £2.50 a month even if some is lost at the end of it- which will only be a tiny amount even for a scrooge like me