Tesco Mobile pay-as-you-go customer? Be prepared: it may push you to buy a bundle

PHK

MindEcho said:

Not what I was told

I am afraid they don't seem to know what they are talking about. If you read the MSE article or the migration FAQ on the Tesco website, you'll see that a new SIM is needed 

whattochoose

PHK said:

whattochoose said:

PHK said:

whattochoose said:

I'm still waiting to hear from Tesco re the imminent removal of my "lite" tariff. I think I've mentioned before I have a cheap Nokia 2G phone. I know the 3G signal is about to be switched off, but from the reading I've done 2G will be available until 2033.
I'm probably going to move to a different provider, and I just want something where I can top up once every blue moon and make calls as and when, aware that to maintain the intergrity of the service I will need to make a call at least once every six months, no great imposition.
Is this the one to go for please?
https://www.o2.co.uk/help/products-and-services/pay-as-you-go/classic-pay-as-yo

This isn’t quite correct, whilst the 2G signal won’t be turned off for about eight years. 2G is being dedicated to emergency calls and machine to machine communication. 

In the case of O2 (who have the highest percentage of 2G only customers 1%) they are gradually migrating customers. From last July business customers were migrated, from October incoming and out coming roaming onto 2G was removed. 

The new Tesco’s tariff isn’t compatible with 2G, so at some point relatively soon you’ll need to change to a 4G voice compatible phone. 

Please forgive my ignorance but what do you mean by "machine to machine Communication"?

Smart meters, burglar alarms, GPS trackers, parking meters etc Anything where two machines communicate. 

So no person to person calls anymore then, across the board, where 2G is concerned?

dnpark38

My Tesco (O2) as now gone off.

MindEcho

Not saying you're wrong; it's impossible to know given the conflicting information.

Also on Tesco's website:

squidgysponge

I've got to shake my head vigorously at the comment in the article that states:

Consider ditching PAYG and getting a cheap monthly Sim

Whether Tesco Mobile's new plan is the best option for you depends on how you use your phone:

• If you rarely use your phone or keep it just for emergencies, sticking with Tesco Mobile's standard PAYG rates may be the most cost-effective option. Tesco Mobile piggybacks on the O2 network, so if you're satisfied with the coverage, it'll still be the cheapest provider using O2's signal after the changes.

If you were on the Lite tariff that allowed you to keep existing credit month after month for an emergency very low use mobile, you now are FORCED to top it up every single month. No where in the article is this stated.

I'm still looking for another PAYG sim that allows me to chuck £10 on it and it remains there until it is used regardless of how long it takes. Its very annoying because I could get the Tesco staff unlimited SIM contract, but I'm not prepared to pay £120 a year for a mobile that maybe gets used for 1 call or a text every month.

Detail_Merchant

squidgysponge said:

I've got to shake my head vigorously at the comment in the article that states:

Consider ditching PAYG and getting a cheap monthly Sim

Whether Tesco Mobile's new plan is the best option for you depends on how you use your phone:

• If you rarely use your phone or keep it just for emergencies, sticking with Tesco Mobile's standard PAYG rates may be the most cost-effective option. Tesco Mobile piggybacks on the O2 network, so if you're satisfied with the coverage, it'll still be the cheapest provider using O2's signal after the changes.

If you were on the Lite tariff that allowed you to keep existing credit month after month for an emergency very low use mobile, you now are FORCED to top it up every single month. No where in the article is this stated.

I'm still looking for another PAYG sim that allows me to chuck £10 on it and it remains there until it is used regardless of how long it takes. Its very annoying because I could get the Tesco staff unlimited SIM contract, but I'm not prepared to pay £120 a year for a mobile that maybe gets used for 1 call or a text every month.

The statement "If you were on the Lite tariff that allowed you to keep existing credit month after month for an emergency very low use mobile, you now are FORCED to top it up every single month." is not true.

From https://www.tescomobile.com/help/usage-and-top-up/pay-as-you-go/pay-as-you-go-tariffs#accordion-a7fbe92d85-item-390ec12c15

It says "Can I stop my bundles from automatically renewing?

Yes, you can stop your current bundle to turn off auto-renewal. You can do this easily in the Tesco Mobile app or by calling 4488 from your phone.

Without an active bundle, any calls you make, texts you send or data you use will be charged at our standard rates."

whattochoose

As mentioned, I have a Nokia mobile. I also have a Doro, again 2g, because all I want to do is make calls and send texts, I would say the Doro phones are possibly aimed at older people, like me.
Looking at this I see Argos are still selling 2g Doro phones...
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1243158?clickPR=plp:2:14
Should Argos be doing this, if as one kind member has pointed out, the 2g signal will only be good for "machine-to-machine communication"?

squidgysponge

I wasn't talking about auto-renewal, I was talking about not having to top up every month on PAYG. 

On the old lite Tesco PAYG lite tariff any existing credit remained until it was used, you didn't have to use the phone for months at a time and the credit would remain. I am now under the impression that the switchto the new essential tariff zero's any remaining credit every 30 days requiring you to "manually" top up.

https://www.tescomobile.com/content/dam/tesco-mobile/terms-and-conditions/pay-as-you-go/Pay as you go essentials terms and conditions July 2025.pdf

3.1 Your Pay As You Go Essentials Bundle
remains active for 30 days. Please note,
your 30 days starts from the moment you
activate your Essentials Bundle.
Regardless of the time of day your
Essentials Bundle is activated, this is
classed as day 1. Your Essentials Bundle
will end at midnight on day 30

3.2 Any unused allowance will not be
carried forward or rolled over into your
next Pay as you go Essentials Bundle.

Which in my view means to use your mobile on Essential you need to top up every 30 days. Furthermore if I'm currently on the Lite Tariff and top up it will automatically put me on a 30 day contract which will absorb any unused credit after 30 days.

MindEcho

Don't think that's the case. My understanding is that you add credit as before, but can also choose to purchase a monthly bundle out of that credit.

• If you don't purchase a bundle then it's the PAYG you're familiar with, albeit at standard rates.
• If you do purchase a bundle, it will auto-renew in 30 days unless you call to stop that.
• When renewing, it'll charge you from your phone credit and you'll loose any unused "benefits" from the previous bundle.
• If you exceed the "benefits" of the bundle during its 30 day life span, you'll be charged out of the phone credit at standard rates.

 I've received my 72hr notice for being switched, so will know more for sure in a few days' time.

squidgysponge

One thing is for certain, Tesco need to communicate the change a lot better.