Low usage on old phone

2

Comments

  • goodValue
    goodValue Posts: 390 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Many thanks for all the help - I now have a working mobile.


    As a general query, does anyone have any advice about using it when calling customer services (when you expect to be on hold for a long time).
    I got the Asda Sim which is 8p a minute, but if you're on hold for 20 minutes, the costs start mounting.
    I noticed that there were a couple of suppliers with a cost of 3 or 4p a minute - wouldn't these be better on long holds?
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    Do you have a landline?

    What are the first 4 digits of the numbers your on hold on?

    You did ask for a low use sim
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    goodValue wrote: »
    As a general query, does anyone have any advice about using it when calling customer services (when you expect to be on hold for a long time).
    I got the Asda Sim which is 8p a minute, but if you're on hold for 20 minutes, the costs start mounting.
    I noticed that there were a couple of suppliers with a cost of 3 or 4p a minute - wouldn't these be better on long holds?

    Hopefully you won't need to call customer services very often.

    Otherwise, the SayNoTo0870 website suggests that you could try calling
    0800 9520101 and choosing options 1, 3, 4, then 1. Or calling 0113 241 9833 and asking for Asda Mobile.

    Just make sure you're really talking to Asda Mobile and not Identity Thieves R'Us.
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,199 Forumite
    Homepage Hero First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    goodValue wrote: »
    Many thanks for all the help - I now have a working mobile.


    As a general query, does anyone have any advice about using it when calling customer services (when you expect to be on hold for a long time).
    I got the Asda Sim which is 8p a minute, but if you're on hold for 20 minutes, the costs start mounting.
    I noticed that there were a couple of suppliers with a cost of 3 or 4p a minute - wouldn't these be better on long holds?

    Before jumping ship to cheaper calls, check they work on your network first [EE I think is now]

    As said, calling CS should not be a problem, I have been with Asda mobile over ten years and never had a reason to call them yet

    I have not checked the web site, but maybe there is option there to message them, or at last resort pop in and ask at the electronics counter, you may just find someone who knows there
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • goodValue
    goodValue Posts: 390 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    I think I misled some people with my last query - I was asking about phoning any Customer Services, not just Asda Mobile.(I think that you can call Asda for free).
    I asked because I was phoning a utility company or bank a couple of weeks ago, and it was about 20 minutes before I got through to a representative.
    By coincidence my landline(Post Office) costs about the same per minute as Asda does.


    I suppose one of the things I wanted to know was why Asda is so well thought of, though there are other suppliers are cheaper.
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    edited 20 March 2017 at 9:02PM
    The main reasons I recomended Asda was:

    1) It should work with a phone locked to T-Mobile. (there was a high chance yours was locked to T-mobile as branded)
    2) It's a free sim, with some free minutes to get you started.
    3) Calls are a reasonable price
    4) It uses the EE network, which is normally good.

    If you actually going to use your mobile phone quite a lot, (rather than just an emergency phone) I would recommend a sim only deal.
    For example:

    Virgin Mobile £6 per month you get 300 minutes per month and unlimited txt's
    http://store.virginmedia.com/virgin-media-mobile/sim-only/pay-monthly-sim.html


    Plusnet £5 per month. 250mins, 500 TXT's per month.
    https://www.plus.net/mobile/plans/sim-only

    If you exceed these limits call get expensive though. ~ 40p/minute.

    Of those I would recommend virgin.

    There is also vectone. Cheaper, but budget customer service etc.

    So keep an eye on how much you are topping up and using.
    If your using more than £6 per month, you may be better with sim only.
  • goodValue
    goodValue Posts: 390 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    I will make little use of the mobile phone, so the Asda sim will be good for me.
    The query about Customer Services was not really a mobile issue, but a general phone problem. It's a problem that you will get whether using a mobile or a landline. And the problem is really with the Customer Service departments rather than the phone service providers.
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    for example npower uses Freephone numbers starting 0800 (free from landline)


    There are also numbers like 0330 (or similar) which are free from mobile phones (as far as I know), so when contacting a company, search the internet for contact numbers and only save the correct mobile Freephone number in your mobiles address book.


    I think I'm correct in this, not fully up to date.
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,199 Forumite
    Homepage Hero First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    First stop for calling non free CS number should be saynoto0870

    May not find a free number but an alternative to a premium one
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • goodValue
    goodValue Posts: 390 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    AndyPK wrote: »
    for example npower uses Freephone numbers starting 0800 (free from landline)


    There are also numbers like 0330 (or similar) which are free from mobile phones (as far as I know), so when contacting a company, search the internet for contact numbers and only save the correct mobile Freephone number in your mobiles address book.


    I think I'm correct in this, not fully up to date.
    Farway wrote: »
    First stop for calling non free CS number should be saynoto0870

    May not find a free number but an alternative to a premium one



    I'll try out the above advice the next time I have to call a CS number (not very often).
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards