03-09-2017, 11:01 AM
41
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Originally Posted by Realist
->
Errr how is Three's rate 3/2/1 better than 1pMobile's 1/1/1 ?There is (afaik) no cheaper PAYG deal at the moment than 1pMobile which is why I started this thread.
1p per text
1p per min calls
1p per mb data
Only commitment is a topup of at least £10 every 4 months so £30 per year.
Much depends on whether a person wants to use a smart phone or a trusty old style phone with real buttons like the Nokias.
So perhaps you could explain how £30 per year is less than the £5 (or maybe even less) that Three's 1-2-3 would cost if you only use the service rarely as shropshiregirl's post would suggest? Read post two in this very thread for confirmation.
In the case to which I was responding the smart phone or old-style phone debate is irrelevant; it would appear that if shropshiregirl's husband would continue using a mobile phone it would be a basic model for emergency use only.
I appreciate that your OP recommendation may be appropriate for some despite even the reported problems with this MVNO as shown earlier in this thread; not however in this case it would appear.
FYI and just as a polite pointer I note that 1p Mobile were reprimanded by the Advertising Standards/Ofcom:
03-09-2017, 02:10 PM
42
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Originally Posted by Zaphod
->
I was talking about "For low users", in response to shropshiregirl's post.So perhaps you could explain how £30 per year is less than the £5 (or maybe even less) that Three's 1-2-3 would cost if you only use the service rarely as shropshiregirl's post would suggest?
Firstly she wants to renew her own phone which is currently contract. Secondly her husband is thinking of not having a phone at all and sharing the one phone with ShropshireGirl.
Taking the first of these. ShropshireGirl says she loves to text and is pleased to get loads of "free" texts with her current contract. Of course they are not in the least bit free as she is paying a lot of money for the overall contract.
1pMobile, charging just 1p per text, 1p per min for calls would be the cheapest PAYG offering for her imo. THREE charge twice that amount for texts and three times as much for calls. As a heavy text user she would pay far more with THREE than she would with the 1pMobile minimum yearly topup of £30.
Alongside that is the core issue of THREE's coverage which for me has always been dire. I remember buying a THREE dongle for my laptop some years ago and I had to return it fairly quickly as the network coverage was just so useless.
I recently bought a THREE PAYG sim for my phone (before I learned about 1pMobile) and again the network coverage was dire. I have a dual sim phone and have kept my old Vodafone PAYG sim in there and my wife was having to send texts on that sim because they often wouldn't get through on the THREE number.
I ditched the THREE sim as soon as I took receipt of my 1pMobile sim. I get 3-4 bars of signal strength with 1pMobile (EE network) whereas I get 0-1 with the THREE network.
It's a no brainer for me with the cheaper 1pMobile tariff.
On the second issue, ShropshireGirl's husband we appear to be talking about an emergency phone that would hardly ever get used (though in practice I'm doubtful whether that would really be the case)
But if so, I would say that he should get a Vodafone PAYG sim for that. The costs to text are hugely more expensive at 14p per text but provided you're never going to use that facility except in emergency then it doesn't matter. What does matter is the coverage. You will simply not beat Vodafone's hugely strong and widespread signal giving you 4 bars of signal even in buildings and car parks.
For an emergency phone, that would be the highest consideration.
Overall for ShropshireGirl herself, as you already highlighted, it's difficult to assess without understanding exactly what her phone usage habits are. I assume she has a smart phone so she may be best with a contract if she intends on using a lot of data for apps and GPS related stuff like maps.
I recommend 1pMobile for those people who want to stay simple, with a non-smart phone and who just want to call and text very cheaply.
03-09-2017, 03:52 PM
43
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Oh dear, I seem to have hit a nerve although that was not my intention - and sadly now you are providing what may be erroneous advice.As I very clearly say right at the beginning of my post: "It's a tricky one to answer accurately without knowing exactly what you use and what you need".
Originally Posted by Realist
->
ShropshireGirl's situation came in 2 parts.Firstly she wants to renew her own phone which is currently contract. Where does the post say that; be kind enough to show us? Secondly her husband is thinking of not having a phone at all and sharing the one phone with ShropshireGirl. Correct.
Taking the first of these. ShropshireGirl says she loves to text and is pleased to get loads of "free" texts with her current contract. Of course they are not in the least bit free as she is paying a lot of money for the overall contract.
Did you miss the photo's & apps comment then?
1pMobile, charging just 1p per text, 1p per min for calls would be the cheapest PAYG offering for her imo. But you are making assumptions based upon no actual usage given. THREE charge twice that amount for texts and three times as much for calls. As a heavy text user she would pay far more with THREE than she would with the 1pMobile minimum yearly topup of £30. That though was not what I suggested and again takes no account of actual usage - in which case the 1p Mobile may well end up costing far more than the figures you give. Hence my suggestion of Virgin Mobile.
Alongside that is the core issue of THREE's coverage which for me has always been dire. Which I why I specifically state depending upon coverage. I remember buying a THREE dongle for my laptop some years ago and I had to return it fairly quickly as the network coverage was just so useless. But your experience cannot be applicable to everybody, otherwise Three would not be in business.
I recently bought a THREE PAYG sim for my phone (before I learned about 1pMobile) and again the network coverage was dire. I have a dual sim phone and have kept my old Vodafone PAYG sim in there and my wife was having to send texts on that sim because they often wouldn't get through on the THREE number. Again this is not necessarily indicative of what others experience.
I ditched the THREE sim as soon as I took receipt of my 1pMobile sim. I get 3-4 bars of signal strength with 1pMobile (EE network) whereas I get 0-1 with the THREE network.
It's a no brainer for me with the cheaper 1pMobile tariff. And if it suits your needs that's fine - but don't assume that to be the case for everyone.
On the second issue, ShropshireGirl's husband we appear to be talking about an emergency phone that would hardly ever get used (though in practice I'm doubtful whether that would really be the case) But shropshiregirl & her husband decide that, not you or I.
But if so, I would say that he should get a Vodafone PAYG sim for that. The costs to text are hugely more expensive at 14p per text but provided you're never going to use that facility except in emergency then it doesn't matter. It does when you have to make at least one "chargeable activity" every 180 days with Vodafone. What does matter is the coverage. You will simply not beat Vodafone's hugely strong and widespread signal giving you 4 bars of signal even in buildings and car parks. Nor will you beat their very poor customer service ratings, alongside EE the worst in the UK.
For an emergency phone, that would be the highest consideration. Again depending upon coverage where you will be using it.
Overall for ShropshireGirl herself, as you already highlighted, it's difficult to assess without understanding exactly what her phone usage habits are. Yay, agreement. I assume she has a smart phone so she may be best with a contract if she intends on using a lot of data for apps and GPS related stuff like maps. Again you are assuming.
I recommend 1pMobile for those people who want to stay simple, with a non-smart phone and who just want to call and text very cheaply.
Yet again if it suits you and some others, fine.
I have no problem with that.
But it will not suit everyone and if even Ofcom say that cheaper can be found, to refute that possibility seems nothing more that either denial or argumentative.
Just for example - Virgin's £9/month bundle I describe in my earlier post with 1500 minutes, 4GB data and unlimited texts.
On your 1p Mobile tariff the data and calls alone to cover that usage would therefore cost £15 + £40 = £55 - and this before any texts! 900 as a mix of minutes/texts/MB data is not enough for many people.
Now I'm not suggesting that either Virgin or Three are necessarily the way forward for Shropshiregirl. I am however providing options and examples rather than recommending something which may well not be appropriate to their needs.
03-09-2017, 05:25 PM
44
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Originally Posted by Zaphod
Firstly she wants to renew her own phone which is currently contract. Where does the post say that; be kind enough to show us?
"I am thinking of looking for a better deal when our dual mobile contracts with EE ends in March 2018"
Originally Posted by Zaphod
in which case the 1p Mobile may well end up costing far more than the figures you give. Hence my suggestion of Virgin Mobile.
"£9/month gives her unlimited texts, 25 hours worth of voice calls and 4GB of data "
Which is a staggering £180 per year. Crazy money. Regardless, that's a contract deal tariff not PAYG. This is a thread about PAYG not contracts.
You also said that :
"they do a £6 plan with 5 hours of chat & unlimited texts."
That's still £72 per year ! And again it's a contract not PAYG.
Originally Posted by Zaphod
It does when you have to make at least one "chargeable activity" every 180 days with Vodafone.
For an emergency phone getting a Vodafone PAYG sim would be a no-brainer. Pretty much guaranteed great reception wherever the emergency took place and only 28p commitment per year to keep that service active. One of the reasons I still maintain my Vodafone PAYG sim in my dual-sim phone. A total no-brainer.
Originally Posted by Zaphod
Just for example - Virgin's £9/month bundle I describe in my earlier post with 1500 minutes, 4GB data and unlimited texts.On your 1p Mobile tariff the data and calls alone to cover that usage would therefore cost £15 + £40 = £55 - and this before any texts! 900 as a mix of minutes/texts/MB data is not enough for many people.
If people want to pay huge yearly charges for contracts that's just fine. Each to their own. Not for me though and equally not for a great many others. I noted that the Virgin T&Cs stated that:
"The charge for your airtime plan will increase with your July bill each year from July 2018."
Nice !
Nothing you have said or suggested has thus far changed my view on the topic. 1pMobile DOES seem to be the cheapest PAYG option currently on the market. Very happy to be proved otherwise but as far as I can see, nothing currently comes close to :
1p per text
1p per min calls
1p per MB data
With only a £30 per YEAR commitment.
If you think otherwise then point me to a cheaper PAYG tariff.
03-09-2017, 06:09 PM
45
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Oh dear, it now becomes apparent that you seek nothing more than disagreement; what a shame.
Originally Posted by Realist
->
She says it here:"I am thinking of looking for a better deal when our dual mobile contracts with EE ends in March 2018"
Ah, a DEAL then and NOT a new phone as you said.
You quoted in regards to Virgin mobile:
"£9/month gives her unlimited texts, 25 hours worth of voice calls and 4GB of data "
Which is a staggering £180 per year. Crazy money. Regardless, that's a contract deal tariff not PAYG. This is a thread about PAYG not contracts.
Firstly since when are there 20 months in a year? It actualy relates to £108 - which is far cheaper than the £560 currently spent. Secondly the poster asked about options - and options may include either; so did I.
You also said that :
"they do a £6 plan with 5 hours of chat & unlimited texts."
That's still £72 per year ! And again it's a contract not PAYG.
See above. "Options". Though by now the poor OP is probably bored with these back-and-forth responses
Just don't get your point or intention here. You appear to be arguing for the sake of it. Eh? YOU are doing that, not I. Having to make ONE chargeable transaction (call/text) every 180 days is meaningless. That would be 2 texts in a year at 14p per text. i.e. 28p. As opposed to none costing how much?
For an emergency phone getting a Vodafone PAYG sim would be a no-brainer. Pretty much guaranteed great reception wherever the emergency took place and only 28p commitment per year to keep that service active. One of the reasons I still maintain my Vodafone PAYG sim in my dual-sim phone. A total no-brainer.
That - as pointed out before, with reasons - simply is not true for everyone. Why do you persist in refuting this?
Again what's your point here? This thread is about the cheapest PAYG mobile. The question asked however was not. "Any tips please on which is best? Is pay-as-you-go good value or would you recommend a monthly contract?" It seems that being unable to stump up a cheaper PAYG alternative you are instead attempting to compare PAYG with contract tariffs. That's absolutely not what this thread is about. PAYG and Contract are completely different beasts. See above.
If people want to pay huge yearly charges for contracts that's just fine. Each to their own. Not for me though and equally not for a great many others. As I said before, all of us have different needs. You at least acknowledge that much. I noted that the Virgin T&Cs stated that:
"The charge for your airtime plan will increase with your July bill each year from July 2018."
Nice ! Oh, are you suggesting that others do not increase their tariffs now? At least Virgin are transparent.
Nothing you have said or suggested has thus far changed my view on the topic. 1pMobile DOES seem to be the cheapest PAYG option currently on the market. Very happy to be proved otherwise but as far as I can see, nothing currently comes close to :
1p per text
1p per min calls
1p per MB data
With only a £30 per YEAR commitment.
If you think otherwise then point me to a cheaper PAYG tariff.
Three will cost nothing. No commitment. It depends however upon usage.
Your £30 per year commitment equates to a mix of 3000 minutes, texts and/or MB of data per year. Since that is insufficient for the needs of many, there are better alternatives.
But no, you persist in attempting to contradict the findings of Ofgem:
03-09-2017, 07:12 PM
47
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Originally Posted by Rehab44
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Please don't, I have just bunged another bag of popcorn in the microwave..
There is a company called FreedomPop.
Which is (surprise, surprise) free.
Well free for 200 minutes, 200 texts and 200 MB of data every month.
Mind you, that piggybacks on the Three network too so I imagine it doesn't count as being the cheapest eh?
04-09-2017, 08:15 AM
49
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Originally Posted by Zaphod
->
There is a company called FreedomPop.
Which is (surprise, surprise) free.
Well free for 200 minutes, 200 texts and 200 MB of data every month.
Mind you, that piggybacks on the Three network too so I imagine it doesn't count as being the cheapest eh?
Many round here have changed to BT as it has excellent coverage dearer but at least we can get what we are paying for. Only other one ever worked was orange but they aren't around any more.
04-09-2017, 08:20 AM
50
Re: Cheapest PAYG Mobile? 1p
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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One thing no one has mentioned though is coverage, I like three the idea of using it however fills me with dread as their coverage round here is patchy at best. My husbands company used them but unless he was on top of multi storey carpark in middle of Woking he had no calls or data usage, so if you lived in your car up there it was ideal not so much for anyone else Many round here have changed to BT as it has excellent coverage dearer but at least we can get what we are paying for. Only other one ever worked was orange but they aren't around any more.
Locally Vodaphone are strangely not good in places with zero reception at OH's place of work in the middle of town.
Three however has good reception.
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