Any remaining real PAYG Mobile Providers?

[2192]

My Tescomobile is PAYG, but I don't know if they still offer the same deal. We seldom use it unless a family member is in hospital or away from a landline.

 

[Harpers Tate]

I make calls with my land line on which there is also an always-on router for the internet. I use a full size desktop PC. The mobile reception here is poor anyway.

1: Are those landline calls truly "free" or do you either pay as you go (per call) or pay extra for an inclusive package? In either case (at least once any current fixed term is up) you may save if you don't use your landline for outbound calls.
2: Most mobile providers "boost" their networks by offering WiFi calling meaning you make mobile calls but they are initially routed out of your home via your internet connection.

 

[northwichcat]

If that minimum top up is monthly, I would not describe it as pure PAYG. As I average one phone call about every two months, I would be paying £10 per call. A call every 180 days would not be a problem though.

I agree that a minimum monthly top up isn't really PAYG. But I disagree that you'd be paying £10 per call. You might end up with a SIM with £100 credit at the end of the year but the amount deducted from your credits would relate to the cost of the calls you make. A SIM with £100 credit might sell on eBay.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Mar 2022 ==

2: Most mobile providers "boost" their networks by offering WiFi calling meaning you make mobile calls but they are initially routed out of your home via your internet connection.

I've seen my phone automatically switch to WiFi calling when it's connected, even when there's a 4G connection. Perhaps it's presumed WiFi for voice is more reliable than a mobile signal inside?

 

[jon0844]

Some phones have a setting to prioritise Wi-Fi over mobile for voice calls, while others will select based on what the carrier chooses. Some devices will also look at the quality (signal/latency) of a Wi-Fi connection before using it.

Personally, as I have excellent coverage indoors with a Wi-Fi mesh network and a gigabit fibre connection, I opt to route my calls over my home broadband connection as a preference.

 

[johncrossley]

Why would an operator prefer to use its own network rather than WiFi? I use Three on my main phone and it uses 4G most of the time and only uses WiFi when the 4G signal is very weak.

 

[jon0844]

Why would an operator prefer to use its own network rather than WiFi? I use Three on my main phone and it uses 4G most of the time and only uses WiFi when the 4G signal is very weak.

An operator doesn't want dropped calls (there are many performance metrics that are measured and will be used against it in network reports). EE will look at the signal quality of a Wi-Fi connection before allowing a call to be routed that way, but bear in mind that in many cases Wi-Fi will be more stable in an indoor environment (where Wi-Fi generally is going to be used) than a mobile signal that might struggle to penetrate exterior and interior walls. Hence, VoWiFi having been a major part of the 4G (and 5G/NR) spec.

In the past, you had things like femtocells which were complicated to set up and had security implications. Now it's all effectively VoIP over an encrypted data stream - so it doesn't matter whether it's your home/office connection or mobile.

 

[The Lad]

Not a monthly top up, AFAICT lasts forever subject to making a call or text every 90 ? days.

 

[Lucan]

1: Are those landline calls truly "free" or do you either pay as you go (per call) or pay extra for an inclusive package? In either case (at least once any current fixed term is up) you may save if you don't use your landline for outbound calls.
2: Most mobile providers "boost" their networks by offering WiFi calling meaning you make mobile calls but they are initially routed out of your home via your internet connection.

1. My landline has a standing charge and a call-minutes charge. Unlike with mobile, the standing charge is perfectly reasonable because there is some significant infrastructure dedicated to me and only me. In fact I do well because my overhead line is about half a mile long through a forest and Open Reach have to send in the tree surgeons every 3-4 years to cut back branches. I need a land line because I use desktop/laptop PCs for internat, not a smartphone. I suppose someone will tell me I could a smartphone a router, but the mobile signal is not good here anyway.

2. Presumably, the mobile will need to be on the same network supplier as the landline ISP, but mine doesn't do mobile.

I disagree that you'd be paying £10 per call. You might end up with a SIM with £100 credit at the end of the year but ..... A SIM with £100 credit might sell on eBay.

I can't imagine you would get anything like £100 - who would take your word that it has credit? They might chance paying £10. I did look on Ebay to see if there were any traditional PAYG SIMS (I might even have found my old one being sold by its finder/thief !), but although some seemed as if they might have been, the wording was ambiguous, especially given as marketing nowadays describes monthy-minimum type SIMs as "PAYG" when really they are monthly contracts.

The whole mobile phone business seems to be as scummy as second-hand car dealing, hostess bars, and old time horse trading.

 

[Silver Cobra]

I have an O2 PAYG phone. On it I have a favourite places option where as long as I top up £10 a month and call from within my favourite place (my postcode area) I have 500 free mins to call any O2 or BT number. Outside the area I’m charged at normal rates. However if I don’t use my credit it rolls over so when I top up again to reset the offer whatever credit is left is added.

That is a pretty poor deal, to be honest. I use Tesco Mobile, who piggy-back off of O2, and for topping up £10 each month I get 5000 any-network minutes, 5000 texts and 10GB of data through their £10 'Rocket Pack' bundle. I would suggest taking a look at Tesco Mobile and their Rocket Pack bundles, as one of their SIMs should work in your O2 phone.

 

[WelshBluebird]

2. Presumably, the mobile will need to be on the same network supplier as the landline ISP, but mine doesn't do mobile.

Nope - WiFi calling is able to use pretty much any available WiFi network (barring issues like ports being blocked etc).

 

[Ashley Hill]

That is a pretty poor deal, to be honest. I use Tesco Mobile, who piggy-back off of O2, and for topping up £10 each month I get 5000 any-network minutes, 5000 texts and 10GB of data through their £10 'Rocket Pack' bundle. I would suggest taking a look at Tesco Mobile and their Rocket Pack bundles, as one of their SIMs should work in your O2 phone.

TBH that doesn’t sound bad and worth investigating. Cheers for that.

 

[Harpers Tate]

1. My landline has a standing charge and a call-minutes charge.

So my point was - for the price of a monthly SIM contract with (say) unlimited minutes (which can be had for less than £10/month) you need never use your landline for outbound calls. So you could do away with the call-minutes expense to offset the costs of a monthly mobile tariff. Unlimited text and minutes = Lebara £6.95; Vodafone £6; Virgin £7; 02 £8. etc. (as found just now on a price comparison site).

2. Presumably, the mobile will need to be on the same network supplier as the landline ISP, but mine doesn't do mobile.

Presumably wrong. My mobile is "3" and my ISP/landline is PlusNet at the moment until my contract with them ends (so - no business connection whatsoever). And yes - at home I typically end up using WiFi calling. FYI WiFi calling also works in eg hotels and bars where the mobile signal is insufficient. Regardless of who is their ISP. Like at a country inn in a valley north of Skipton with virtually no mobile signal at all.

 

[johncrossley]

Presumably wrong. My mobile is "3" and my ISP/landline is PlusNet at the moment until my contract with them ends (so - no business connection whatsoever). And yes - at home I typically end up using WiFi calling. FYI WiFi calling also works in eg hotels and bars where the mobile signal is insufficient. Regardless of who is their ISP. Like at a country inn in a valley north of Skipton with virtually no mobile signal at all.

So Wi-Fi is a leveller meaning that you are no longer restricted to choosing mobile networks that have good reception at your home. Better to choose a network that has good coverage in the places that you visit outside the home that don't have Wi-Fi, or just the cheapest network that works well enough.

 

[jon0844]

So Wi-Fi is a leveller meaning that you are no longer restricted to choosing mobile networks that have good reception at your home. Better to choose a network that has good coverage in the places that you visit outside the home that don't have Wi-Fi, or just the cheapest network that works well enough.

Yes, that's a fair assumption and a good way to look at things. Chances are, every property is going to have some issues indoors unless you're right next to a cell site, so Wi-Fi Calling is beneficial to both parties. So coverage when you're actually mobile can be given more consideration.

 

[Howardh]

My Tescomobile is PAYG, but I don't know if they still offer the same deal. We seldom use it unless a family member is in hospital or away from a landline.

I'm with Tesco PAYG. Top up as and when I feel like it, and they give you £20 free credit to use within a month. I make very few calls/texts, so it's mainly data, so when I put in £10 or £15 I get enough data to last me the month. far happier with that than being on a "plan". £10 gives me 2gb of data, and as I don't stream TV shows etc it usually lasts!

 

[zero]

I am using Three data SIMs which give 200MB free per month, and still charge 3p/2p/1p PAYG for the rest. These are not available any more obviously. I must top up £2 every 6 months.

I recently bought some O2 SIMs on ebay (search 20p SIM cards) and they also charge 3p/2p/1p PAYG. Not sure if still available. The only restriction is that you must use 1p of credit every 6 months.

 

[colchesterken]

I have the right hump, I had a virgin that I purchased in the Virgin shop, has worked fine ( but expensive ) but OK for about 6 calls a year, They stopped doing PAYG got my balance refunded but now I find the phone locked ( I paid cash for the phone ) now I find the phone is locked, I have phoned them many times been given assurances it has been cleared but it has not I have been given code numbers but it is still locked
Samsung will not unlock it as they say it would be a breach of contract, the local phone shop want the same as a cheap mobile to unlock it.....I have a complaint in then off to the ombudsman

I have my phone in the car on Asda which I thought was 4p per min 2 calls a year. the spreadsheet on here says min monthly spend is 25p is that correct as Asda do not advertise that. so I will have to use it more often.

 

[david1212]

I have the right hump, I had a virgin that I purchased in the Virgin shop, has worked fine ( but expensive ) but OK for about 6 calls a year, They stopped doing PAYG got my balance refunded but now I find the phone locked ( I paid cash for the phone ) now I find the phone is locked, I have phoned them many times been given assurances it has been cleared but it has not I have been given code numbers but it is still locked
Samsung will not unlock it as they say it would be a breach of contract, the local phone shop want the same as a cheap mobile to unlock it.....I have a complaint in then off to the ombudsman

I have my phone in the car on Asda which I thought was 4p per min 2 calls a year. the spreadsheet on here says min monthly spend is 25p is that correct as Asda do not advertise that. so I will have to use it more often.

I had trouble when Virgin changed to O2. Two codes required for network unlock but they only provided one and could not provide the second. Because first entered no-one else could unlock the phone. In the end they sent me a very basic phone. Then found PAYG ended so still unused and not worth selling on eBay. I never got my PAYG credit but at least only £7 I recall.