How cheaply can I run a smartphone

Boulevardier

I have an ordinary not-smart mobile which I run on Vodafone ready-to-go.
My needs are not huge and I can usually keep it adequately topped up for 20 euro or so a month.

I would like a smartphone and I do not mind paying a reasonable sum up front in order to keep things on a pre-paid basis.

How cheaply can I reasonably expect to run a smartphone which has normal phone and text functions plus email, twitter and bog-standard internet, hopefully a newsfeed and a few apps?

Also, can I retain my current SIM?

Any advice gratefully received.

thegreatiam

you can get free internet with regular monthly top ups from most pay and go deals (each network gives a different amount)
most smartphones use a regular 3g sim. only newer ones will need a micro sim, this will be given by your network in any case. you simply port your number and its done.

you can get a smart phone for less that €70 on most networks will will do internet browsing use most apps and have gps. all the things you mention are standard.

Its just a matter of going to a shop and buying the phone.

stevenmu

I think Vodafone give you 1GB of data with your €20 top up these days, that would be plenty for standard smartphones usage (normal web browsing, email, news feeds and a few apps), I think some of the others do similar.

Three give unlimited data with their €20 top up if you think you'll need more than 1GB, but the chances are that you won't.

Stormington

stevenmu wrote: »

I think Vodafone give you 1GB of data with your €20 top up these days, that would be plenty for standard smartphones usage (normal web browsing, email, news feeds and a few apps), I think some of the others do similar.

Three give unlimited data with their €20 top up if you think you'll need more than 1GB, but the chances are that you won't.

1GB of data for a €20 top-up? I wish. I'm on Vodafone myself and I think it goes like this:

€20 gives you 100 mb (per month, after that you pay 99c per day for 50 mb)
€25 gives you 250 mb (as above)
€30 gives you 500 mb (as above)

I've seen/heard of other companies giving good offers now too: Lyca have unlimited* calls texts and Internet for €29 a month, Tesco have an offer that gives you that for €25 a month while 3 have a €20.33 deal with fewer calls/texts but loads of internet. They're all Pay as you go deals too, if I remember correctly.

Whether they're all short-term deals or you have to apply before a certain date and they continue on is something I'm not 100% sure of.

Tbh, I've found that by using wi-fi hotspots and my data allowance from a top-up that I get by comfortably. Although I have to say that on my first top-up I used up my 500mb allowance in one day downloading babbel language apps, and then my €13 credit was eaten up by watching Youtube videos for ages. It's a mistake I won't make again. At least it wasn't wasted on watching Harlem Shakes endlessly...

Fwiw, if you want to avoid the hassle of swapping over, then stick with Vodafone but try to get your hands on a Huawei g300 for €100. It's a brilliant phone for the money and it'll do everything you're looking for and has a decent 4-inch screen.

There's only 1 catch: you have to swap over from another company. Easiest thing to do is to put a Lyca or emobile sim in your phone and walk into the shop and say you want to swap over. Pop the sim out yourself without showing the staff the screen (assuming your phone is locked), take a new vodafone sim with the new phone, say nothing about your existing one and pop it in later on and you've bagged yourself a €19 discount on a phone and you've kept your number and contacts. I say €19 as I paid €1 for a Lyca sim in my local kebab shop as I didn't want to wait for the emobile one to arrive. I've just checked if the g300 will take a regular sim and vodafone show that it does.

*Fair use applies apparently.

I hope all that helps.

wilser

Vodafone only give 250mb with €25 top up

PogMoThoin

You're best off buying a smartphone and then opting for the €15 per month (rolling 30 day contract), free Vodafone calls and texts and 500MB data. See this thread: http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2056888762

Boulevardier

Thanks everyone, these are all excellent replies.

However, I'm getting the impression that the internet costs are potentially crippling.

I could foreswear all videos and just use the stillweb and that might keep me within my limits.

I don't think I will go to all that trouble with Lyca sims!

listermint

Boulevardier wrote: »

Thanks everyone, these are all excellent replies.

However, I'm getting the impression that the internet costs are potentially crippling.

I could foreswear all videos and just use the stillweb and that might keep me within my limits.

I don't think I will go to all that trouble with Lyca sims!

Thing with a smartphone is that WIFI is always an option. So dont be completely thrown off by how much data you would use.

I regularly use maybe 100Mb of a 2GB allowance due to the fact i have wifi in work and wifi at home.

PogMoThoin

listermint wrote: »

Thing with a smartphone is that WIFI is always an option. So dont be completely thrown off by how much data you would use.

I regularly use maybe 100Mb of a 2GB allowance due to the fact i have wifi in work and wifi at home.

Yeah, I'm a heavy user and rarely go over 300MB per month. You'd be surprised how little you use when you have wifi at home

FunkyDa2

Like the OP, I'm a Vodafone prepay("ready to go")customer, and a very light user. I paid full price for a Sony Xperia Ray, a year ago, and switched off the mobile data when setting it up. I get all my internet through the home wifi, Eircom hotspots(I'm an Eircom customer), coffee shops, airport terminals, etc.
I HAVE switched on mobile data on an odd occasion, when free wifi was unavailable.

Discodog

I was on Vodafone & I got a g300 before the price increased. I have since switched to Tesco & got their triple credit offer. A €10 top up, giving a total of €30 credit, comfortably lasts me a month.

unkel

After 12 years non stop on Vodafone PAYG I just had to switch to Meteor. We normally get very poor bill pay options in Ireland but this one is pretty unbeatable for a change

Nokia Lumia 820 (a €500 phone) for just €49 plus €25 a month for 18 months and you get 200mins 200texts and 1GB of data.

womandriver

€20 per month Three network PAYG. Unlimited texts to all networks, unlimited Internet, free 3 to 3 calls, free any network calls at weekend. €10 free bonus top up with every €20. And you still have your original €20 to spend on calls as everything else is free. Never spend a cent over the €20 per month.

StickyIcky

Boulevardier wrote: »

Thanks everyone, these are all excellent replies.

However, I'm getting the impression that the internet costs are potentially crippling.

I could foreswear all videos and just use the stillweb and that might keep me within my limits.

I don't think I will go to all that trouble with Lyca sims!

35 euro unlimited tesco sim only

Your wekcome.

Pm me if you need more info. Over and out.

adcrawley

StickyIcky wrote: »

35 euro unlimited tesco sim only

Your wekcome.

Pm me if you need more info. Over and out.

My current contract with Meteor expires next week.
I don't use much texts or calls but usually use between 3 to 5gb of data per month.
Meteor data coverage is very poor where I live & work.
I was thinking of moving to three for 20 euros per month on the 30 day sim only plan,

That 35 euro Tesco deal is very tempting.
What are Tesco like for data?

StickyIcky

I use Tesco data all the time. Aparantly they piggy back on the 02 network.

I've had no issue.

I think if you want a lot of calls texts and data, this option is by FAR the best.

Honestly someone, please thank me

3 Mobile are the next best option if you're on a tighter budget than €35 a month.