Best provider and plan for an "emergency" pay-n-go phone?

alaimacerc

Subject just about covers it. Which is the best (cheapest!) plan for a phone it's not planned to use regularly for outgoing calls? I imagine that more or less comes down to which provider lets credit roll over unused for the longest, but I might be missing a wrinkle or two.

MBSnr

alaimacerc wrote: »

Subject just about covers it. Which is the best (cheapest!) plan for a phone it's not planned to use regularly for outgoing calls? I imagine that more or less comes down to which provider lets credit roll over unused for the longest, but I might be missing a wrinkle or two.

I've found the best PAYG to be Tesco Mobile for minimal use. I believe I read that the PAYG credit lasts 1 yr, but I can't find a reference to that just now....

You could post a question in the Biz | Talk to | Tesco Mobile forum.

nava

alaimacerc wrote: »

Subject just about covers it. Which is the best (cheapest!) plan for a phone it's not planned to use regularly for outgoing calls? I imagine that more or less comes down to which provider lets credit roll over unused for the longest, but I might be missing a wrinkle or two.

Try meteor shockproof plan, you only pay for what you use it's a 30 day bill-pay contract so no need to top-up and I don't think there's a minimum spend.

alaimacerc

Thanks MB, I asked over there, and was told that Tesco's credit lasts for two years, and SIMs are kept active for three months in the first instance. For Meteor, I think I'll pop into a store and see what they have to say for themselves! Thanks, nava.

MBSnr

alaimacerc wrote: »

Thanks MB, I asked over there, and was told that Tesco's credit lasts for two years, and SIMs are kept active for three months in the first instance. For Meteor, I think I'll pop into a store and see what they have to say for themselves! Thanks, nava.

Yeah saw your query there. TBH I've found Tesco Mobile brilliant for my needs. Sure the piggybacked O2 data coverage isn't great at times but I was already on O2 PAYG paying more (May 2012), so moving to Tesco PAYG at the time was a no brainer (it was the best PAYG plan I found) and I've had no regrets. For an emergency/limited use phone, data coverage is irrelevant to you anyhow. I'm actually moving to one of their new SIM monthly plans for the bundled data allowance, which I currently pay to have as an add on.

Their customer service on these forums is great and they reply either to the public post or a private PM within the same day (business hours). Can't complain about that.

I should get commission

BostonB

What issues to you get with Tesco Data. I triede Meteor but I found the data coverage poor especially out of Dublin

MBSnr

BostonB wrote: »

What issues to you get with Tesco Data. I triede Meteor but I found the data coverage poor especially out of Dublin

A lot of the rural O2 masts are 2G only and not 3G. See here. Zoom in and click on a blue square and it'll tell you the mast operator and if 3G.

Also as Tesco piggyback on the O2 network their 3G speed is throttled at 2Mb. Supposedly this was to change to un-throttled Q1 2013, but most likely it will be later this year now. It doesn't affect my use much as I use Wifi at home and work and survive with 2G/3G (2mb speed) when on the move.

BostonB

Oddly enough I've not had a problem with O2. Even in fairly remote places I've got a good connection when travelling around. Just not with Meteor. I was wondering why Tesco would be different. The Throttling might be the reason.

MBSnr

BostonB wrote: »

Oddly enough I've not had a problem with O2. Even in fairly remote places I've got a good connection when travelling around. Just not with Meteor. I was wondering why Tesco would be different. The Throttling might be the reason.

Nah don't think the throttling is the issue. Where I am now my Tesco Mobile phone is spending most of its time switching between an O2 2G mast with a good signal or a 3G mast with a poor signal. Same for my O2 work mobile.... Previously I had a Vodafone work mobile and I would say that seemed to have better 3G coverage when I travelled about. Seems everyone has a differing opinion on the best coverage!

BostonB

Might depend on the phone too. Find cheaper plastic phones get a better signal than smartphones especially ones with metal bodies.

MBSnr

BostonB wrote: »

Might depend on the phone too. Find cheaper plastic phones get a better signal than smartphones especially ones with metal bodies.

Perhaps, but not in my case. I have the same phone for over 2 yrs now and it has been on both Vodafone and Tesco (O2) during that time.

alaimacerc

Anyone know how Postfone compares in these respects? As best as I can figure out their T&Cs, they do SIM deactivation/disconnection after 180 days; can't find any mention of expiry of "paid" credit.