Re: Odd contract/tariff request

Ed Chilada <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:
> * It will *never* make any calls (outgoing calls barred might even be
> useful).
>
> * It will probably receive and send text messages at the rate one or
> two a day.
>
> * It will receive a phone call once in a blue moon when the emergency
> situation arises.
>
> * Whilst the phone will need to be on all the time, it might not
> receive a phone call or in some circumstances even a text for weeks.
> It needs to not 'expire' during this time.

T-mobile PAYG on their 'text' option is probably cheapest for text-only (no
calls) - 3p each IIRC.

I think everyone's disconnection restrictions are pretty much the same (6
months without a chargeable call) so you might have to arrange an outbound
call every 6 months. I'm not sure whether outbound text will count though.

> Whilst I don't mind paying perhaps over-the-odds when I need to use it
> (in the emergency situation), I want to avoid too much ongoing costs
> from just running the mobile. On the face of it, PAYG would seem to
> make sense, but I believe there's a minimum spend each month these
> days?

Not on the basic PAYG - I don't think anyone has credit expiry[1] these days
(ie topup a tenner and then make a one second call per 6 months - you could
probably manage for decades without topping up)

[1] well, paid-for credit anyway. Promotional credit/WePay/etc is something
else

> Also, since I won't have access to the phone most of the time
> (it will be given to an elderly that won't really know much about
> mobiles), I won't be able to handle it regularly in order to keep it
> going (can PAYG top-ups be applied remotely? I've never had a PAYG
> phone..).

Yes - you might have to register a card with the network, but you should be
able to call customer services from a landline and topup. Or from their
website.

Theo

Theo Markettos, 14/01/2007 wrote:

> Ed Chilada <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:
> > * It will never make any calls (outgoing calls barred might even be
> > useful).
> >
> > * It will probably receive and send text messages at the rate one or
> > two a day.
> >
> > * It will receive a phone call once in a blue moon when the
> > emergency situation arises.
> >
> > * Whilst the phone will need to be on all the time, it might not
> > receive a phone call or in some circumstances even a text for weeks.
> > It needs to not 'expire' during this time.
>
> T-mobile PAYG on their 'text' option is probably cheapest for
> text-only (no calls) - 3p each IIRC.
>
> I think everyone's disconnection restrictions are pretty much the
> same (6 months without a chargeable call) so you might have to
> arrange an outbound call every 6 months. I'm not sure whether
> outbound text will count though.
>
> > Whilst I don't mind paying perhaps over-the-odds when I need to use
> > it (in the emergency situation), I want to avoid too much ongoing
> > costs from just running the mobile. On the face of it, PAYG would
> > seem to make sense, but I believe there's a minimum spend each
> > month these days?
>
> Not on the basic PAYG - I don't think anyone has credit expiry[1]
> these days (ie topup a tenner and then make a one second call per 6
> months - you could probably manage for decades without topping up)
>
> [1] well, paid-for credit anyway. Promotional credit/WePay/etc is
> something else
>
> > Also, since I won't have access to the phone most of the time
> > (it will be given to an elderly that won't really know much about
> > mobiles), I won't be able to handle it regularly in order to keep it
> > going (can PAYG top-ups be applied remotely? I've never had a PAYG
> > phone..).
>
> Yes - you might have to register a card with the network, but you
> should be able to call customer services from a landline and topup.
> Or from their website.
>
> Theo

I have a t-mobile payg phone. Having registered it, I can top-up via
the top-up card (credit/debit card size thingie) at any supermarket or
newsagents who does such stuff. Also I am registered on their website
and can check the calls made and top-up there. My other half has a
Virgin payg phone, but as he hasn't got round to registering it (!) I
am not sure if one can do the same on their website. As far as I know,
Virgin do NOT have the usual "make a call every 90 days" and the credit
does not run out.

HTH

--
Clooty

Theo Markettos wrote:
> Ed Chilada <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:
> > * It will *never* make any calls (outgoing calls barred might even be
> > useful).
> >
> > * It will probably receive and send text messages at the rate one or
> > two a day.
> >
> > * It will receive a phone call once in a blue moon when the emergency
> > situation arises.
> >
> > * Whilst the phone will need to be on all the time, it might not
> > receive a phone call or in some circumstances even a text for weeks.
> > It needs to not 'expire' during this time.
>
> T-mobile PAYG on their 'text' option is probably cheapest for text-only (no
> calls) - 3p each IIRC.
>
> I think everyone's disconnection restrictions are pretty much the same (6
> months without a chargeable call) so you might have to arrange an outbound
> call every 6 months. I'm not sure whether outbound text will count though.
>
> > Whilst I don't mind paying perhaps over-the-odds when I need to use it
> > (in the emergency situation), I want to avoid too much ongoing costs
> > from just running the mobile. On the face of it, PAYG would seem to
> > make sense, but I believe there's a minimum spend each month these
> > days?
>
> Not on the basic PAYG - I don't think anyone has credit expiry[1] these days
> (ie topup a tenner and then make a one second call per 6 months - you could
> probably manage for decades without topping up)
>
> [1] well, paid-for credit anyway. Promotional credit/WePay/etc is something
> else
>
> > Also, since I won't have access to the phone most of the time
> > (it will be given to an elderly that won't really know much about
> > mobiles), I won't be able to handle it regularly in order to keep it
> > going (can PAYG top-ups be applied remotely? I've never had a PAYG
> > phone..).
>
> Yes - you might have to register a card with the network, but you should be
> able to call customer services from a landline and topup. Or from their
> website.
>
> Theo

On most networks it's actually make or receive a call every 180 days,
though Virgin is reputed to be longer, probably a year. I've got
working SIMs over a year old that have never been topped up or spent
credit, just call them once in a while.

So the OP should just look for the cheapest text costs. As most of the
cheapest offers are conditional on regular top-ups, I should think the
T-mobile one as mentioned is the one to go for. Or maybe get a Virgin
SIM with £5 free credit on it - this offer comes round once in a while

"andy" <andy.ggrps@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1168835716.737693.68510@51g2000cwl.googlegrou ps.com

[snip]

> On most networks it's actually make or receive a call
> every 180 days, though Virgin is reputed to be longer,
> probably a year. I've got working SIMs over a year old
> that have never been topped up or spent credit, just call
> them once in a while.

I've just fished out a Virgin PAYG phone I'd almost completely forgotten
about, kept in the car glovebox as an emergency phone. It hasn't been used
since last March and still has about £7 of credit. I sent a 3p text
message to my other Virgin phone just to ensure it stays live.

Ivor