topic Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal? in Pay Monthly

Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

a_hcir — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:10:35 GMT

I'm a new-ish contact customer, my wife also wants to join o2 on a SIM only contract. Looking at the prices on the o2 website and all the usual suspects like CPW, SIM only on o2 seems rather expensive, especially compared to our old network. I'm going to try calling o2 tomorrow and asking if they do any deals on second contracts, but does anyone else have any tips for getting a good deal? She'd probably want at least 600+ minutes and a jiggerbyte of data a month.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:22:38 GMT

https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/simplicity/

the one for £16/month looks good

you get

600minutes

Unlimitedtexts

750MBdata

but if I'm honest I would look for giffgaff, good deals cheap

http://giffgaff.com/goodybags

I guess you could say you will go somewhere else if o2 won't match the cheaper deals out there but that don't mean they will match it

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

a_hcir — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:32:06 GMT

The simplicity deals are still a bit too pricey... That £16 deal is double what she's paying now for the same number of minutes and less data &colon;(

I was hoping for around a tenner a month.

A bit depressed that o2's SIM only deals are better from the MVNOs using their network! My wife pointed out that we could get a reasonably cheap contact with a galaxy s3 from CPW, sell the phone on eBay and better o2's SIM only deals overall. I'm hoping we don't have to go through that hassle!

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:38:31 GMT

May I ask why does your wife wants to change her tariff? What network is she on?

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:42:46 GMT

Tescomobile use the o2 network and offer up to 1000 mins 5000 texts and 1gb of data for £10 per month. 12 month contract.

You will need to check if her handset needs unlocking, even if it is on o2 now would need unlocking to work on Tesco most likely.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:45:44 GMT

https://giffgaff.com/sim-only?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=500%20mins%20-%20only%2010&utm_content={SI:pubAdID}&utm_campaign=ps-G_PC_Brand%20Pure

giffgaff also uses o2 network

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:54:06 GMT

On that Tescomobile version, if you didn't want to commit to 12 months on a sim only then you 500 mins 5000 texts and 500mb for £10 pm on rolling contract

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

a_hcir — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:55:23 GMT

Arianna: we are both exiles from virgin mobile. An absolutely fantastic network (read: cheap as hell, possibly unbeatable price wise) which has been blighted by EE's mast consolidation programme which has left our phones virtually unusable at our workplaces. Now I've confirmed the o2 signal is great, she wants to jump ship.

Piper: thanks for that, that's exactly the kind of deal we'd like. I'll check if o2'll match/beat it tomorrow on a second contract.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:04:55 GMT

If o2 won't match the deal and you decide to go with tesco mobile/giffgaff, get a free pay as you go sims first to check if you in fact will get coverage at work, nothing worse than signing to 12months sim only deal or a rolling contract and find out there is no signal at your work place after all

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Bambino — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:29:44 GMT

I had a flyer put through my letterbox yesterday from Virgin Mobile. They're offering a one month rolling sim only contract with unlimited calls, texts, and web for £15/month. I personally wasn't interested, but I thought it sounded a good deal.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:30:37 GMT

Fyi Virgin use the t mobile network.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:32:37 GMT

Also have to say I have never known o2 match other network tariffs.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

a_hcir — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:52:15 GMT

Yep, virgin are great with SIM only deals, and they are really prepared to haggle for business, which is why we've both been with them for years and always felt smug when people have told how much they spend on their contracts. Sadly, as I mentioned, any network that piggybacks onto EE (Orange, T mobile) are now useless for us now they have turned off masts near our workplaces that they consider redundant. O2 and voda are our only viable options, and we wouldn't touch voda with a bargepole because our experience with their customer service has been shocking.

I'd like to get the missus set up on o2. So far my impression has been good - good signal, reasonable uk based customer service etc, a bit disappointing that o2 reps aren't proactive these forums (in virgin and vodas forums, CSRs trawl threads and respond to most topics in addition to other customers). But if they won't attempt to match at least Tesco's £10/12 month deal listed earlier, we may have to give them a try as we know the signal will be good...

Thanks for everyone's help!

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 00:03:17 GMT

If memory serves me right, if you get two contracts with TescoMobile you may also get their friends and family deal which gives you some extras. It's on their website but you do have to have two or more numbers with them.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 00:07:18 GMT

Also consider cash back sites like Quidco or TopCashBack as sometimes cash back on sim only deals can be significant.

But you MUST click through their websites and not go direct to o2 website otherwise it doesn't work.

I recent saw cash back of £90 I think it was (equiv to £7.50 per month over 12 month contract for some sim only tariffs).

Worth a look if you prefer to go direct with network (o2)

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

a_hcir — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 14:53:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Also have to say I have never known o2 match other network tariffs.

And never a truer word did anyone say... Just got off the phone with o2, and they flatly refused to price match or better Tesco Mobile's £10/12 month SIM only contract offer. Seems barking mad, in my experience from other networks there is usually some room for negotiation, but they very polite CSR was adamant that the SIM only tarrifs are non-negotiable, even though they are just not competitive even with MVNO's on their network.

Oh well, nothing ventured....

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 14:58:45 GMT

Sorry to hear you didn't get anywhere but it was the reason I left o2 some years ago for then Vodafone who offered better deals with handsets back then than o2 did as sim only.

Given your price range I would suggest either o2 via acash back site or Tesco Mobile (I don't think you will get any cash back for Tesco via quidco or topcashback) but the deals are cheap enough.

Also if you do go that way and have more than one mobile number to transfer that you remember 1. Their friends and family offer, 2. To use your tesco club card as they sometimes triple the points and 3. If you intend to keep your number to request your pac code from your current provider.

Also if you are not currently on o2 them get a free sim and check the signal in your area and your frequently visited areas. PLEASE DO NOT RELY ON THE ONLINE O2 COVERAGE CHECKER.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

a_hcir — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 15:37:02 GMT

Sound advice, piperdog, thanks.

Re: Any tips to get a good SIM only deal?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 16:32:04 GMT

You are most welcome. I hope you get sorted.