Costly New PAYG requirements or you get disconnected and lose your number

[AndyT]

I have always been aware of what used to be the 180days of non chargable use and your SIM was disconnected and you lost any credit and ALSO YOUR NUMBER.

I now see browsing the Classic PAYG terms that this has changed and you have to TOP UP or add a BOLT ON at least once every six months to keep your sim active.  

So no use for light use emergency sim if you have to top up by £10.00 every six months.

See the second paragraph here (with my highlights):-

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/pay-as-you-go/classic-pay-as-you-go

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Classic Pay As You Go

When you join Classic Pay As You Go, you pay for what you use, as you go. The minimum top up requirement is £10.

If you don't top up, or add a Bolt On at least once in any six month period, your mobile will be disconnected and you'll lose any credit on your account. If you want to be reconnected you'll be given a new mobile number."

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Anyone else noticed that this change sneaked in a recent revision of their T&C  - I've not had any text notifications of this change to my Classic PAYG sims.  Time to move to another company unless the old six months without a chargable use term (section 7 of the old terms) comes back in. This 180 day term seems to be the general industry practise - but watch for variations.

[jonsie · Accepted solution]

Nothing has changed despite what the web link states. As long as you make a chargeable call or text once in every 6 month period and top up every 999 days your sim will remain active. We have had this confirmed by O2.

[MI5]

Yeah, it's all just a ploy by O2 to get more money out of you. It's all "cobblers"

[Cleoriff]

All wrong as we found out when I posted the same link as @AndyT last week

We did ask for the website showing false information to be changed.

Very pleased to see they acted quickly... NOT!!

[TallTrees]

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@jonsie wrote:

Nothing has changed despite what the web link states. As long as you make a chargeable call or text once in every 6 month period and top up every 999 days your sim will remain active. We have had this confirmed by O2.

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Yes,  I concur with the above statement.  My family have one phone (PAY as you GO) with an elderly relative that has to make one chargeable call/text in 6 months ~ didn't know about top-up 999 days so will make a note of this ~ thank you @jonsie many people only keep for emergencies but can understand that the mobile companies are in business to make "some money occasionally on each phone" and actually when considered carefully it is reasonable to expect this and it doesn't cost that much per call or text to do this. A landline with BT would cost a considerable amount every quarter even if it was never used.  My family spent a small fortune on BT Landlines in the past.

This phone I mentioned above was Originally with Orange they disconnected the phone!  and took money !  

[AndyT]

Thanks everyone for replying. I believe Ofcom do insist there is "dormant number recycling" by the phone companies else they would run out of numbers even quicker but ASDA are the most generous as after 180days they still say that they will do their best to reconnect you with your old number. In fact they have done that for me in the past well past the 180 days.

[jonsie]

Actually, the six month or 180 days is very flexible with O2. Customers have been reconnected anything up to six months after the number becomes inactive.

[Cleoriff]

@AndyT

Much as I appreciate you giving me the solution, it doesn't belong to me, it should go to @jonsie (who posted the correct answer first).

Thanks anyway...

[Yorkshire_Ham]

Given that this post is dated 22/12/2018 ( and today is 3/11/2022) is it still correct that you don't have to top up every 6 months? Do you only have to make a chargeable call every 6 months. Thank you in advance for your advice.

[jonsie]

I haven't topped up my Classic PAYG for two years

I just diarise to make a chargeable call every six months