Non monthly pay as you go - where did it go?

[Anonymous]

I have been living in Portugal, visiting UK and working in Oman and I had three PAYG SIM cards. I kept the cards topped up with credit and used whichever I needed. I have often been away from UK for months, but still had credit on the O2 card. I got to UK last month and my O2 SIM card had died. No problem, I'll get another - or not!

I got a new card at a phone shop - after explaining exactly what I wanted and put on £10 credit. The credit changed to £0 and I found that I had a 'bundle' of credited time and texts. I did not use the phone at all and after a month I lost the credit - money, time and text.

Since then I have been trying to get to a simple PAYG tariff. Add credit - use it per call when I like - it does NOT expire. I can buy this type of card in the post office in Portugal, but in UK it is as if the existence of this type of card has been erased from everyone's memory. I get blank looks and told that there is no problem with topping up when I like, but it will only last for 30 days, or I must pay a minimum every month, use it or not.

That is NOT pay as you go. That is pay monthly. Does PAYG exist anymore in UK?

[la7]

On payg on 02 if you phone o2 they can put you on tariff called "o2 basic" calls are 15p per min txt are 5p credit does not expire I have recently have some 02 sims put on this tariff for back up phones,

You can also ger tesco lite (runs on o2 tesco mobile is part owned by o2) calls are 8p txt 4p http://www.tescomobile.com/help-and-support/1082-pay-as-you-go/1182-call-charges/pay-as-you-go-lite-...

And gt mobile runs on o2 http://www.gtmobile.co.uk/en/national-rates calls and text and 3p,

Also on three network calls are 3p and text are 2p. https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order

Also have sainsburys runs on vodafone and is part owned by vodafone calls are 8p text and 4p http://www.phoneshopbysainsburys.co.uk/basic

And asda mobile runs on ee calls are 8p text are 4p https://mobile.asda.com/pages/charges

You can see more payg providers here http://kenstechtips.com/index.php/compare-pay-as-you-go-networks

Hope this helps,

[Cleoriff]

@la7We have been trying to get clarification as to  whether O2 Basic still exists. We could give info re this up till about 3-4 weeks ago...but the page can no longer be accessed from the original link. It also isnt shown any longer in any of the PAYG tariffs

[MI5]

As stated, we have stopped advising about O2 basic until we get clarification one way or another from O2.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
As far as I can see if I have £10 credit at the end of the month it will automatically be used as a 'big bundle' for the next month. And every other month for multiples of £10 - if I have the minimum option. Not a lot of use for me if I am not in UK. If it is less than £10 I get to keep the credit and can use it for standard rate calls next time I am in UK. Why the hell can't I just keep whatever credit I have without O2 taking it off me? Just add the option for £0 top up per month and let me decide.

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If you can ignore the allowances, your credit will always be available to spend as you see fit. This is the essential point in the T&Cs:

"8. In addition to these monthly allowances, you can use your top up credit for further calls, texts and data."

[Anonymous]

Just to add further clarification:

The Tariff also gives you either:

3000 O2 to O2 texts and 50MB of data each month provided you have topped-up between £10 and £14 in the previous month OR;

3000 O2 to O2 texts, 3000 O2 to O2 minutes and 100MB of data each month provided you have topped-up over £15 or more in the previous month.

So if for example you topped up £30 one month, you'd receive the larger of the two inclusive allowances. But if you didn't top up again for another two months, you wouldn't receive any further allowances, regardless of how much credit you had left. The allowances are only really intended as a bonus, to run alongside the cheaper calling charges that are on offer (i.e compared to the Big Bundle).

[jonsie]

P&G used to be so simple with a wide variety of tariffs to suit your personal needs. Now it's all about data, understandable to a point such is the smartphone market. 

[Cleoriff]

True...though as we have seen recently there is still a need for that Basic Tariff.  I have asked before but going to ask @Toby or @Anonymous If that tariff is still available. It certainly isn't showing now...nor can it be accessed from the link..:smileysad:

[Anonymous]

I must confess, before I edited an earlier post, I thought the OP had a point regarding how credit might be taken automatically. But that only happens on the Big Bundle, which is essentially a monthly plan without the commitment of a contract.

The Big Talker on the other hand, is a basic PAYG product that rewards the user each time a top up is made. The main selling point is actually the cheaper calls (particularly international calls), and not the rather limited O2 to O2 texts or calls and meagre data allowance.

Edit: to include website links.

[MI5]

Correct Ian_ as I have been saying throughout the thread......

[Toby]

Hi guys,

Happy to get exact clarification on anything, if you wouldn't mind stating the exact question you need the answer too. This saves me time