Which PAYG tariff for infrequent use?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

My parents are retired and I am about to give them my old Xperia S mobile phone which takes a micro sim.

The phone will probably be only used for emergencies while out and about or for the occasional call when they are away from their landline.

I will put a new PAYG sim in for them but I'm slightly confused with O2's tariffs! Maybe someone could explain?

There are 2 which might be suitable:

1. The Big Bundles sim is 'from £10 a month'.

2. The O2 Unlimited is 'from £15 a month'.

After the initial credit to activate the sim, how long is it before that credit expires?

The O2 Unlimited states, 'Plus when you top-up you keep your credit', but the Big Bundles does not.

Does this actually mean what it says? The credit on the O2 Unlimited will still be on the phone beyond a month? If so, how long does this credit last for before it expires

If I can remember correctly, when I was on PAYG (about 10 years ago), you had to make at least one call every 6 months to keep your credit and the phone number active, but this might have changed now?

Because the Big Bundles tariff does not state, 'when you top-up you keep your credit', does this mean the credit on that tariff does expire after a month?

To sum up, I do not want my parents to be forking out money every month when the phone is likely to be used infrequently. I need a sim which keeps its credit until the phone is used.

Which tariff would fulfil this roll?

Thank you for any help

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I'm on the big bundle. The allowances last for a month and your given an anniversary date. In this date the money is taken from your credit.

O2 Unlimited ; A Tariff where you get allowances and keep your top up credit. It (the credit) stays there until you use it and never expires.

To add : yes it's the same. As long as you top up or use the phone within 6 months the SIM card remains active.

[Anonymous]

Any credit you apply on the Payg tariff never expires as long as the account remains active.

I would think the O2 Unlimited ; A Tariff where you get allowances and keep your top up credit would suffice.

[Anonymous]

Hi bandofbrothers,

Thanks for the reply

Ok. So the O2 Unlimited seems like the best tariff, where the credit does not expire for a while but I imagine if the phone is not used for a very long time, the credit and phone number would expire?

What's the period of inactivity before any credit and/or the number expires? Do you have to make or receive a call within a certain time frame to keep your number and credit?

Or do both remain active for as long as the phone is turned on and connected to the O2 network?

[MI5]

A chargeable call is required once every 6 months and a top up is required once every 999 days.
There are other options such as giffgaff which run on the O2 network that may work out cheaper for occasional use.
Make sure the mobile data option is OFF at all times or else the data will eat the credit on the phone.

[Anonymous]

You have both answered my question! Thank you very much.

[MI5]

Happy to help
Link to giffgaff if required or out of interest....
www.giffgaff.com

[Anonymous]

You're welcome.

Yes just to reiterate what I said in my reply the credit will remain on the account to use once the included allowances are used or will just sit there for your next anniversary date.

Take care.

[Anonymous]

This thread is a year or so old, and it appears that O2 Unlimited is no longer available.   I have a Lumia 435 which I won in a raffle at my gandchildren's school fete!    It came with an International Sim.   This offers facilities which I am never likely to use and I would like to change to a tariff which allows me to make infrequent calls and texts, without paying £10 per month for a bundle which I will never make use of.   Is there any such tariff?

Thanks for any help.

[MI5]

You need O2 basic but you need to call CS on 4445 to get switched to it.