WHAT CONNECTIONS DOES MY CLASSIC PAYG TARIFF ALLOW?

[Carl9]

This is the background to my question.

Our present mobile phones are two old, but good and neat little non-smart mobiles (voice calls and texting  only).  These phones run on the old 2G, which O2 still broadcasts for such purposes. I do not think that they would connect to even the local 3G O2 signal, but the phones do not show what network they are using.

Our O2 Classic PAYG tariffs need cash balances in our accounts to allow our use of these phones. Balances are topped up as required. The charges are 3p/minute for voice calls; 2p/SMS text; 1p/MB for data (which we cannot currently use). 

Openreach has recently installed the infrastructure in our small town for "Full Fibre To The Premises". We currently have an excellent hybrid connection: FTTC (to the Cabinet) plus original copper from there to our home.

There is no date available yet for completion of this connection as FTTP to the houses in our postcode, but the single "telegraph" pole in the short cul de sac which defines the postcode, has  been so equipped. So I reason that completion of the connection as FTTP cannot be many moons distant.

I understand that our copper-wired landline phones will be disconnected when, or soon after, the FFTP is installed.

We will not be able to replace those phones with VOIP via the Digital Voice socket on our router before we reach that point because Plusnet does not support this connection, and has no plans to do so.

 So, to acclimatize ourselves well before FTTP arrives to using modern smart mobile phones, we have decided to buy two of these asap. We may then, like many other people, decide not to hanker after a phone on our old landline number, but rely exclusively on the two proposed new mobile smart phones, and use these, in  and around our house, as much as possible via the router's Wi-Fi.

We realise that this will limit the mobile numbers that we call to ones which are also connected via Wi-Fi. For numbers called which use a mobile network we will still have to use O2 4G, so presumably pay charges as outlined above. 

Our Classic PAYG is a tariff is discontinued for new customers, but still supported for existing ones. Our two SIMs are marked on the backs:-

Mine: 3G 4g

My Wife's: 4G 5G.

If we put these  SIMs into new smart mobile phones I do not yet know if the phones will connect to the best local O2 signal, which I assume is 4G (O2 has not yet introduced 5G into our area, and does not seem to have any firm date for doing so).

So here are our questions:-

1. Will these Classic PAYG SIMs also allow the proposed new phones to connect to O2's 4g mobile network without changing our O2 tariff to a monthly one?

2. If the answer to (1) is Yes, will they allow us to use our router for calls, texts and data?

3.If the answer to (2) is Yes, will they allow us to do this without paying the normal tariff charges for using the 4G mobile network for voice calls, texts and data? 

We would be very grateful for clear and reliable guidance on the these three questions.

Thanks in anticipation!

[MI5]

@Carl9 

1 - Yes

2 - You won't be using the router. All calls in and out will be over cellular connection. (No wifi calling on PAYG).

3 - All calls at your normal call rates.

[Bambino]

@Carl9 WiFi calling is not available on Pay & Go, whatever tariff you're on: Wifi and 4G Calling explained | O2

[Oxonian]

@Carl9 

And whilst your wife's SIM mentions 5G on the back, O2 do not make 5G available to PAYG customers. 

[Carl9]

Many thanks to you,  Supreme and Oxonian for your responses.

Yes, I suspected strongly that this was the case but someone in one of the C.S. teams (I'm not going to risk getting him/her into trouble by giving the name) very recently assured me that I could continue to stay on my old Classic PAYG tariff and be able to use a 4G-compatible new phone on that generation of connection (obviously not my very old "non-smart" one which uses O2's 2G), and use our router's wi-fi.

Before I wrote to the Forum I had more than once read: Wifi and 4G Calling explained | O2

and have now looked at it again, but I can't find any mention of the condition in question. Would you be so good as to explain in what part, or sub-link, of that statement that condition is made clear, please?

So, to summarize, as you and the other contributors have explained:-

Classic PAYG allows connection via 4G provided both the phone and the SIM are so enabled, but not 5G. Connection is solely via the mobile network, not wi-fi.

[madasaf1sh]

@Carl9 

If the phone supports WiFi, you can still use WiFi as the data doesnt go anywhere near the o2 network , you just cant use it for texts and calls on PAYG (WiFi Calling)

You can indeed use 4G on PAYG, as long as you have a 4G enabled sim and compatible device 

[MI5]

@Carl9 

To clarify, you can use wifi for a data connection to surf the internet and use apps etc, but not to facilitate wifi calling.

All calls and texts will go over the mobile network and be charged accordingly at your standard 3p / 2p rate.

[Carl9]

Apologies to MI5 for misreading his Forum name!

[MI5]

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@Carl9 wrote:

Apologies to MI5 for misreading his Forum name!

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No problem @Carl9 

Hope all is clear for you now?

[Carl9]

Yes, many thanks. It's been infinitely more clear and helpful than taxing O2 PAYG CS with the same questions!

I should have added, in my attempt to summarize, what you and madasaf1sh have made definitively clear, that wi-fi use of a phone on an O2 PAYG tariff is available - though not for voice calls or texts (directly worth money to O2).