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!
