giffgaff to increase PAYG rates from 26th February 2020 - Alternatives available

uphios

peterhall0012 Get your mum to get in touch with me please! I can supply her with anything she wants at only 4 or 5 times the price she can get it elsewhere.

peterhall0012

uphios sorry to see you are leaving

kath72

pw6049 oh they are about ... I’ve know one or two people who’ve done that ... they get better deals elsewhere for their phone but keep a sim active for payback... nothing wrong with it, they meet all giffgaff’s rules

123kingarthur

kath72 I only use giffgaff because I like to chat with my friends

ianwh

Good to see community getting involved in this matter.
My thanks for the replies I've received.

ericb45

Effectively, you are waving goodbye to low-usage customers, as they would be better off with the 3:2::1 PAYG deal from O2 or Three. People making decent use of their mobiles will be happy.
I shall certainly stay with giffgaff for my Cellular Broadband, but am unlikely to continue for any of the low-usage phones in out family. I guess that's the intention-- why hold numbers open for people who don't even spend £6 a month?

egontoast

peterhall0012 . She could move to Tesco, also runs on O2.

egontoast

ianwh. Tesco.

autobox

I mentioned this in the announcement thread, but if you switch to Three don't get the standard 321 sim. Search for "Three fancy some free data" on Google and order that version for free. You'll still get the 321 rates for calls, texts and data, but you'll also receive 200MB for free every month.

You don't need to top up each month to receive the free data. You've just got to send a text, make a call or use a little of the data once every 6 months so that the sim remains active.

wagstaffes

giffgaff are increasing their basic PAYG rates to 25p per minute and 10p per text, data now confirmed to be unchanged at 5p per MB.
https://community.giffgaff.com/d/33064069-we-re-adding-more-to-some-goodybags-in-february

I would just like to remind those who operate their SIM on a basic PAYG basis, and, who will be adversely affected by this increase, that there are still lower cost alternatives available.

1pMobile charge only 1p per minute, text, and, MB data, and, operate on EE's network. Minimum top up requirement is £10 every 120 days (4 months) i.e. £30 per year, otherwise you lose your number. UK based customer support, fully itemised usage, and, excellent feedback ratings. Can buy data boosts from £6. Can currently use same 1p tariff abroad in 46 EU destinations. I use 1p Mobile myself. Cashback is possible via Quidco/Topcashback, or, I can let you have a referral code for £5 free credit.
P.s. 1pMobile have now set up a dedicated page on their website with relevant information, https://www.1pmobile.com/giffgaff/

Three PAYG - EDIT From 12th March 2020 Three have changed their PAYG rates to 10p per minute, 10p per text message and 5p per MB. Existing customers retain previous 321 tariff of 3p per minute, 2p per text, and, 1p per MB data. Does not work with 2G devices. Once SIM is activated you can top up by just £5 online. Use phone, chargeable, at least once every 180 days to keep SIM active. Can currently use 321 tariff abroad in over 70 destinations, including, USA, Australia, and, New Zealand. Add-ons of mins/texts/data starting at £10 can also be purchased, should you ever need one e.g. travelling where there is no WiFi.

Asda Mobile charge 8p per minute, 4p per text and 5p per MB data. They operate on EE's network. And, taken from their FAQs, "As long as you use your phone at least once every 180 days your credit will never expire and your account will always remain open." You can also buy bundles if you need to, and, you can currently Roam in 50 EU destinations on this tariff.

Tesco Mobile Lite tariff charge 8p per minute, 4p per text and 10p per MB data. They operate on O2's network. I have confirmed with their chat service that you just buy a normal payg SIM and then switch to the Lite tariff, info here, https://www.tescomobile.com/help-and-support/pay-as-you-go/getting-started/pay-as-you-go-lite-call-charges. You need to use your phone at least once every 6 months to keep your SIM active. Can currently use in 48 European destinations at same tariff.

The Phone Co-op Mobile never heard of these before. They operate on EE's network and charge 8p per minute, 4p per text and 10p per MB data. However, charges for calls/texts to other Co-op mobile customers are half price at 4p/minute and 2p/text. Bundles are also available starting from £5. (Edit: they have no 4g coverage)

And, although O2 have withdrawn their Classic PAYG 321 tariff for new users, until stocks run out, you can still purchase SIM cards/SIM cards preloaded with credit on eBay, on this tariff. Just double check with the seller that it's definitely the Classic PAYG tariff before you purchase.

Please feel free to add more.

Thank you to andy69 who has suggested
"Another cheaper alternative is to get a Tesco calling card and use a 0800 access number."

And autobox who has suggested a Three data reward SIM which gives the 321 tariff and 200mb data every month. Minimum top up is £2. If you travel abroad you can use the normal 321 tariff in over 70 destinations, including USA, Australia, and, New Zealand. You can also buy a data add-on with this SIM. Read about it here https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/three-data-reward-sim
You can order a Three data SIM for free, here, https://www.three.co.uk/free_sim_mbb/order
NB see edit above regarding Three PAYG price change from 12th March. This apparently may not affect the data reward SIM, although I can't confirm

P.S.
There is some useful information on comparison of rates, keeping your SIM active, and top up methods, available on this website,
https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/compare-pay-as-you-go-networks
https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/payg-inactivity-account-termination-and-credit-expiry
https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/payg-top-ups

akh48

andy69 Thanks for the tip, where do I get a Tesco calling card and what is the cost?

z201205

akh48 Tesco? Or online.

andy69

akh48 https://www.tescointernationalcalling.com/card-faqs/

ma2013

wagstaffes
Thanks for the info, my parents use PAYG.... I think we're going to have to switch networks for them. 😔

solvbb

Good post by the OP on alternatives

Putting things another way, if a low user is going to go over 24 minutes per month on calls a goodybag is now cheaper.

PAYG is only cheaper if you use it less than 24 minutes / month

kath72

solvbb

Putting things another way, if a low user is going to go over 24 minutes per month on calls a goodybag is now cheaper.

PAYG is only cheaper if you use it less than 24 minutes / month

exactly ... use it for 25 minutes and pay £6 at giffgaff or move to Three and pay 75p .... or Tesco mobile and pay £2 or 1p mobile and pay 25p hmmm choices choices 😂😂😂

andrewmf

peterhall0012 My mother is 79 (although I'm not sure that's relevant), and she's VERY bothered that a company she's only recently joined is increasing their rates by a HUUUUUUUUUUGGGE 67% (call rates) and by an even bigger 100% (texts).

It's a big "F.U." from giffgaff to their customers.

peterhall0012

andrewmf does this mean you and mum are leaving giffgaff if so good luck with the new network

wagstaffes

team_leader maybe they have avoided doing this because it would also would affect a lot of goodybag customers who go over their data allowance? 5p per MB is already expensive at £50 per GB, raising it to 10p/MB I.e. £100 per GB would be shocking.

srilaks

kath72

90 Days giffgaff to giffgaff free even with smallest goodybag! use this option.. spread giffgaff to your family n friends make money at the same time!
not even 75p will be spent.

melswift44p

wagstaffes

melswift44p

Yes, huge unjustified increases. Time to go elswhere.

melswift44p

andy69