OT: Advice For Mobile Phone Newbie (PAYG) ?

[CC]

X-No-Archive: Yes

I have never actually bought a mobile phone (seriously!), but I would like to buy one for my parents (of advancing years) for emergency use, and require some help in doing so. As far as I can tell, the requirements would be:-

PAYG phone which is as basic and simple to use as possible Good coverage in the North of Scotland (predominately, but not exclusively, around Inverness/Inverness-shire) Least onerous with regard to terms & conditions of use (ideally, the phone would never be used! - do any PAYG offer no minimum use, or alternatively, which has the least frequent mandatory use?)

Any advice/recommendations, as well as information on aspects of which I am unfamiliar/haven't thought of, would be much appreciated.

TIA

[Don Spumey]

I was given a mobile (Orange) as a present last Xmas. It had £2 credit added when I activated it, I added a £10 token at the end of December & I've still got £4 left on it after a year.

No I'm not antisocial, I do have friends honestly!

The coverage area for Orange can be found

[Dave]

exclusively,

Due to a disastrous phone upgrade over 18 months ago, I had to make my previous mobile phone into a pay as you go (I have a contract phone and can up-grade every 12 months). Thankfully, I am with Orange and their pay as you go do not eat into any payments you make for pre paid calls. I have had that phone as pay as you go for about 18 months and it has the same number of minutes on it as it did 18 months ago.

Dave

[The Natural Philosopher]

I converted my Ornage to PAYG, and basically, if you don;t use it it tsay stoopped up.

I stick in 20 quid in July, and have just added another 20 quid to it.

Compared with the 10 quid a month it used to cost me...

[nog]

uk.telecom.mobile

[stuart noble]

exclusively,

alternatively,

Get a phone that's easy to use with a well-lit screen. Nokias are fairly intuitive, and any passer-by would be able to help with the tech stuff

[Lobster]

I think some or most networks cut you off (ie, they reallocate the number) if the phone isn't used for any outgoing calls after a certain period; and even if a particular network doesn't do so now, there's no guarantee that such a 'rule' won't be introduced without warning in future; so it's a good idea to make one quick call at least every 3 months.

The other potential problem is that if your parents don't make any calls at least that frequently, chances are that when they actually do want to use it in an emergency, then (a) chances are the phone will be discharged and (b) (if they're anything like my parents!) they'll have forgotten how to turn the phone on, let alone make a call! So it's a good idea to remind them every three months that they should make a test call...

D

[Mike Clarke]

Virgin Mobile might be worth considering . Go for the basic PAYG tarif, not the bundles. Top ups have no time limit but you do need to make at least one call every 180 days to keep the account active. Minimum top up is £5.

[nog]

I didn't write any of the above so why are you following up as if I did?

[John Rumm]

Yup, second that... they have another nice feature in that you can have a PAYG phone, but setup on direct debit as well. So in use it behaves like a contract phone (i.e. no topping up etc), but costs nothing if you don't use it.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 02:44:39 +0000, John Rumm strung together this:

Orange do that too, I've got two phones on that contract as I've changed numbers over the years I've kept the old published ones on a free tarriff with diverts to the new numbers.

[Zipadee Doodar]

I did this very thing. After a few weeks, they were in our house and I asked them where it was. "Oh don't worry, " said Mum." We keep it on the table next to the house phone so we know where it is!" Somehow, they missed the point......

ZD

[Bob Eager]

Reminds me of those 'holsters' they sell, to stick to the side of the TV, to keep teh remote control....

[Lobster]

How do you that divert trick then? Are you diverting from Orange PAYG numbers? I'd like to do the same, but AFAIK it wasn't possible...

David

[Lurch]

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:07:11 GMT, "Lobster" strung together this:

It's not an actual PAYG as such, it's a contract phone but if you don't use it you don't pay so it works the same as a PAYG phone. Orange have it under the OVP tarriffs somewhere.

[Lobster]

Ah, Ok. So I'm probably right about the PAYG thing! Pity.

David

[Lurch]

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:32:32 GMT, "Lobster" strung together this:

Yep!