Mobile phone contracts up for renewal .... advice please

[Minxy]

A bit of info first, then see my questions at the bottom!

Our current mobile phone contracts are up for renewal in just over a month's time. At present we are with T-mobile and pay just over £17 a month for our 2 phones:

• 300 mins talk / 500gb data / 300 texts + free booster = £9.38 inc VAT
• 100 mins talk / 500gb data / 100 texts + free booster = £7.3o inc VAT

We were fortunate to get the free 'booster' each as it wasn't that long after that this 'perk' was removed, so normally we have this set to unlimited calls to UK landlines which we can change each month give us approx 18 mins each of calls back to the UK from abroad each month.

As we've been with T-mobile for so long we also have a loyalty discount of about 30% hence our lower monthly charges than usual.

Hubby rang T-mobile to find out what our renewal options were and we were horrified to find out that the 'free booster' was going to be lost once our current contract ends which means that ALL calls will be deducted form the monthly allowance, therefore the amount of minutes we have will not be sufficient, even though we have a landline now for local calls, it therefore means that we'd have to have a higher minute allowance and thus the cost will increase even just for a sim only deal and even though we will still get our 'loyalty' discount our costs will increase for a 'lesser' service!

Soooooo ... we've been looking aroun at what is available either as a contract sim only deal or as part of a contract sim and phone deal ... it's very confusing but I think I've got some idea of what's suitable!

We could keep our current phones and/or buy some others if we want and then get a sim on its own - for sim only the offerings from Virgin seem to be the best:

• 250 mins, 250gb data plus * = £5.00
• 1000 mins, 500gb data plus * = £8.00

* unlimited texts and free calls to there Virgin mobiles

However, if we want new phones, hubby quite likes the Motorola Moto E and Tesco mobile seem the best for this:

• 250 mins, 500gb data, plus ^ = £7.50
• 500 mins, 500gb data plus ^ = £10.00

^ 5000 texts, not sure about calls to other Tesco mobiles, will have to ask the question as it's not on the website.

Has anyone got the Motorola Moto E and an experience of Virgin and Tesco networks as we've never been with them.

 

[Chockswahay]

I use Tesco mobile as PAYG without data and it works fine. I use the dreaded THREE for my data and at £15 for unlimited data, 3000 texts and 300 mins for a month without contract it works very well. Plus of course many countries in Europe where I can use it just the same for no extra charge

 

[34127]

I have a Moto E on the Tesco network. I have previously used a basic Nokia phone and find the Moto E complicated but I am not that savvy on these devices and others may find it very simple to use but overall I am very happy with it. I was on the O2 network but changed to Tesco as they use the O2 network, they are cheaper than O2 and you can put a maximum call limit above your monthly allowance so you can't get hit by an unwanted bill if your phone is lost or stolen and falls into the wrong hands. The Tesco coverage is not brilliant where I live but that is common with most of the networks.
I got the phone at my local Tesco store and found the staff to be very helpful. One thing I did not realise at first was that I had to purchase a phone charger as they don't come with the phone.

 

[DP+JAY]

Vodafone, 1.2GB data, 300 minutes any network/landline, unlimited texts & eurotraveller. £10/month. Excellent coverage & service,unlike Tesco.
Data is used mostly for tethering a tablet.

 

[Minxy]

Vodafone, 1.2GB data, 300 minutes any network/landline, unlimited texts & eurotraveller. £10/month. Excellent coverage & service,unlike Tesco.
Data is used mostly for tethering a tablet.

Can't find that on their website.

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[Techno]

At the prices you are quoting I think you mean mega bites not gigabites?
500gb is 100 times more than my £22 allowance

 

[DP+JAY]

Can't find that on their website.

Plans probably changed but if you're interested ring them & say you "have a friend on that deal".
Everything is negotiable.

 

[DP+JAY]

At the prices you are quoting I think you mean mega bites not gigabites?
500gb is 100 times more than my £22 allowance

Who, me? No defo 1.2GB.
No not me. Just re read OP

 

[Techno]

Who, me? No defo 1.2GB.

No Mel in the opening post.

 

[Techno]

As a T mobile customer you'll probably get a better deal by migrating to EE and they will take your loyalty into consideration too.

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[Minxy]

Who, me? No defo 1.2GB.
No not me. Just re read OP

Yup, shouldn't try to do a quick posting just before dinner was served up! Definitely mb not gbs.

 

[Minxy]

As a T mobile customer you'll probably get a better deal by migrating to EE and they will take your loyalty into consideration too.

Tried that already, sim only with 500mins £9.99 or £12.49 for 500 mins with a phone too.

 

[Techno]

It's a lot more than you want but for an example EE gave me 5gb (that's 10 times 500mb lol) unlimited calls&texts normally 21.99 but first 6 months at £11 as loyalty having migrated from Orange and I'm now 4g too
I'm sure they'll have a good deal for your needs if you call them

 

[Techno]

Tried that already, sim only with 500mins £9.99 or £12.49 for 500 mins with a phone too.

They are the published online deals
You will get better than that by phoning EE as a migrater

 

[pappajohn]

I was with EE (T mobile as was) for 14 years paying far more (£16 month) than i used with no data allowance.

Moved to 3 payg....

No need to buy a bundled package as you can use your credit as a money pot as you want plus you get 150mb free with each top up.

Data = 1p per mb
texts = 2p each sent...receive free
Calls = 3p minute
picture messaging and voicemail is expensive though...around 40p pics and 25p mail.

Or buy a bundle.
£10 bundle gets 500mb data, 3000 texts and 100 mins calls
other bundles available.

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[davanne]

I have tesco contract on O2 network.... where I live most networks are useless especially EE but O2 is not bad. I have been with Tesco for over 2 years now with no complaints and have just renewed my contract

 

[buttons]

I have to admit this.....you Yorkie's do like a deal.

 

[Minxy]

They are the published online deals
You will get better than that by phoning EE as a migrater

Hubby did ... no movement with them.

 

[Judge Mental]

Hubby did ... no movement with them.

Reason why we moved to Three!

 

[Minxy]

I was with EE (T mobile as was) for 14 years paying far more (£16 month) than i used with no data allowance.

Moved to 3 payg....

No need to buy a bundled package as you can use your credit as a money pot as you want plus you get 150mb free with each top up.

Data = 1p per mb
texts = 2p each sent...receive free
Calls = 3p minute
picture messaging and voicemail is expensive though...around 40p pics and 25p mail.

Or buy a bundle.
£10 bundle gets 500mb data, 3000 texts and 100 mins calls
other bundles available.

Yes .... great minds think alike! I remembered the postings on here previously about this so must have been looking at the '3' site whilst you were obviously posting!

For me it will probably be ideal as other than ringing my Mum which I usually when I'm at home and for no more than 45 mins max at a time, I hardly use my mobile phone to make calls at all. Now we've got a landline again I'll be using that for ringing my Mum now so the only reason I'm likely to need a mobile phone for now is to receive calls from hubby when out at a car boot sale/market etc, or for me to call him when he's disappeared off somewhere when we're out shopping etc (why do men DO that!!!), therefore my actual calls will be minimal.

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[Minxy]

Just been doing some calculations, for hubby it would be better for him to be on a contract as he has a higher usage than me, but for me I'd only about £10 over 6 months absolute maximum on '3' (that's including some data) whereas the cheapest deal is £5 a month sim only, so £30 for the same length of time, so even if I used double or even triple what I do now I'd still be better off. If I've understood the 'blurb' correctly with '3' I can buy an 'add-on' for £10 / £15 which lasts for 30 days to give me 100 / 300 mins of calls back to the UK when we go to France later in the year along with loads of texts and some data.

 

[Minxy]

Or buy a bundle.
£10 bundle gets 500mb data, 3000 texts and 100 mins calls
other bundles available.

When you say a bundle, do you mean the 'add-on'?

 

[mjltigger]

Its been a few years since I left telecoms but first things first, don't use a reseller. That includes Tesco and virgin. There are a multitude of reasons for that but mainly because your call or text or data is not the carriers priority. You will always be last.

Next, if you are going to use less than £10 per month then dint get a contract. It simply isn't worth it.

Lastly, if you stick to the same town get a phone with a good signal for that town. If you travel a lot, get on EE. The coverage across the country is decidedly better on average than any other network.

 

[Steve101uk]

We are all using Giff Gaff in my house. the best deals I ever found and no contracts. You just need to buy a phone and unlock it. unlocking cost a pound using ebay.

https://giffgaff.com/

 

[peterc10]

I was with EE (T mobile as was) for 14 years paying far more (£16 month) than i used with no data allowance.

Moved to 3 payg....

No need to buy a bundled package as you can use your credit as a money pot as you want plus you get 150mb free with each top up.

Data = 1p per mb
texts = 2p each sent...receive free
Calls = 3p minute
picture messaging and voicemail is expensive though...around 40p pics and 25p mail.

Or buy a bundle.
£10 bundle gets 500mb data, 3000 texts and 100 mins calls
other bundles available.

Pappajohn (and anybody else), - how is the coverage with three please and how much of their network is now 4G please? Whilst I have been using Giffgaff for a while now and recommending it, it is not cheap once you leave the UK.

Also do 3 allow tethering on their PAYG add-ons please? Quite like the look of their £15 add-on which has unlimited data and includes use in France and USA (and Spain from April). Would be well worth it when we are away.

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[Minxy]

Pappajohn (and anybody else), - how is the coverage with three please and how much of their network is now 4G please? Whilst I have been using Giffgaff for a while now and recommending it, it is not cheap once you leave the UK.

Also do 3 allow tethering on their PAYG add-ons please? Quite like the look of their £15 add-on which has unlimited data and includes use in France and USA (and Spain from April). Would be well worth it when we are away.

3 do not allow tethering at all on any of their PAYG plans, see paragraph under 'Buy Add-ons':

http://ask3.three.co.uk/srvs/cgi-bi...e=obj(3536),varset_username=Mobile:mobileUser

 

[Minxy]

Okay ... decision made, we've plumped for:

2 x Tesco mobile contracts @ £7.50 a month (24 months) which include:

• Motorola Moto E phone
• 250 mins (now 400 ... see * below)
• 500gb data
• 5000 texts
• * a 'family perks' freebie of 150 any network mins

We didn't know about the 'family perks' until I saw it in the shop today so, as we've got 2 phones with them (on the same account) we are entitled to a perk each and had the choice of one of the following 'extras' (can be changed if required):

150 any network mins / 500 Tesco to Tesco mins / 250mb data​

When we get them we'll have 14 days to see how we get on so if we have problems with the network we can return them. I'm still getting the '3' sim though for our spare phone to use abroad.

 

[Minxy]

Aaaargggghhhh .... why doesn't anything go blooming smoothly!

After ordering 2 x Tesco phones one ONE arrived today! A quick call to them and we were told that this happens sometimes (something to do with the order no?) so only one has been sent out even though the order clearly shows 2 required and says it is complete but the deliver note has just one on it!

So the options were:

1. to keep the delivered one and wait for them to send out another, (hoping they still have one in stock) and wait another 5 days for it but as the contract started on 8th(ie when we ordered them) we'd be paying for a phone we still have not received!
   
   
2. to keep the delivered phone and not get another, but we'd lose the 'perk' so only have 250 mins on it instead of the 400 for having 2 phones with them
   
   
3. to cancel the contract altogether and return the delivered phone

We've done the last option ... BUT ... whilst you'd think that was simple enough, oh no, hubby's now had a 'confirmation' email saying they are sending out TWO jiffy bags and have arrange TWO pick-ups for TWO phones and the email also says that they are being returned to be REPAIRED!!! Fortunately he didn't even open the parcel with the delivered phone in so they can't claim we've 'nicked' one out of it!

Hubby has just been on the phone for 20 minutes sorting it out ... needless to say he's NOT a happy chappy at the moment!

 

[Minxy]

SORTED ... AT LAST!!!!!

After the fiasco with Tesco Mobile on the phone/internet we decided to see if the 'newish' phone shop in the local Tesco superstore had the phones in stock, even though the deal we want is not shown on sale on the Tesco Direct website ... well ... the good news is that they had them there ... if hubby hadn't been so 'impatient' last week and wanted to order them on line there and then we'd probably have gone to the shop anyway! I am resisting the temptation to give him a good slapping ... especially since he's gonna cook one of my favourite teas ... gammon, egg and chips!

I've been playing with the Motorola Moto E's this afternoon and setting them up is quite easy especially since they have an app called Motorola migrate which you download onto your existing phone and then use that to copy everything across to the new phone - contacts, phones, texts - the lot!

The other good thing is that the mains and 12v charges for our existing Samsung phones fit the Motorola ones so we don't have to buy any ... just gotta get a case each ... I was looking at this one ... what do you think?

Broken Link Removed

 

[Minxy]

Despite the second phone being cancelled ... guess what got delivered today!

At least we can send them BOTH back now ... what a farce!

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