Please help a smartphone novice choose a sim only deal

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

I just got my first ever smartphone

My prehistoric Virgin PAYG sim kind of works in it but not quite (makes and takes calls but the phone thinks it's T-Mobile and won't access my contacts) and would be shockingly expensive if I used any data on it, so I'm looking for a new one.

I'm not really sure what I'll want to use in terms of calls, texts and data - my old phone became gradually so shit I barely used it and I've never used data before, so I'm looking at PAYG / monthly contracts only - I don't want to be locked into a long contract at this stage.

If anybody has time to answer any of these questions it would really help me decide what to get -

How much data do you pay for and how much do you use?

What sorts of things do you use your data allowance for?

Do you find tethering a useful feature?

PAYG or monthly rolling contract? Most PAYG things I'm looking at seem to be based on a monthly 'bundle' so I'm not sure of the difference.

The ones that seem to come out top on comparison sites are giffgaff and the people's operator, neither of which I have heard of before. Does anybody have experience of either of these, or a recommendation of something better?

Are there any pitfalls I might not have thought of?

Thanks in advance

[jubles]

I use giffgaff on my iPhone and love it. You can't tether with unlimited data, but I don't need unlimited data anyway. Tethering is handy from time to time, but as we have broadband at home, and there is often free wifi in cafes and so on, it's not something I use much. I am currently using their £7.50 a month goody bag, which has 500MB, 250 free minutes, unlimited texts and free giffgaff to giffgaff calls. That's plenty for me but there are lots of options. I like that you can top up online with your card, and there is an phone app. You can arrange your goody bag to renew automatically or you can renew manually. I think it's worth trying a cheaper goody bag and keeping track of what you use to see what is going to be the best option for you.

If you have a friend who uses giffgaff, they can have a sim posted to you through their giffgaff account and both the friend and you get £5 complimentary credit.

Hope that helps. Happy to answer more questions.

[jubles]

Realised I haven't answered a couple of your questions!

I use my data for:

checking my email,

WhatsApp (basically text messages through the internet to other smart phones) and Facebook messenger. I don't actually use Facebook on my phone but some people do.

BBC news app.

Google maps for directions

Quickly checking things on the internet if necessary

Checking train times

Boots app to get offers added to my advantage card

There are lots of other things you can do with it, like Skype, youtube, videos etc, but I tend not to do that on my phone.

I prefer not to have a rolling monthly contract. I like giffgaff because it has the advantages of a monthly contract (free texts, data bundles etc) without tying you into anything. It's also really quite cheap.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Another happy GiffGaff user here, I use the £10 monthly Goodybag bundle, have been doing so for about 4 years. I also keep a bit of PAYG credit just in case there's something the bundle hasn't covered, but spend less than £10 a year on that. I use tethering occasionally for the DCs Ipods or my laptop but not often.

I use mine for MN, FB, radio streaming, email, shopping apps (Amazon, Ocado etc), checking sports scores, newspaper apps, Kindle.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

GiffGaff runs on the O2 network by the way and is internet only, you can't contact them by phone.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Thanks jubles and WhoKnows, that is helpful, especially the advice to start with a small bundle. I am leaning towards giffgaff because of the flexibility and the ability to tether.

I'm still keen to hear from anyone who uses the people's operator, for comparison. They do seem very cheap and their standard rates are a lot less than giffgaff which could be important if I cock things up

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Another thing I like about GiffGaff is that they send you a detailed statement each month by email and recommend which bundle would suit your usage (sometimes a cheaper one).

[Bunbaker]

Another GiffGaff user here. I pay £7.50 a month and they have just upped my data allowance from 250MB to 500MB for free. I never use that much anyway, but it is nice to have.

I tend to use data when out and about to play Scrabble, check emails, look at train/bus times, google map etc.

If you want to use GiffGaff abroad you need to buy PAYG credit as the Goodybags only work in the UK, but their rates are cheaper than everyone else's anyway.

I don't tether my phone (not even sure what that is anyway).

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Tethering turns your phone into a Wifi hotspot for non 3G gadgets such as Ipods and laptops, uses the phone's data allowance.

[Bunbaker]

Thanks Whoknows. I don't think it is something I would use.

[SecretSquirrels]

I got my first ever smart phone recently. Another vote for giff gaff. I find I rarely use data as have wifi in most places. Tethering would use a lot of data.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Thanks for all the tips! My giffgaff card has just popped through the letterbox

I was very tempted by the people's operator as they are actually cheaper but their sign up process is overcomplicated and their website doesn't work very well.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I use 3G all the time as I find the wifi in most places seems to require registering all your details. And we haven't got it at work either. Even so I only use about 1Gb a month.

[fairbalance]

People's Operator is fab my partner and Mother have just switched to them as Giffgaff signal is terrible in Brecon Beacons and the Thames Valley. We are very pleased with the People's Operator. I even had an online chat with Jimmy Wales himself. :)

[NetworkGuy]

I'm using TPO, too, on their 15/month plan (unlimited calls and texts, 3GB a month of data) but that was based on 12 months (first 3 months at 3.99). Know you have gone with GiffGaff for now, but if your phone is unlocked you will still have other options in due course, should you choose to switch...

For PAYG another option would have been Three, which does offer bundles, but even without they offer 3p/min for voice, 2p /text and 1p/MB. That's 'fairly' cheap for data, at least compared with other PAYG pricing, unless some bundle expiring after 30 days, is bought. Also handy as you can use a free app to track your usage (Call Plan Monitor for Android) and then choose a sensible plan based on how much you regularly use.


With Three and ASDA PAYG you can keep the credit past one month unless you buy a bundle (so for very light users, it's OK, but do remember most networks will disconnect you if you fair to make any calls or send texts within 3-6 months)... so OK for an emergency phone in car glove compartment but remind yourself to send a text on 1st of the month, for example.


Good luck with new mobile!