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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be annoyed that I use so much phone credit on nothing at all.

33 replies

purplehazed · 29/12/2015 10:31

Some mobiles seem to be set to only ring two or three times and go straight to answer phone, consequently charging me about 10p for the privilege. Why shouldn't mobiles just ring and ring and I can decide when to decide that nobody is going to answer it and terminate the call. I'm sick of my pay as you go credit getting eaten up by this. Anybody else get mad about this?

OP posts:

Enjolrass · 29/12/2015 10:34

On some phones you used to be able to set it so it didn't ring long before answering machine picked up. So it was down to the person you were ringing.

Also if it's only ringing once then people may be rejecting your call. If they are busy and it rings they may send it straight to voicemail.

Also it will go straight to voicemail if the phone is switched off. My mums home phone goes straight to voicemail if she is on it, rather than an engaged tone.

I don't see how mobile providers can be held responsible for this

antimatter · 29/12/2015 10:34

Some people (including me) don't respond to mobile calls with numbers not in their contact list any more. If someone texts me or leaves message in answering machine I will.
The reason being that I am being upset by a number of unsolicited calls from PPI or other crap companies. My number must have been harvested after I had genuine accident claim in May.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 29/12/2015 10:34

Is it your mobile, or people that you're calling?

Most modern mobiles let you choose how long your phone should ring for before it goes to answerphone. Mine is on a middle-ish length but most people I know set it to the shortest time because we all carry our mobiles all the time anyway, and if they haven't answered straight away, they're not going to.

specialsubject · 29/12/2015 10:38

I've turned off the voicemail on my mobile for just this reason; it grabs the calls too quickly for me to answer and then I have to pay to listen to the message and return the call. Doesn't seem to be a way to change it. My mobile is in my pocket, not my hand, so four rings is not enough time to get it.

the landline has an answerphone if people want to leave a message.

TheCrazyDuchess · 29/12/2015 10:42

Should be able to turn off voicemail

Namechangedec15 · 29/12/2015 10:44

I'm on three. 1p a mb, 2p a txt, and 3p a min call.

I top up a tenner every few months. Its great.

Oysterbabe · 29/12/2015 11:20

Turn off your vm.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 29/12/2015 11:51

I've never known anyone over the age of 12 to have a PAYG phone - could you get an all inclusive one on contract

WorraLiberty · 29/12/2015 11:55

I know lots of people over the age of 12 who are too skint to afford a contract, or they're not creditworthy.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 29/12/2015 12:00

Oh its to do with your credit rating is it? Sorry I didn't realise. I did wonder why adults had PAYG phones. Apologies to OP.

PennyHasNoSurname · 29/12/2015 12:04

Could you text them? Even if its "hey, fancy a chat? Let me know whens best to call"

I only ever answer my mobile if its my DH or Mum. For everyone else I leave it ring out. I hate hate hate talking on the phone - i use whatsapp/fb messenger/text/email regularly. But I very very rarely pick up the phone to speak.

Original poster

purplehazed · 29/12/2015 12:06

No nothing to do with my credit rating. I just like pay as you go, having the choice rather than another direct debit every month. It's not just kids who have pay as you go. But what will turning off voicemail do though? it's the numbers I ring which go to voicemail too soon which I have the problem with.

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 29/12/2015 12:09

No-one said it was to do with the OP's credit rating ThisIsStartingToBoreMe

Just that there are a few reasons why adults might not have/want a phone contract.

fuzzywuzzy · 29/12/2015 12:09

I found PAYG really expensive for when I had it for DD.

Could you look at tariffs that are cheap? Tescos does a £7.50 per month tariff we get 500 minutes free and 5000 free texts. DD isn't allowed smartphones in school so this works out best for us.

Would something similar be more suitable for you rather than PAYG?

Otherwise use viber to phone friends and family. It's free if you are connected to wifi.

MatildaTheCat · 29/12/2015 12:19

Are they numbers of people who you regularly ring, OP? If so ask them to extend the ring time themselves. They must be missing calls all the time. If it's a whole bunch of people then maybe text and ask when would be convenient to call?

For my own phone I had to call the network provider and get the ring time lengthened because I can't get to the phone quickly. For my mums I managed to find out how to do it on YouTube. For my MIL I called up and got the voicemail switched off altogether. So no one answer but I do agree that three rings is way too short.

Trills · 29/12/2015 12:21

This must happen to you a lot, if you end up using "so much" phone credit on it.

Are you repeatedly ringing people, getting their answerphone, then hanging up?

Since you're being charged 10p anyway, why not leave a message and then wait for the person to call you back?

Junosmum · 29/12/2015 12:26

This is the reason I stopped with PAYG, along with being irritated with having to top up. I now have a £10 30 day contract with Tesco - 1000 minutes, 1GB data and unlimited texts and I've set up a 'buffer' of £5 for if I call 0845 numbers etc. I find I spend much much less over the year than I did on PAYG. Plus it's only a 30 day contract so I can cancel anytime.

Original poster

purplehazed · 29/12/2015 12:30

Yea they are people I regularly ring. I have told them about it but nothing seems to happen.

OP posts:

VintageDresses · 29/12/2015 12:33

If it rings a couple of times and then goes to answerphone isn't it most likely that the phone's owner is rejecting the call, nothing to do with the phone?

Do you phone people a lot? Most people have know rely on text or fb now. In the nicest possible way, might that be why you're getting a lot of rejected calls?

IAmAPaleontologist · 29/12/2015 12:34

Get a giffgaff sim, payg but with minutes and data.

BitOutOfPractice · 29/12/2015 12:35

Is it a smartphone? If it is you can change the number of rings before the answerphone kicks in

You're welcome

specialsubject · 29/12/2015 12:36

I am older than 12 and have PAYG. A tenner lasts several months. Show me a contract cheaper than that.

I do all my chatting on the landline, which doesn't cut out, crackle or otherwise be annoying. £8 a month for unlimited calls, now including mobiles although I don't usually call those for the above reasons.

OP, for 'those people' send a text and they can call you.

LottieDoubtie · 29/12/2015 13:38

The thing is you don't like pay as you go... because this issue wouldn't be an issue if you had enough inclusive minutes. So perhaps time to consider a different option if pay as you go is no longer suiting you?

OryxNotCrake · 29/12/2015 13:47

If this is happening regularly either leave a voicemail asking them to call you back (you might as well - it's costing you 10p anyway) or send a text rather than calling.

You should also consider shopping around for a better PAYG deal. My mum gets unlimited calls (including to mobiles), unlimited texts and 2 GB of data for £15 a month on EE.

YeOldeTrout · 29/12/2015 13:57

I only get charged for voicemail msgs if I ring to listen to them (also on PAYG, vodaphone). I reckon people who really want to get hold of me will send a text-email-ring landline, so I don't ring to listen to voice msgs unless I know it's important.

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