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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask you about giffgaff

26 replies

wtfisgoingonhere · 20/02/2016 08:58

So mine and hubby's phone contracts are up but getting a new one or upgrade seems to have jumped up massively in price

Using comparison site best deal for us (unlimited data) was with giff gaff.

I am a bit dubious as they are a relatively new company (waited many years to join three despite the good deals when they first 'appeared') although they use o2 network which is good in our area

Anyone got any experience with them?

OP posts:
usual · 20/02/2016 08:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kreeshsheesh · 20/02/2016 09:02

Dh and I both on giffgaff for a few years - no problems and was much cheaper than the other providers.

Pastamancer · 20/02/2016 09:02

I have been with them a year. Had no problems and they email me each month to tell me my usage and if another plan would suit me better. I am on PAYG and only spent £30 last year.

mudandmayhem01 · 20/02/2016 09:05

We are all on giff gaff, its very good value, no problems. No call centre or shop for need help ( that's why it is cheap) but there is a forum thing which is very good for technical problems ( I think people get free credit for answering queries)

insancerre · 20/02/2016 09:05

I've been with gift gaff for ages and I love them
They text me to say I'm not using my allowance so I should go for a cheaper option

DiscordiaVanDiemen · 20/02/2016 09:06

I've been with them for several years. I pay £7.50 a month (mostly use wifi so the data is more for backup in case my wifi goes down, or I can't get free wifi elsewhere!)

PaulAnkaTheDog · 20/02/2016 09:07

I'm of giff gaff, they're excellent.

Coconutty · 20/02/2016 09:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

redgoat · 20/02/2016 09:10

I've been with giffgaff for 4 months now. No problems and actually get better signal than I did with EE. They do offers that get you extra credit eg if you use this link www.giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/uniqueatlast you get a free £5 credit and so do I.

If you and your DH both waved it then one of you order first then use you link so you each get a £5 credit.

redgoat · 20/02/2016 09:12

Oh and calls from gifffsff to giffgaff phones are free. I got my sim card via my dad's link and I've still got £1.89 of that £5 credit left.

sarahlux · 20/02/2016 09:13

I have been with them for about 6 months. Never had any issues.
Only thing I would say is that in my area 4g isn't as fast as other providers but it's still fast enough.
They alert you if another tariff would be better even if it it's cheaper. Also let you know exactly what your useage is too.

Drinksforeveryone · 20/02/2016 09:13

ME and DS have been on it for acouple of years now. Both on the £7.50 Goodybag. DSS is on it too.

Currently weaning the parents on to it too - as it will work out better value for them than the old payg they are using now.

Never had a problem - it's all easy to use.

gooseberryroolz · 20/02/2016 09:16

They're v good. DC are all with them and so is my second phone.

GlueSuedeShoes · 20/02/2016 09:16

DH and I have both been on giffgaff for years and have recommended to several friends.

Never a problem and a really good deal.

Drinksforeveryone · 20/02/2016 09:17

My main reason for changing to them from contract with t- mobile was the joy of no long tied in contract.

It's all in my control.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 20/02/2016 09:21

They are great. And not so new anymore, DH has been with them quite a few years and recommended them to me after I'd paid off my iPhone with o2. There have been no catches at all. I am on a 7.50 a month rolling goody bag as they're called. Or is it even cheaper? Can't quite remember. Anyway, like a pp, they text you each month showing your data usage, and I got one text a few months ago saying "based on your usage you could get a cheaper monthly package." So I did it. I've never known any other company encourage you to spend less money based purely on the fact that it is better for the customer.

They're probably not the best for people who are a bit clueless with technology. My mum, for example, wanted to buy herself an iPhone. Did it on the spur of the moment on holiday while walking past an o2 shop and they set it all up for her as she would have struggled to do it without help. So other companies are good for that kind of thing. But once you have your phone paid off then you just need something simple and cheap. Giffgaff are that company.

ThomasSofty · 20/02/2016 09:25

Giffgaff are great! I love that they don't have a call centre, it's so easy to find answers to everything on their website/forums. I also really like that you can chose how much to pay for your phone upfront, it's a good way of doing things.

Original poster
wtfisgoingonhere · 20/02/2016 09:27

Yay! I was a bit worried when I saw so many posts you might all be shouting "don't do it!" but the only (small) negative I can see is "in my area 4g isn't as fast as other providers but it's still fast enough" which doesn't matter to me as

  1. I very rarely stream anything
  2. the 4G I currently have is crap! Despite coverage supposedly being great here, when I do see that little 4G pop up its few and far between and I can't say it appears to be this amazingly quick speed it's made out to be!

Fab, I'm going to get ordering then. Think i get cashback via my work but if not i will check out that link redgoat

Thanks all Grin

OP posts:
nattyknitter · 20/02/2016 09:29

Also on it and never had a problem. I just stick with the £5 monthly goodybag as I have converted the family, so we all call each other for free.

I wouldn't change now, I have had no coverage issues. I used to be with Orange/EE and was forever having problems to the point that I actually hated the company.

timemaychangeme · 20/02/2016 09:46

Cant beat them for calls and texts but i had zero internet coverage the minute i left the house and my wifi connection. Thats why I left. That was2 years ago so if they have improved that, I'd not hesitate to recommend them.

brummiesue · 20/02/2016 10:15

It's cheap but I found their coverage was terrible, I left after a month, also some people can be put off by everything being done online, no call centre etc

Pedestriana · 20/02/2016 10:18

Been with them about 8 months. No difference in coverage and I'm spending far less on calls.

TheFairyCaravan · 20/02/2016 10:19

We were on Giff Gaff and thought they were crap. We could never get a signal, it wasn't just where we live it was all over. DS1 doesn't live here and he found the same. Our internet went off at home and we couldn't even get 3G, I wanted to Google something when I was in the car, same thing. It was useless.

We've all transferred over to BT mobile, we get it half price because we've got a BT Internet address and we get 4G in most places now. It's far better than Giff Gaff imo.

TheFridgePickersKnickers · 20/02/2016 10:21

We are all with them in our house. Think its about 2 years now. I pay 30 a month for all 4 of us. Probably could do it a bit cheaper tbh but the teens reluctant yo drop their 4G usage.
Free giffgaff to giffgaff calls so it's free to call each other which with dh being away a lot is fab.
I suggest 1 of u join and use the voucher with the sim for the other to join and get the free credit as well.

reallybadidea · 20/02/2016 10:21

They use the O2 network so maybe use your phone to check what the O2 signal is like where you live before you take the plunge. Having said that, you're not tied in to a contract so nothing to lose. They've been around for years, completely reputable company, so I wouldn't be worried on that score. I don't use them because the signal is rubbish where we are, but I would NEVER go back to a contract phone now, it's just HP by another name and is invariably more expensive than buying a phone and getting a sim deal.