WIBU to change phone network after 14 years?

[MCorbett86]

Hi all,

I have been happily using Pay as You Go on the Three (3) network for over 10 years now without issue. For the last few years I have been getting their 'All You Can Eat 90' Add On every three months, where I pay £90 for Unlimited Data, Unlimited Texts and Unlimited minutes. This has always served me very well and I have been happy on Pay As You Go.

Unfortunately, my Add On runs out tomorrow and since I last purchased it in December Three seemingly have stopped offering this option. The only option they have similar is a £35 Add On Sim for 'All You Can Eat Data' that I can buy from Amazon, not Three? Very confusing!

I have come to the conclusion that I would be better off - reluctantly - shifting to a Pay Monthly option, as this would be easier than purchasing a Sim from Amazon each month and appears to be cheaper also.

I have always preferred Pay As You Go as I have never had any form of credit contract before. I suffer quite badly from anxiety - especially surrounding things like this. My neurodiverse condition possibly heightens this! I will only proceed if it is easy to set my spend cap at Zero, so that I do not accrue any extra charges. At the moment, if I try to call a premium number on PAYG it simply says I do not have enough credit. I hope that this will be similar if I set a £0 spend cap?

Having looked at my Data Usage since December 14th, I have used 375GB, which is pretty typical of my usage over the last few years. I therefore feel that I may not need the All You Can Eat tariff, and would suffice with a 12 month 150GB/250GB per month contract. I'm conscious that the prices being offered are going to increase by CPI + 3.9% in a matter of weeks. Unfortunately, I can't wait that long to top up so I am going to have to just accept that.

I have had a look online and Three offer a 12 Month Sim Only deal for 250GB Data for £20 (possibly around £23 after April) per month or unlimited data for £24 (£27 after April) per month. I assume that these come with unlimited calls and texts, as my current plan does but I will check this in store before I commit.

I am completely new to the idea of a Pay Monthly changing their Add On range. I am quite anxious about it all, so I would appreciate your advice and insights surrounding Pay Monthly Sim contracts. Would you say the 250GB contract (£20 per month) is good value? Has anyone else on here been with Three for Pay Monthly and could share their experiences?

Also, and something that I would be open to, I have noticed that other networks also offer Pay Monthly contracts and I have not ruled out the idea of changing networks. Three have had my custom now since 2009, but I know that loyalty does not always pay. I see below that 02 offer a 150GB per month Sim for £25 per month. A bit more expensive than Three but allows for 25GB of European Roaming for free, something that I would now need to pay for under Three. I travel to Europe about six times a year, so I was really annoyed to see that Three have introduced a charge for Go Roam. This 02 contract also seemingly offers perks like Apple Music that the Three one does not.

I am in all honestly so confused, and a little anxious and apprehensive about it all. Could you please give me some tips and advice about Pay Monthly contracts in general and if you know of the best one that would suit my needs? Should I stick with Three or move elsewhere?

Thanks so much for any insights or advice - sincereely, a very confused poster!

www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/sim-only-deals?setTTSelectedStack=legacy#deviceType=phone&contractLength=P12M

Tesco PAYG is £15 for 50gb with a clubcard plus vast quantities of phone and text.

Easy to run. Can use app or to up online.

One suggestion is to get a mobile broadband dongle for your broadband requirements:
www.vodafone.co.uk/gigacube/
Then get a cheaper mobile phone PAYG deal (if you prefer the PAYG option) or go on bill pay if that works for you.
www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/phones/pay-monthly-contracts/apple/iphone-13

They are what I could find in a matter of minutes on the Vodafone network. I'm sure there are alternatives with other service providers.

Please stop using the personal hotspot as extensively as you are because that is not what is covered by the 'fair usage' policy that you've probably signed up to or agreed to.

Just to say, sorry, Tesco do bigger data bundles for £20

I think £25 gives 150gb

I was also going to recommend taking a look at the Money Saving Expert website - I found it really useful when switching to a SIM only model.

Many people change mobile provider like other people change their clothes! So YANBU, always worth shopping around and you’ll pay much less on a pay monthly deal.

Smarty is £20/mth unlimited. If you add family members they then get a discount too. I switched from vodaphone and have better coverage. DD has used them for years and never had a problem.

If you check Uswitch to compare phone packages they typically have lots of exclusive deals which are far better than other comparison sites exclusive deals. Eg, they have two unlimited data deals for £15, with no 2023 price rises.

However if most of your use is at home watching catch up, or listening to your radio I'd consider getting a broadband connection at home (£18-20p/m if you shop round). You could link your phone, radio and tv to your home broadband and just get a mobile package with me a much smaller allowance for when you're out and about. Just easier than faffing with tethering to your phone hotspot.

I am on ID as is my daughter. Their Sim only deals are pretty cheap. I have an app on my phone and can set the extra spend limit to zero or whatever I want. (I sometimes have to change it when I am texting to donate to charity for example, but I can switch it straight back again). I think I also carry over data. I'm not on SIM only as I needed a phone, but my daughter is.
ID are the Car Phone Warehouse basically but they use someone elses network - EE maybe, I can't remember. I would take a look at them though as when I was looking they were very cheap. And they still do free data roaming when overseas.

Yes that’s right, you pay in advance every month & keep the same sim throughout, no need to change sims. If you decide you don’t want it, just don’t pay the following month - you’re not locked into a contract.

It’s the exact same coverage as Three, absolutely no difference.

IDmobile is on the 3 network, so o/p wouldn’t see any difference in coverage if she switches.

Right, thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate the advice.

Via the USwitch website I have now ordered an Unlimited Data Sim from Smarty for £15 per month, and Smarty will honour this price for 12 months.

A fantastic result! Compated to what I was previously paying on Three (£90 for 90 Days Unlimited), this is half the price. A saving of £180 per year! Actually its is more than that, as I only started taking up Three's 'All You Can Eat 90' plan last summer instead of the £35 per month one as I always worried if I topped up £90 and then lose the phone I wouldn't get it back.

I can't believe that Three have withdrawn their 'All You Can Eat 90' option - and stopped free EU Roaming also, well now it has cost them a customer (perhaps not as Smarty is part of Three - how bloody confusing!! 😂)!

I guess I have always been somewhat resistant to change, but t his really proves that loyalty does not always pay, and that it is always good to shop around.

I keep the benefits of unlimited data, remaining on the the Three network (albeit with a different provider) and keeping the EU Roaming option - which will save me money from next week on my trip to Austria. Oh, and no price rise from next month. Win-win! Bloody fantastic! Thanks all! :)

Try GiffGaff - I think I pay £20 a month for 100gb data, unlimited text and mobiles. I think it is £35 for unlimited data.

www.giffgaff.com/sim-only-deals?ggCampaign=PS-G_02932091_MG_giffgaff_SIMO_PAYG_PaidSearch_UK_Both_EvaluatePurchase_Brand_Exact_All_Pure&clickserve.dartsearch.net/link/click?lid=43700074497954593&ds_s_kwgid=58700008204123024&ds_a_cid=150082288&ds_a_caid=145105801&ds_a_agid=6655782241&ds_a_fiid=&ds_a_lid=kwd-12749248891&ds_a_extid=&&ds_e_adid=610528480235&ds_e_matchtype=search&ds_e_device=c&ds_e_network=g&&ds_url_v=2&ds_dest_url=www.giffgaff.com/sim-only-deals?ggCampaign=PS-G_02932091_MG_giffgaff_SIMO_PAYG_PaidSearch_UK_Both_EvaluatePurchase_Brand_Exact_All_Pure&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgNr47fHY_QIVFOvtCh3YGQQAEAAYASAAEgLCdvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I guess I have always been somewhat resistant to change, but t his really proves that loyalty does not always pay, and that it is always good to shop around

Why would anyone need to be loyal to a sim only phone provider? That's crazy when youre buying essentially a commodity product you go for the cheapest every time unless you live somewhere with a lack of coverage

I hope you shop around for all your insurances

@TimeForMeToF1y - Three had always served me well and I had no real reason to question them. I wasn't really sure about all of these other networks. I'd heard of them but didn't really look into them - I just thought it was between the 'big four'. Certainly a lesson learnt. I guess also my autism plays a part. I am somewhat resistant to change, and speaking out and asking for advice doesn't come easy to me naturally. Three always served me well on PAYG so I had no real incentive to try a new network. I guess it just hit a point where Three made it impossible for me to remain on PAYG as I have by discontinuing their current service, so I had no other option but to seek advice. As I say, lesson learnt!

Ok - I'll bite.

"I can't believe that Three have withdrawn their 'All You Can Eat 90' option - and stopped free EU Roaming also, well now it has cost them a customer (perhaps not as Smarty is part of Three - how bloody confusing!! 😂)!"

You're not in the EU any more.

This is part of leaving the EU.

Get used to it.

You'll have to pay for other things too that you didn't previously have to pay for when the UK were part of the EU.

Some mobile service providers have an arrangement about EU data roaming but it is absolutely at the discretion of the service provider to extend it to countries that are not part of the EU.

There. I've said my piece. I'll move on now.

"There. I've said my piece"

@LookItsMeAgain - Well, it wouldn't be Mumsnet if there wasn't some condescending poster, who considers themselves way above their station, who did. 😂

@MCorbett86 take a look at Lebara. You can get unlimited calls texts and data plus 100 free minutes to international numbers for £25 per month. Works on Vodafone network.

This reads a bit like a sponsored post.

@laurenlodge Was it the way I wrote it or something?!

£90 for 3 months is quite dear. Shop around, you should get unlimited for £15-20 a month