Mumsnetters needed to try the new Mobile by Sainsbury's service - sign up here NOW CLOSED

[TheOtherHelenMumsnet]

Sainsbury's has asked us to find 30 MNers to test out their new Mobile by Sainsbury's service. You can either try out the service yourself, or give it to your child or another member of the family so that they can use it to keep in touch with you and others, and then you can tell us how they got on.

Here's what Sainsbury's say about the service: "The average UK family is feeling the pinch, and Mobile by Sainsbury's is an easy way to make your pound stretch further. The Nectar savings you can make through Mobile by Sainsbury's offers will allow a family of four to eat an incredible 45 meals a year*. We know that many customers find choosing a mobile phone network a bit stressful, so we've opted to not only keep our price plans as affordable as possible - we've also made it incredibly simple. With our pay as you go service, customers know exactly what they're getting and how much they're spending, which means no nasty surprises at the end of the month."

This is open to all UK MNers with at least one child at home. One of the main benefits of the service is the amount of Nectar points you can earn, so you will need to have a Nectar card, or be willing to sign up for one if you're selected to take part.

Testers will be provided with one of the handsets below (these will be allocated at random) and you can keep it after testing. You'll also be provided with a SIM card and a £10 top up voucher with which you can purchase one of the Mobile by Sainsbury's bundles which includes 200 minutes, unlimited texts and 250MB of data, lasting up to 30 days. The services included within these bundles are for UK use only and the minutes can be used to call any UK mobiles and landline numbers.

Nectar card users will receive double Nectar points on their Sainsbury?s shopping (some exclusions apply) and fuel while they are using the bundle service, as well as double Nectar points for every £1 they top up. You can link your Nectar account to your phone by texting your Nectar card number to 40774 for free. All points collected through Mobile by Sainsbury's will be credited to your Nectar account within 28 days.

If you're selected to be a tester but you're not currently a Nectar card user, we can provide you with a sign up sheet. You can find more information about the Mobile by Sainsbury's Nectar perks here.

Nokia 100

Samsung E1190

BlackBerry Curve 9320

Sony Xperia E

Samsung Galaxy Fame

Nokia Lumia 520

You can find out more information about the handsets here and via Sainsbury's customer care line on 0845 440 0775, or 40775 from a Mobile by Sainsbury's phone.

If you'd like to stay with Mobile by Sainsbury's after the trial period of up to one month you'll just need to continue to purchase Mobile by Sainsbury's bundles or top ups. If you don't want to carry on after the trial, you don't have to.

All selected testers who add their feedback to a thread on MN will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £100 Sainsbury's voucher.

More information about Mobile by Sainsbury's can be found here and usage terms and conditions here.

If you?re interested in taking part, please sign up here.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

• Based on a family of four spending £75 on food (ONS family spending 2011) and £39 on fuel (ONS living costs survey 2011) per week and have 4 linked numbers on active bundles

[CherryMonster]

i didnt get one :(

[Groovee]

Have marked my place as we are in the after school rush just now.

[AngelieMumsnet]

Hi everyone, thanks for letting us know how you've been getting on so far! The feedback thread has been opened, so if you could continue the discussion there, that would be great :)

[Groovee]

I didn't realise that ds had received a text about texting WEB to a number. So I did that then went into the bit at the top, you swype your finger down the screen and it comes down with bit for turning on mobile data and downloads. I downloaded the software over wifi, then it closed the phone down and rebooted and when I switched it on again it was there and ready and able to use right away. It took me most of the evening though!

[Fillybuster]

Interesting. Sainsbury's Mobile wasn't one of the suppliers listed on the mobile data section, so there was no way to turn on the mobile data....the phone bit worked fine, as did wifi, but just that didn't kick in. How did you do it?

[Groovee]

We have the galaxy fame. What was the problem? I've set it up fully with no help from the help desk.

[Blatherskite]

Still no phone here so unable to test anything

[Fillybuster]

The very luvverly Sainsbo's mobile helpdesk chappie I spoke to yesterday explained that they can't send the settings through to the Android phones, so have to talk customers through the process to do a manual install.

I've got the Galaxy Fame phone, so interested to double check with anyone else who received that model whether you were able to receive the settings automatically?

Anyway, its now up and running. 2 grumbles: it looks like I have to turn mobile data off manually in order to switch over to wifi, and I simply cannot work out how to get my hotmail account set up on the phone....but both of those (I think) are handset issues, so probably not relevant for the trial :)

[Tortoise]

Coverage is a problem in my town which isn't good as I'm most likely to get a text from DSs while I'm down town or around school pick up time when they go back after hols. It's a shame its Vodafone like my talktalk mobile contract. If I'd realised that before I might not have bothered to apply because of it.
Internet seems to be working fine.
Texts send quickly and easily (at home).

[magentastardust]

Been finding network coverage good , Internet has been pretty quick and working well. Made some calls and quite a few texts -the first couple seems quite slow for some reason but not had any problems since. I can't seem to work out how to hang up calls but that is as issue with me and not the phone or network :)

[Groovee]

Been all over the place today and finding the network coverage good and the internet is working well. Have a very happy little boy. Will see how he gets on at school this week with the school run and football practice.

[SisterMatic]

..to find out it is just an information text

(Pressed post too soon)

[SisterMatic]

I found it abit of a fuss to have to top up and then buy the bundle, as I went straight to the bundle part when I called.

I am also getting a few texts from sainsburys..it is lovely to hear from you, I just get excited thinking somebody wants to talk to me

[MummyBtothree]

Been using the phone for a couple of days now. Overall I found it fairly easy to top-up and choose a tariff. The signal for phone calls and texts has been good. I cant comment on the web access from where I am as the phone didn't have this function. Overall I think the Sainsbury's network seems okay, although it doesn't really tempt me to change over to them as I use the web a lot on my phone so I'm happy as I am. Thank you though for the opportunity!!! :)

[Breezy1985]

DD has made a fair few phone calls now, yesterday the signal was really glitchy while we were out and about and a few texts would not send, I had a perfect signal on my phone (3) but seems to have been fine today as she's managed to ring me every 5 minutes, don't think the 200 minutes will last her long at all She's off to her dads this weekend and they usually have a rubbish signal at his house so we'll see how it is there.

I also thought the bundle.would go on automatically, so had to ring twice, I think a rolling bundle would be fab, my old payg phone used to do this and it was handy.

Can't really test anything else as no internet, though I do think non internet users should have there own bundle with some extra minutes.

[Groovee]

Oh and ds used the phone out and about today. Good signal and quick with texts and he phoned dh to see how it went with dh being a fair distance away with no problems.

[Groovee]

Filly, We had the same problem. At the top of the screen swipe it down to bring up a menu type page and download the software. You need wifi on. Once it's all done and rebooted it will work. Took me most of last night to get it sorted.

I didn't register my nectar card til after I set up the phone. Used my card this morning in Sainsbury's. Not sure really how one works. I've had mine for years.

[fingersandthumbs]

Fillybuster - we had the same issue re mobile internet access. However, it was me being dim again - (honest I'm not usually this bad). A message had been sent for the internet set up but it wasn't appearing in text message inbox because it wasn't a text message as such.

At the top of the home screen there was an envelope intertwined with the settings icon. When I opened this it contained the data settings needed. Very easy to install once I had realised where it was and because I had texted web to the number several times we had several of the messages.

I'm also another one of those people who didn't register their nectar card number first - although I seem to remember putting in my nectar card details when I signed up so perhaps I will get points or did I just confirm that I had a nectar card?

[WhoeverHeardOfAWormskinRug]

triggles

I never have signal in our sainsbury's either, and you're right - it will be the only time that the school need me! It'll be interesting to see if Sainsbury's have signal on their own network in their store. I suspect not, because they piggyback on Vodafone as far as I know. (I'm currently on VF)

[Fillybuster]

Feedback so far:

1. I also didn't link the Nectar card before topping up, so another one who didn't get the points. Also don't normally use a Nectar card, but still a bit :( about that - I think 'regular' Sainsbury's customers would be more cross, so maybe worth clarifying the instructions?
   

1. Another one who didn't realise that you have to select the package after topping up. Again, no harm done, but instructions could be made more straightforward on the IVR platform.
   

1. Galaxy Fame here too. Lovely phone (ok, I can't figure it out, but that's for me to deal with...) but 24 hours after selecting the package I still have no mobile data access. I have called the support line, and texted the number I was given several times. Each time I receive a message telling me that my mobile data access settings will be sent through shortly, but so far, nothing. This is definitely 'service' rather than 'phone'...can anyone help?

[Trigglesx]

Phone service is pretty good here at our house, which can sometimes be a bit spotty. I did notice some echoing on the phone which is distracting. The texts are going through, even from our dining room, which has previously been labelled the black hole of Calcutta for phone signal.

So far so good. I'll be out and about more tomorrow, so can check service in different areas - especially (and ironically) our local Sainsburys which always seems to have a huge "no signal" area at the back half of the store that drives me crazy. (for some reason, when I'm browsing at the back of the store - that's when the school is ringing me re my DS. Always! )

[Blatherskite]

I'm going out. We were in all day yesterday partly because DD had been poorly and partly to wait for this phone. As far as I can tell, nothing is due to be delivered today either. I can't bear another day of stir-crazy kids

[DelayedActionMouseMaker]

Seems like a whole lotta faff for not a lot of gain on their part really, not that I'm unhappy about getting a free phone and what will probably amount to a months texts and calls for me! :)

[DelayedActionMouseMaker]

Thanks afromom, that other ringtone was awful! :)

Well, made my first call, sent my first text, all seems fine. When I call from our house the connection is crackly and breaks up a lot but we have had patchy connection here with one other provider. DH uses 02 and that's crystal clear however. Not really sure what other feedback I can add aside from that as that's about all I can do. Is that all they wanted from us non interweb types?

[Blatherskite]

Rang APC again. Nothing for my address due to be delivered again today :(

I wonder if they've used a different courier for some of them?