mobile phones - best for free texts?

[JuliaScurr]

dd costing a fortune in top ups, never seem to qualify fo 'free' texts

any advice welcome

I'm on a pay as you go thing with O2, as long as I pay £7.50 per month I get 2999 texts.
It's worth speaking to your service provider, I did and O2 were very helpful, saved me a load too!

i got a pay as you go Sim card with T mobile.
for me it is what you get a signal with in the area.

thanks

You might also find it worth posting a query in geeky_stuff as some with a lot of mobile knowledge lurk over there...

May be helpful (if you know) to specify what networks are good and bad in your area.

For example, GiffGaff.com (which 'piggybacks' on O2) offers unlimited texts for 5 pounds and you can apply online for a free SIM to be set out. They do "unlimited internet, 250 UK minutes and unlimited texts" with their 10 quid 'goodybag'.

But no use if O2 signal is poor in your area. Probably worth asking if anyone has ever been reprimanded for too many texts on an "unlimited" deal (fair use from some networks means that more than 3000 a month is considered excessive - some time back on Watchdog there was a dispute about whether it was really "unlimited" as deaf users were sometimes going up to 5000 texts a month and were encountering problems with O2).