Time to ditch smartphones and get simpler/cheaper - SORTED thanks :)

DG Phototraining

DG Phototraining

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After reading the recent smartphone thread and posting my own disappointment, I today received this month's bill showing my expected £23.50 was £48.50 as I exceeded my data allowance - and that was just me being bored while away, so as my contract is up for renewal soon I'm contemplating this...

1 - changing back to a phone/text only phone on a pay as you go basis (or whatever's a good cheap way of doing only this?), and

2 - buying a laptop instead with the monthly savings - so about a £500-600 one based on 2-years phone contract savings

So help needed as

I rarely phone people but text a fair bit, that said its always less then 300pcm - so what's the cheapest phone deal I can get that only does that if anyone has recommendations?

And, any suggestions for a 15" (not bigger) laptop that I could at least cull images while away on, I really don't expect to edit any on it so it doesn't need a great screen or big ram I'm guessing; but if it can also be used to run high quality slideshows through for my various club talks that'd be great

Its a few years since my last lappy died, but that only cost about £400 then, so I'd expect them to be much faster now at the current 'low' spec?

Cheers in advance :)

Dave
 
If you were using (quite a bit?) of data can you cope without data? Do you need/want to access email/web when out & about or with no wifi? How much data were you using - maybe being on a better plan would help (you can get data plans of 4gb with texts and minutes for £11/13 pm) - you can get cheap Nokia mobiles for £15-30 new which will last a week+ on 1 charge and fine for text/calls/
 
Once my last contract was up (about ten years ago), I changed to using Three - I pay £9.00 per month ATM for unlimited texts and calls and 2Gb of data (plenty for me as there is free WiFi in a lot of places).

I currently use an old Galaxy Note 4 which is all I need. I paid about £100.00 for it a couple of years ago. When it dies I shall buy a more up to date model for a similar price.

I can see no point in having a contract and paying £1,000.00 plus for a phone. :rolleyes:

Used laptops can be had for a song as most people have to have the 'latest' model. I paid £50.00 for my current one and although a little slow, it does all I need of it. :)
 
Is it possible to change the SIM in your existing phone.
I pay £20 a month for my Giffgaff SIM which gives unlimited texts, calls and data.
 
@cambsno yep I can defo do without data, and as my current plan has relatively limited data I tend to try for wifi instead, which is then usually somewhere where I could then also use a laptop instead - which is obviously more useful than a phone IMO

I can get the sim out of this phone so should I be looking for one to drop that into instead, such as those cheap Nokias?

@Sky £50 wow - but now you've got me thinking refurb laptop too as its doesn't need to be 'clever'

@nilagin £20 is good, and yes I can change the sim in this phone; there's a giffgaff offer on a sim for £5pcm, so I guess I could keep the same phone I have now and just swap the sim?

Cheers all for your comments already :)

Dave
 
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I have used Tesco PAYG for years and for a few months also giffgaff PAYG (both use the O2 network).
The O2 signal strength is now very low (there has been a trasmitter change).
I have been looking to change to either Plusnet or BT (BT provide my landline/broadband/TV) for mobile phone use since they use the EE network (strong signal here).

I cannot find any any true PAYG sim free deals, but there are plenty 1 month contracts. (giffgaff have been a very good company with which to deal). True PAYG, i.e. no contract, seems to have disappeared although no attempt has been made to take me off my current PAYG deals.

BTW, I got sick of my Phartsmone. Looking at websites on a tiny screen was a major PITA.
 
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DG Phototraining said:
@cambsno yep I can defo do without data, and as my current plan has relatively limited data I tend to try for wifi instead, which is then usually somewhere where I could then also use a laptop instead - which is obviously more useful than a phone IMO

I can get the sim out of this phone so should I be looking for one to drop that into instead, such as those cheap Nokias?

@Sky £50 wow - but now you've got me thinking refurb laptop too as its doesn't need to be 'clever'

@nilagin £20 is good, and yes I can change the sim in this phone; there's a giffgaff offer on a sim for £5pcm, so I guess I could keep the same phone I have now and just swap the sim?

Cheers all for your comments already :)

Dave
Click to expand...

Have a close look at giffgaff. I think you can take the £5 per month contract AND top up when you need to. You can top up online with a CC etc.
 
Giffgaff customer service is very good as well.

Swapping out the sim on your existing phone would seem a sensible (and economic) way to go to me.

(PS giffgaff piggy-back on O2's network).
 
I think the simple answer is a higher data amount.
If your phone is old but still usable, why are you paying so much rental for bigger all data.
My Sim only deal gets me 4 gig of data for £11 a month.
I use the kids castoff phones.
 
FWIW

I have a Three 1,2,3 Free SIM

1p per MB
2p per text
3p per minute call

Had it for a good while and the credit unlike all(?) other PAYG free SIM 's never expires. As secondary (backup service) in my dual SIM Moto G5 I have Giffgaff.

HTH :)
 
This might not be relevant to you, Dave as I am a very low user - I rarely use data and don't have a heavy use of text or phone but I've used Tesco PAYG for a few years and it is working out pretty cheap. The two areas of the UK I spend most time in (around London and NW Scotland) both have excellent O2 coverage so it works for me.

Dave
 
Thanks all - after taking all your comments into consideration its looking like I wait for this contract to end, then get a sim from giffgaff for £5pm (or whomever is providing the best deal at that time) keeping the same phone

After which I'll buy a laptop too to actually work a bit away from home and only really net surf with it and wifi

The overall result will be similar cost, should be less annoying and more efficient, as well as giving me a 'free' laptop to also give me better other use than a phone can give - I'm happy with that :)

Cheers

Dave
 
and don't forget to have the phone unlocked, could be it's locked to your current provider
Not expensive to have done
 
This thread makes me want to break out my old Ericsson T28....:)
In this saturated World of finger flickin phone zombies, it will now be funky retro coolz

Bugger candy crush and emails, I would actually use it but my sim card doesn't work in it, too smart probably..:(
 
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DG Phototraining said:
Thanks, but I've no idea what Whatsapp is :D

Dave
Click to expand...

It's like texting, only more effective because you know that your message has reached the other person's phone, and the messages are encrypted end to end so they can't be intercepted & read by someone else.
 
ancient_mariner said:
It's like texting, only more effective because you know that your message has reached the other person's phone, and the messages are encrypted end to end so they can't be intercepted & read by someone else.
Click to expand...

Cant say i have ever had a text intercepted and as I dont text sensitive data, plan on committing a terrorist act or plotting to overthrow the government it irrelevant. The main benefit of whatsapp is to send photos instead of picture messaging that costs £1 or more a time and that you can have group chats.

Down side is it uses data and usually texts are given away, the cheapest tariffs usually have 1000 texts if not unlimited
All the smart phones ive used have delivery reports and Iphones show read reports.

OP - uswitch i find most use full for finding tariffs, As you dont need many minutes or much data you should have several choices for under £8
 
wow some silly prices being bandied about here . I have a i.phone 6 which is mine i.e paid for .. I use iD MOBILE which I have never yet had a problem with I get 500 mins of talk time per month , 500 texts messages , and 4 gb data with unused data rolling on for the princely sum of £8 per month and that's also got a £5 cap on it in case I exceed my limit which has never yet happened
 
On WhatsApp, you can also make unlimited international or domestic calls to anyone else with WhatsApp at no cost.
Edit.....data usage... WhatsApp has used 1.83m of my data since 12 December, and I use it more than a lot. :)
 
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You could do what I have done, I don't need an all singing all dancing phone, but I do use mobile internet lots and other things only a smartphone can offer, so I went another route, sim only deal, 32GB data unlimited everything else £16 a month as I was on the verge of leaving Vodafone so that's what they offered, and then bought myself a Samsung galaxy Tab A6 LTE for £99 and hey presto a great tablet that doubles as a phone, to me that's a good deal as I was paying £47 p/m for a Samsung S8+ and the same contract, over £600 saving on a 2 yr contract for the sim and that's with the tablet factored in too
 
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