Sim only deals? Possibly Giffgaff?

[THE_Liam]

Phone contract is up in 6 weeks and to be honest having just factory reset my S3 I don't want a new phone, I'm totally happy with it even after 2 years, it does everything I need. Same with 4G actually, I'm happy with 3G and 4G coverage is crap here anyway.

So, I'm after a sim only deal with 3G data, Giffgaff seem to be the best option but how is the signal? Considering Virgin as well but same worry, is the signal as good as the big providers?

Also, is it true that Vodafone have to unlock my phone when my contract is up?

Cheers all

[lolsteve]

Was with Giffgaff for years, couldn't fault them. Back when they used to offer unlimited internet on their £10 sim I abused it when moving into our first student place which had no internet for a month, used 45gb and never once did they complain....except the message a few months later saying "1% was using 95% of the internet banwidth so we're changing to 1gb for £10 "
Even still was really handy just being able to turn off and switch whenever

[fgrc76]

I use giffgaff and can't fault them, most of my friends use other networks and can never get a signal in my house, why not give it a try as it's a free sim, if it's no good then at least your not tied in on a contract

[Strikeforce]

Im with giffgaff and im close to you location wise
Signal is ok for me, im on 4g but considering going back to 3g as gaffs 4g is piss poor compared to otheres tbh.
Its nice and cheap tho but have a good look around for some 30 day rolling contracts as they seem to have come down abit.

Overall im happy with gaff, you only have to top up once to get free gaff to gaff calls and texts for 3 months.

[THE_Liam]

Looking good is this, they have a deal with 100 minutes, 100 texts and 1GB internet for £10, that'd do me, I use wifi most of the time anyway.

[luke306rallye]

Three.

[Kezzieboy]

Another vote for giffgaff, I've been with them for at least 4 years now, as even if you want a new phone it's still cheaper to buy it outright and go on a gg contract. I'm on their 4g contract and rate it pretty highly. Get signal on the toilet at work, which is all that really matters :-P

[THE_Liam]

Three.

Never again. Had loads of problems, terrible signal, awful customer service. Not even cheap anymore.

[vincent1]

im with three i use a all you can eat data bundel so unlimited data (tethered to laptop all the time lol) 300 minutes 3000 texts £15.00 a month payg

[dhdcdarchy]

A few of my close friends are on GifGaff and they're always raving about how cheap it is and how happy they are, in fact I'm not sure why I chose to ignore that fact when I renewed with O2 because their signal is shocking!

Other than that I've only ever been on EE which had really good signal but often a tad pricey.

[Paul Baldwin]

This might be useful? http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/piggybacking

Seems that giffgaff deal is pretty good at the mo tho. As for signal, can't you try and manually search for available networks on your phone from home or wherever you mostly use it?
I live in a small town out in the sticks and the walls in my place are 20 inches thick. EE or Orange as was is the only one that works in my place and is best generally where I live. Being on the "wrong" network would be a right pain. My phone doesn't even do smilies it's that old but it works anywhere in my house. Mates that come round with their posh new phones always complain when they can't even receive a text or have to walk around in the street waving their phone around just to get a signal. lol

I ended up getting an offer off EE. I can get 2014 mins spread across 12 months every time I top up a tenner if I remember right? 168 mins, 400 texts and 1GB data that lasts a month. After that I still have the original tenner to use so I can sometimes near enough make 10 quid last 2 months.

[Eeyore]

go on money super market....

i was with giff gaff for £12 with ulimited everything.

ive now swapped to vodafone for £20 a month but it apparently has cashback so its only £6.99 a month. 12 month sim only contract. Vodafone is the only reception i get at home otherwise i would have stayed with giffgaff!

[Uberderv]

I use a SG3 with SlimKat ROM and the phone is perfect. Had it for ages now. Virgin is a good deal, 20 quid a month for pretty much unlimited everything even 084 numbers. Its a rolling monthly contract which can be cancelled anytime. Very good coverage ( except in aldi up the chuffin road)

[THE_Liam]

go on money super market....

That won't tell you whether something has a crap signal, been on there already...

[luke306rallye]

It is down to location really, I was on O2 for years and I wouldn't bother with them again.
No signal ever, too expensive aswell.
Absolutely no problems with Three, £12.90 a month, all you can eat 4g

[dhdcdarchy]

I was on EE for years and then moved to a T-mobile (aka EE) sim only which I stuck with for a few years but they kept texting me saying my bill was creeping up before I knew it I was paying 25 for a sim only.

I decided to try O2 but unless I'm in a city I never see 4G and at work I get Gprs :'(

It is entirely dependant on where you are.
#RegretsWereHad

[chylledapps]

Giff Gaff, we are changing all our work mobiles to it and we use it for our GPRS printers, fiver a month for the data only on the printers & £7.50 a month for the four of that need to communicate a lot. Saving us a fortune as we all had £45+ contracts

If you want a free sim I have loads hanging around to use when I send a new printer live

[MisterGTR]

Giff Gaff, we are changing all our work mobiles to it and we use it for our GPRS printers, fiver a month for the data only on the printers & £7.50 a month for the four of that need to communicate a lot. Saving us a fortune as we all had £45+ contracts

If you want a free sim I have loads hanging around to use when I send a new printer live

OT what do you use gprs printers for? Being nosy!

---

I have a had a SIM only deal with t mobile now EE for over 3 years. They keep trying to kick me off it. Under £8.50 a month. 3gb (used to be unlimited), 600mins, unlimited texts including picture. Voicemail is 12p so I use Hullomail.

Got an original HTC One. And can't see past it.

[lolsteve]

I know its City over byt when I had giffgaff in Bradford it was fine, uses the o2 network I think (as is Tesco etc)

[THE_Liam]

I know its City over byt when I had giffgaff in Bradford it was fine, uses the o2 network I think (as is Tesco etc)

Oh if its O2 it'll be a good signal, Gen's on O2 and she gets better signal than me. She actually gets signal in Cornwall, I spend the week using her phone.

Thanks everyone.

[Kezzieboy]

Yeah giffgaff piggybacks off of o2, I get decent signal in Cornwall.

[r3k1355]

Giff Gaff are the tits, I go with them when I want PAYG.

How come you can't get 4G in Leeds tho?
I get pretty decent signal out here.

[Eeyore]

go on money super market....

That won't tell you whether something has a crap signal, been on there already...

itll point you in the right direction to good deals. General coverage members can tell you about but there is no way of knowing what its like in your specific area without having local friends on the same network.

All the networks claim to cover my area but i get diddly squat and only vodafone makes it through.

[THE_Liam]

go on money super market....

That won't tell you whether something has a crap signal, been on there already...

itll point you in the right direction to good deals. General coverage members can tell you about but there is no way of knowing what its like in your specific area without having local friends on the same network.

All the networks claim to cover my area but i get diddly squat and only vodafone makes it through.

They already pointed me in the direction of good deals mate, that's why I was asking about Giffgaff...

[chylledapps]

Giff Gaff, we are changing all our work mobiles to it and we use it for our GPRS printers, fiver a month for the data only on the printers & £7.50 a month for the four of that need to communicate a lot. Saving us a fortune as we all had £45+ contracts

If you want a free sim I have loads hanging around to use when I send a new printer live

OT what do you use gprs printers for? Being nosy!

---

I have a had a SIM only deal with t mobile now EE for over 3 years. They keep trying to kick me off it. Under £8.50 a month. 3gb (used to be unlimited), 600mins, unlimited texts including picture. Voicemail is 12p so I use Hullomail.

Got an original HTC One. And can't see past it.

I do online ordering and apps for caterers, the printers allow orders to be received when there is no wifi signal. I use them on my street food stall as well to get lunch pre orders from the masses of St James

[MisterGTR]

Giff Gaff, we are changing all our work mobiles to it and we use it for our GPRS printers, fiver a month for the data only on the printers & £7.50 a month for the four of that need to communicate a lot. Saving us a fortune as we all had £45+ contracts

If you want a free sim I have loads hanging around to use when I send a new printer live

OT what do you use gprs printers for? Being nosy!

---

I have a had a SIM only deal with t mobile now EE for over 3 years. They keep trying to kick me off it. Under £8.50 a month. 3gb (used to be unlimited), 600mins, unlimited texts including picture. Voicemail is 12p so I use Hullomail.

Got an original HTC One. And can't see past it.

I do online ordering and apps for caterers, the printers allow orders to be received when there is no wifi signal. I use them on my street food stall as well to get lunch pre orders from the masses of St James

Very smart. Thanks, I've always wondered how the online ordering worked!!

[RetroPug]

Ring vodafone and tell them you're thinking of leaving as you don't need a new phone and giff gaff are loads cheaper.

Listen and try not to laugh as they shit their pants and transfer you to a UK call centre, and then offer you some deals. Keep saying no until they can't give you a good one or they offer you a sim-only deal which is cheaper than giffgaff.

That's what I do on a yearly basis.

[chylledapps]

It works in many ways, just remember that when you order via Just Eat they pay an annual fee, massive set up costs and 17% per order to JE, thus you also pay more. Go direct or point them to me for their own app system  

£20 to you if they sign up