# Best data hungry monthly rolling mobile tariff?



## editor (Apr 19, 2011)

I've finally reached the end of my lengthy iPhone 18 month o2 contract and am looking at going on a monthly deal for a while while I wait for the lovely new Android phones to come through. 

I haven't spoked to o2 yet (they just put me through one of those long, annoying, "Press 2 for..." calls only to end up with a, "this office is closed until 9am" messages) but looking at their website, their monthly deals look a bit shite:

500 texts/100mins/1GB = £20.50/month
Unlimited texts/300mins/1GB = £25.50/month

So, what's the hottest deal at the moment? I doubt if I need more than 200 mins, but I can burn through a lot of texts and I definitely need over 500MB/month data.

I know some of you are going to say Giffgaff (I'll probably go with them), but I'd be interested to hear if there's any alternatives too...


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## AKA pseudonym (Apr 19, 2011)

have you looked at 3 http://www.three.co.uk/


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## editor (Apr 19, 2011)

AKA pseudonym said:


> have you looked at 3 http://www.three.co.uk/


I can't find any rolling monthly deals on that horrid site.

*edit - found them!


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## editor (Apr 19, 2011)

This isn't bad for a tenner a month on 3:


> Contract Length:1 months
> Inclusive UK voice minutes:100 mins
> Inclusive UK text messages:3000 texts
> Internet Allowance: 1GB


http://threestore.three.co.uk/simonly.aspx


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## editor (Apr 19, 2011)

Here's an interesting comparison of UK networks coverage (as of Jan 2011). Look how shit o2 are!

More: http://ukmobilecoverage.co.uk/best


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## AKA pseudonym (Apr 19, 2011)

£15 gets u 3gs...... im using it on dongle while them BT dicks sort out me home bb


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## editor (Apr 19, 2011)

AKA pseudonym said:


> £15 gets u 3gs...... im using it on dongle while them BT dicks sort out me home bb


I can't see a 3GB deal on that page. Is that a rolling monthly contract?


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## AKA pseudonym (Apr 19, 2011)

editor said:


> I can't see a 3GB deal on that page. Is that a rolling monthly contract?


hmmm PAYG.. dunno whether they might add that?


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## grit (Apr 19, 2011)

I get unlimited data bolt on from O2 for i think its a fiver a month


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## hiccup (Apr 19, 2011)

Not used them myself, but have heard lots of good feedback about giffgaff:

http://giffgaff.com/


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## editor (Apr 19, 2011)

grit said:


> I get unlimited data bolt on from O2 for i think its a fiver a month


That would push it up to £30/month which is firmly in LOL territory.


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## grit (Apr 19, 2011)

editor said:


> That would push it up to £30/month which is firmly in LOL territory.


 
Cheaper than 15 quid for 3 gig tho...


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## editor (Apr 20, 2011)

Seeing as o2 told me that they've got both the HTC Sensation and Galaxy S II coming into stock within the next few weeks, I've compromised and stayed with them on a bit of a duff monthly deal so I can keep the option to cash in a loyalty bonus. 

I'll give it a month and see how it pans out, but for now I'm paying  £16.50 for 100m/500 texts/500mb and unlimited BT/cloud wi-fi. 

Turns out I've been using a pitiful 28mins talk time per month average and around 300MB/month (but that's mainly because I haven't been travelling much the last few months).


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## RaverDrew (Apr 20, 2011)

editor said:


> Here's an interesting comparison of UK networks coverage (as of Jan 2011). Look how shit o2 are!
> 
> More: http://ukmobilecoverage.co.uk/best


 
I don't trust that at all, for starters 3 haven't used Orange 2G masts for quite a while now.


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## editor (Apr 20, 2011)

RaverDrew said:


> I don't trust that at all, for starters 3 haven't used Orange 2G masts for quite a while now.


That's not true:


> Who is affected by the 2G switch-off?
> Over the last few months, Three have begun to turn off 2G roaming in areas _where they believe there is “strong” coverage from their own network and where they believe that the 2G roaming feature is no longer necessary._
> 
> http://cow.neondragon.net/index.php...switch-off-have-you-been-affected-your-rights


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## Kid_Eternity (Apr 20, 2011)

Good thread, I'm thinking about this too, my data needs are huge though, easily caning 1 gig a month, could do with 1.5 or even 2 gigs tbh...minutes I could live with would be 300, texts would be nice about 500 although I do use more...probably a pipe dream though!


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## RaverDrew (Apr 20, 2011)

All switched off in London, the only place you're likely to get an Orange 2g signal through a 3 handset is somewhere pretty remote out in the countryside.


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## RaverDrew (Apr 20, 2011)

Three now do completely unlimited data through "The One Plan" btw

http://store-3.co.uk/3-the-one-plan.html?id=014420000081&gclid=CKLQz9WGq6gCFQRP4QodQREMHg


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## ovaltina (Apr 20, 2011)

RaverDrew said:


> All switched off in London, the only place you're likely to get an Orange 2g signal through a 3 handset is somewhere pretty remote out in the countryside.


 
When I was getting out of my contract one of the techies told me they'd turned off 2g throughout the country. But a customer advisor bloke from the executive office said they still had a good 2g signal in Brighton. To be charitable, Three seems a bit confused about its 2g switch off.


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## Kid_Eternity (Apr 20, 2011)

That GiffGaff looks pretty decent! What's people's experience of it in terms of reception?


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## mauvais (Apr 20, 2011)

I get by on O2 PAYG - 300 text/£10 calls/500MB for £10 a month and then £1 a day if you use more data or don't top up at the right time.


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## RaverDrew (Apr 20, 2011)

editor said:


> This isn't bad for a tenner a month on 3:
> 
> http://threestore.three.co.uk/simonly.aspx


 
http://www.three.co.uk/Pay_As_You_Go?intid=topnav

The PAYG option works out much better value 

£15 for 300mins 3000txts and completely unlimited data

http://www.three.co.uk/Pay_As_You_Go?intid=topnav


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## editor (Apr 20, 2011)

RaverDrew said:


> http://www.three.co.uk/Pay_As_You_Go?intid=topnav
> 
> The PAYG option works out much better value
> 
> ...


Cheers. I'm going to see of there's a tempting deal coming from o2 for the new Android phones otherwise I'll switch in a month or two.


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## pinkychukkles (Apr 20, 2011)

Kid_Eternity said:


> That GiffGaff looks pretty decent! What's people's experience of it in terms of reception?



Should be the same as any experience with O2 as they piggyback their network. 

As a matter of interest, how easy is it to gobble up a 1GB/month data allowance if you _don't_ use say, something like Spotify mobile or only stream a few YouTube vids to show folks?


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## Kid_Eternity (Apr 20, 2011)

pinkychukkles said:


> Should be the same as any experience with O2 as they piggyback their network.
> 
> As a matter of interest, how easy is it to gobble up a 1GB/month data allowance if you _don't_ use say, something like Spotify mobile or only stream a few YouTube vids to show folks?


 
No idea, I don't stream much with Spotify, prefer to wifi download, or watch that many videos and still manage to just about come under my gig allowance, barely...


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## editor (Apr 20, 2011)

pinkychukkles said:


> Should be the same as any experience with O2 as they piggyback their network.
> 
> As a matter of interest, how easy is it to gobble up a 1GB/month data allowance if you _don't_ use say, something like Spotify mobile or only stream a few YouTube vids to show folks?


Well, I managed 300MB per month and that's just staying around London, where I'm never far from a wi-fi connection. I imagine I'd be pretty close to 1GB of I was moving about a lot more (plus I can use my phone as a wi-fi hotspot for my laptop).


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Apr 20, 2011)

I like mine from orange. 
Unlimited texts and 100 minutes for £5.

I never use my 100 minutes though so maybe I am paying too much.


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## sumimasen (Apr 20, 2011)

Bear in mind that you get slower data speeds on payg, if I'm not mistaken.


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## RaverDrew (Apr 21, 2011)

sumimasen said:


> Bear in mind that you get slower data speeds on payg, if I'm not mistaken.


 
Never heard that before, I know it's certainly not the case with 3.


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## editor (Apr 21, 2011)

I've compiled some of this thread into an article which I hope folks may prove useful:
http://www.wirefresh.com/rolling-monthly-contracts-whats-the-best-uk-sim-only-data-deal/


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## pinkychukkles (Apr 21, 2011)

Something I want to try and get is a cashback deal on sim-only contract, they don't always track and pay out but if it did, from what I can see, you could get a £15/month sim-only tariff price down to the equivalent of just under £11/month... can get a bit fiddly though. Anyway, need to get a phone first...


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## dlx1 (Apr 21, 2011)

> tempting deal coming from o2


  were 
My phone keep turn is self off could be o2 doing this a I had phone for ner a year. 
Ask in shop about new phone saleman saying if it get new phone have to get new sim 300min 500txt for 26 quid.  I get now on this sim 300mins unlimited txt free o2 to O2 for £10 

O2 saleman must be talking shit.

Are 3 still crap network or they got better? (mud sticks)


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## doddles (Apr 22, 2011)

I'm looking at this at the moment for my new Android phone. TBH I hardly talk or text;just want internet and even then for email, browsing and maps, but very little streaming. A couple of other deals not already mentioned in this thread:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/price-plans/pay-as-you-go/boosters/Get a free sim and add an internet booster - £20 total gets you 500MB/month for 6 months, so less than £4/month. Apparently the 500MB limit only applies to streaming and downloads - normal email, web etc are not subject to the limit.

They also have a deal for iPhone micro sims, that can possibly be used in other phones with an adapter, though be careful as I've heard of some adapters getting jammed in Android phones:
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/iphone/micro-sim/This one costs £5 for the sim and with a £10 top up comes with 1 years internet, with the same 500MB limit on streaming and downloads as above. Probably have to tell them you've got an iPhone for that one.

For me, one of the attractions of the T-Mobile deals is that they have very good data roaming boosters for going to Europe, which I do quite frequently.


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## sumimasen (Apr 23, 2011)

Giffgaff forums are currently awash with complaints about terrible data speeds. It is there that I saw the comment that payg get slower speeds than Pay Monthly.


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