# GiffGaff: do I have to manually pay for my goodybag every ruddy month?



## editor (Jun 29, 2011)

I've been going around in cirles on their site, sio I'd thought I'd ask here.

I'm on the £10/month unlimited texts/data/250m tariff. I paid with my debit card.

I want that £10 to be automatically taken off every month via my card (like regular monthly deals) so I don't have to keep faffing about topping up, but it seems like this isn't possible.

How are GiffGafff users here doing it?


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## ddraig (Jun 30, 2011)

says you can do it so it tops up when you get below £3 
but i have only got 1 voucher so far since i've had the sim (over a month)
http://support.giffgaff.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/203


> Auto top-up:
> Auto top-up means when your account drops below £3 it'll automatically top up by the amount you've selected (via credit card), up to a maximum per month that you've specified. Handy.
> 
> Head to Top-up > Auto top-up settings.
> ...


and 
http://support.giffgaff.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/193#TOPUP


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## editor (Jun 30, 2011)

On a monthly deal the credit won't go down to £3 so I think you still have to top up manually every month, but you can 'queue' one other month up.


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## editor (Jun 30, 2011)

Yep - that's confirmed.  I still have to manually top it up every two months. 



> You can have 1 goodybag active and 1 queued, means you only need to come online every 2 months.
> http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Help-Ask-the-community-got-stuck/Goody-Bag-auto-renewal/td-p/164509


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## DrRingDing (Jun 30, 2011)

I have a rolling monthly charge for the same tariff you've got ed.

Login and click on "manage your automatic settings" button on the right hand side.

That does the trick.


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## editor (Jun 30, 2011)

DrRingDing said:


> I have a rolling monthly charge for the same tariff you've got ed.
> 
> Login and click on "manage your automatic settings" button on the right hand side.
> 
> That does the trick.


I can't do anything at the moment because I'm waiting for the SIM to be activated, but I'l have a bash tomorrow. Cheers!


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## Oswaldtwistle (Jun 30, 2011)

I think they were planning to introduce auto renewing 'goody bags' at some stage. The community are usually very helpful.


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## sim667 (Jun 30, 2011)

I was wondering this, thats good for me as I only want the number working over the festival period.


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## lobster (Jun 30, 2011)

The goodybags are not fixed , I am presuming in case anyone wants a different goodybag they don't have auto topup


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 30, 2011)

Yep, Ed's explained why I haven't signed up with them, was on their site and it wasn't clear, I just want a monthly rolling sim only deal...


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## editor (Jul 1, 2011)

I've now got off o2 and am on giffgaff. Huzzah!

One thing: the settings didn't automatically update, so I thought I'd post them here for others:



> Manual Settings:
> 
> GPRS-3G Settings
> 
> ...



It was only after I'd done that I discovered that there's a free Android app that does it all for you with one click. Doh!

Look up the GiffGaffAPN app in the Android Market for a silky smooth transition.


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## Addy (Jul 1, 2011)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Yep, Ed's explained why I haven't signed up with them, was on their site and it wasn't clear, I just want a monthly rolling sim only deal...



It's hardly painful to log on to your GiffGaff and top up via your phone when GiffGaff allerts you via txt that your goodybag or top up is ending. 

So far this year I have only had to top up £20 due to all the free £5's for new sign ups and bonuses (and I still have £27 in my top up account)


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## grit (Jul 1, 2011)

Which network does GifGaf use? I've been meaning to check them out.

Whats the general consensus on them?


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## ddraig (Jul 1, 2011)

O2
it has been great for me for over a month and only down to about £4 from £10 topup after using it quite a bit


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## grit (Jul 1, 2011)

ddraig said:


> O2
> it has been great for me for over a month and only down to about £4 from £10 topup after using it quite a bit


 
Time to cancel the o2 account so...


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## Throbbing Angel (Jul 1, 2011)

giffgaff thread on goodybag auto renewal

http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Jo...ff/Automatic-renewal-of-goody-bag/td-p/817569

it is planned, and you can stack goody bags up so that a new one kicks in when the first one expires, so you could visit the website less that way

It isn't too confusing


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## weepiper (Jul 1, 2011)

inspired by this thread I've just got a sim in the post today, will see how it goes


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## Addy (Jul 1, 2011)

If anyone wants to use my referal link to get a sim card, we will both get an extra £5 credit when you top up.

http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/geezah


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## grit (Jul 1, 2011)

Addy said:


> If anyone wants to use my referal link to get a sim card, we will both get an extra £5 credit when you top up.
> 
> http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/geezah



Oh go on then 

Hang on can I transfer my o2 number to this sim when I get it?


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## editor (Jul 1, 2011)

grit said:


> Hang on can I transfer my o2 number to this sim when I get it?


 Yes.


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## grit (Jul 1, 2011)

editor said:


> Yes.


 
Thanks, its ordered. Addy you are now 5 pounds richer


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## Addy (Jul 1, 2011)

grit said:


> Thanks, its ordered. Addy you are now 5 pounds richer


 
Many thanks, and so are you when you top up.

Dont forget to spam your own affiliate link on FB etc to get loads of free credit....they will even pay it in to your paypal


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## ddraig (Jul 1, 2011)

i'll whore mine too  
http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/ddraig


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## ddraig (Jul 1, 2011)

got a spare sim here too if anyone wants it sent


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## Kid_Eternity (Jul 2, 2011)

Addy said:


> It's hardly painful to log on to your GiffGaff and top up via your phone when GiffGaff allerts you via txt that your goodybag or top up is ending.
> 
> So far this year I have only had to top up £20 due to all the free £5's for new sign ups and bonuses (and I still have £27 in my top up account)


 
It's easier to have a rolling monthly that requires you to do nothing tbh...


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## London_Calling (Jul 2, 2011)

The thing about giffgaff it tool me a while to work out is you have effectively two different accounts:

1. Your monthly giffgaff bag that covers your minutes, texts and media
2. The 'Top Up', this covers stuff like 08 numbers, international calls and - I presume - when you over cook your monthly allowance.

At least that's my understanding atm.... 

It becomes a bit clearer when you look at your own giffgaff account page.


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## dweller (Jul 3, 2011)

I'm finding the data coverage with giffgaff really crap 
and am gonna look elsewhere soon
 because it is starting to vex me.
I work in camden and live in Islington.
When I went to oxford it was impossible.
anyone else have similar problems?


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## ddraig (Jul 3, 2011)

been fine in Cardiff


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## editor (Jul 3, 2011)

My coverage is exactly the same as it was with o2.


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## lobster (Jul 3, 2011)

dweller said:


> I'm finding the data coverage with giffgaff really crap



i agree on that, its impossible when trying to watch something on youtube, for viewing websites , its just about okay, sometimes i have to wait a good 10 minutes to get the signal back. 

The phone coverage is great though. 

For unlimited internet (even if its shit at times) , 250 minutes and the rest for a tenner is unbeatable really. 
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for , in GiffGaff case a dodgy data connection.

 There has been a on going thread on the giffgaff forums about the data coverage.


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## Addy (Jul 3, 2011)

Kid_Eternity said:


> It's easier to have a rolling monthly that requires you to do nothing tbh...


 

Pro's outweigh the con's i'm affraid 

A few finger presses every month is hardly a huge task when you have a good deal. ..... unless finances allow you to be choosey and have this option automated 

I dont like ironing, but i'm not gonna pay someone to do it for me


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## grit (Jul 4, 2011)

lobster said:


> i agree on that, its impossible when trying to watch something on youtube, for viewing websites , its just about okay, sometimes i have to wait a good 10 minutes to get the signal back.
> 
> The phone coverage is great though.
> 
> ...


 
This is really concerning me, seeing such a volume of posts regarding data issues. I had naively assumed that there was no discrimination happening at the tower level regarding a O2 sim and a giffgaff sim.


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## lobster (Jul 4, 2011)

grit said:


> This is really concerning me, seeing such a volume of posts regarding data issues. I had naively assumed that there was no discrimination happening at the tower level regarding a O2 sim and a giffgaff sim.



Regardless of GiffGaff's cool innovations like paying users to promote them and  goodybags, they are at the mercy of O2. O2 must do something to persuade customers to still take out traditional contracts and spend the higher buck.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jul 4, 2011)

I've had no issue with coverage -same as O2/Tesco here - only time I have had an issue was on a fell near the lakes but then I was in the middle of nowhere and no-one on O2 had a signal, never mind giffgaff, tesco etc

I mainly went over to GG so that my son and I can call and text each other for nothing - and when wifey comes off her Orange contract, she'll get giffgaffed too


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## lobster (Jul 4, 2011)

Throbbing Angel said:


> I've had no issue with coverage -same as O2/Tesco here - only time I have had an issue was on a fell near the lakes but then I was in the middle of nowhere and no-one on O2 had a signal, never mind giffgaff, tesco etc



Does this coverage include perfect* data c*overage  ?


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## Yata (Jul 4, 2011)

The o2/GiffGaff 3G in Sheffield was upgraded not too long ago, I was streaming internet radio on the bus with ease which I thought was pretty cool. Internet radio could really kick off if we get this fast 3G in more areas


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## Throbbing Angel (Jul 4, 2011)

lobster said:


> Does this coverage include perfect* data c*overage  ?



Depends where I am in my local area.
I can always *get* data coverage, but then I don't use a smartphone. A small screened phone using Opera mini probably isn't too taxing on the network I suppose.

I've *never *had *perfect *data coverage anywhere I've lived with various networks.  This said, I'm by no means a heavy/daily user of it.


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## grit (Jul 5, 2011)

lobster said:


> Regardless of GiffGaff's cool innovations like paying users to promote them and  goodybags, they are at the mercy of O2. O2 must do something to persuade customers to still take out traditional contracts and spend the higher buck.


 
I wouldnt have expected (and am still suspicious) of the idea that O2 would be purposefully degrading performance. True they need to keep a USP to differentiate them from their wholesale/reseller customers.


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## grit (Jul 5, 2011)

lobster said:


> Does this coverage include perfect* data c*overage  ?


 
No network provides perfect data coverage.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jul 5, 2011)

grit said:


> I wouldnt have expected (and am still suspicious) of the idea that O2 would be purposefully degrading performance. True they need to keep a USP to differentiate them from their wholesale/reseller customers.


 
I'd be surprised too.

From my experience, the majority of O2 staff have no idea who giffgaff are (at high street level anyway)


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## dweller (Jul 5, 2011)

Since I posted on the weekend my data has really improved. Could be for a couple of reasons. GG just got rid of the free internet unless you buy a goody bag which I did for the first time. Second I installed an android app called "3G Only" which stops GG from jumping between 2G and 3G. Improvement is major. I'm happy now.


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## editor (Aug 2, 2011)

So, it seems that I really do have to renew the goodybag deal manually every month, despite having 'auto top up' ticked.  I discovered this when I suddenly couldn't make calls on my phone today and had to get to a wi-fi connection to top up my credit. 

Loving the price/coverage, not so keen on this additional faff.


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## ovaltina (Aug 3, 2011)

It's a bit annoying but it takes a couple of minutes once a month to do, so not really a big deal imo. 3g coverage is pretty good in Brighton, I can stream Internet radio anywhere in town. Bit patchy on the train to London but that's to be expected.


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## London_Calling (Aug 3, 2011)

editor said:


> So, it seems that I really do have to renew the goodybag deal manually every month, despite having 'auto top up' ticked.  I discovered this when I suddenly couldn't make calls on my phone today and had to get to a wi-fi connection to top up my credit.
> 
> Loving the price/coverage, not so keen on this additional faff.


I haven't been on it much longer than you but I don't think that was my experience - the next £10 goodybag was lined up and it just took over at the due time. You can have at least one lined up at any one time so, if you time it right,  you only do the goodybag thing every two months. I think...


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## gabi (Aug 3, 2011)

I like it. Switched from Virgin - altho the reception is a bit patchy in comparison.

Surprised at how much I yap on the phone tho, i went for the 300 mins a month thing and that was used in two weeks. Still, will go for 600 mins next time and it'll still be cheaper than what i was on.


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## Ted Striker (Aug 3, 2011)

editor said:


> So, it seems that I really do have to renew the goodybag deal manually every month, despite having 'auto top up' ticked.  I discovered this when I suddenly couldn't make calls on my phone today and had to get to a wi-fi connection to top up my credit.
> 
> Loving the price/coverage, not so keen on this additional faff.


 
Giff Faff?

Sounds like a bit of a fail - any idea how difficult would it be for them to set up and why don't they?


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## editor (Aug 3, 2011)

London_Calling said:


> I haven't been on it much longer than you but I don't think that was my experience - the next £10 goodybag was lined up and it just took over at the due time. You can have at least one lined up at any one time so, if you time it right,  you only do the goodybag thing every two months. I think...


Yes. If you buy two goodybags at once then you're good for 2 months credit, but the lack of auto-update is still a bit of a pain.

No complaints about the price/coverage though so it's still better than o2 by infinity and beyond.


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## kalmatthew (Aug 4, 2011)

editor said:


> No complaints about the price/coverage though so it's still better than o2 by infinity and beyond.


 
That's odd its a virtual network on o2 I'd expect exactly the same coverage


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