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How does a mobile PAYG 'contract' work?


StephenFord
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 I have had a mobile phone since 1989, but always on a monthly contract.

Last year, we got mum a PAYG EE phone just for emergency use. It hasn't been used for over a year, so now, apparently the working SIM card has expired and cannot be reactivated. I picked up a new EE SIM card but noticed on the pack it states, 'All packs last for 30 days...'. What is the point in PAYG if you can't actually PAYG?

I need something we can put a tenner on, maybe make a call every 3 or so months to keep number active - any suggestions? (Data allowance is not needed!)

Oh, not wedded to EE, it's just the network I'm on, it can be any other.

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I doubt you'll find what exactly you're after.  I used to be on Talk Mobile until they stopped.  Then moved to O2 classic but that's stopped as well now.  

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/pay-as-you-go/classic-pay-as-you-go

I never use the phone (can't!) and probably send about 4 texts a year. Very rarely use a bit of data to pay for fuel using an app.  Do everything else on WiFi at home.  Last topped up in 2018 iirc... :laugh:

The package thing is misleading though.  You can still use the money on the account after 30 days, you just lose any 'priveleges' like free texts or data bundles etc as far as I understand.

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5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

That link looks exactly the kind of thing we're looking for her! (Shame it's defunct now) She spends most of her time at home, but just want something she can throw in her handbag should she pop out to the shops and an emergency happens! Surely she can't be the only person in the country with those kind of needs... :thumbsup:

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When does credit expire on EE PAYG? Top up credit on EE will never expire so long as you use some of it at least every 270 days. Packs, which you buy with top-up, are bundles of data, minutes and texts you buy with your top-up – these will always expire in 30 days

As long as your mum was to just ring you a couple of times within that 270 day period then as above the PAYG credit should last her `for ever`

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We're very light mobile phone users and have used pay as you go through Tesco mobile for over 10 years. I believe they were tied up with O2 anyway, so may in effect be the same thing Tom mentioned. They don't go out of their way to publicise it though, and I had to go through their call centre to swap to the light user pay as you go.

You don't have to use the credit within a certain period, but do have to use the phone now and again to keep the number active. I usually just send a short text (just a couple of characters) from one phone to the other every few weeks which does the trick.

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I think I understand now. According to the EE web site, calls would cost her 35p/minute. Bit steep considering my £6/month SIM gives me unlimited calls (though I use about 20/month LOL). We don't want the phone linked to a bank account so will rely on buying top up vouchers from an old fashioned shop, should the government allow us to.

Don't suppose if anyone knows if I can buy a £10 shop voucher and use it to initially activate the new SIM?

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https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and-upgrading/activate-a-new-sim/how-do-i-activate-and-set-up-my-new-sim

How do I top up my credit using an E-voucher?

 

An E-voucher is a card or receipt printed with a unique 16-digit voucher number and is valid for EE accounts for six months. You can purchase them from EE stores and over 100,000 shops around the UK - anywhere you see the green top-up logo.

To top up with an E-voucher:

To top up your own number:
  1.  

    text 150 with VO then a space and then the 16-digit voucher number

     

    e.g VO 1234567891234567

  2.  

    call 150 from your EE phone and follow the instructions

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https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and-upgrading/activate-a-new-sim/how-do-i-activate-and-set-up-my-new-sim

How do I top up my credit using an E-voucher?

 

An E-voucher is a card or receipt printed with a unique 16-digit voucher number and is valid for EE accounts for six months. You can purchase them from EE stores and over 100,000 shops around the UK - anywhere you see the green top-up logo.

To top up with an E-voucher:

To top up your own number:

 

text 150 with VO then a space and then the 16-digit voucher number

 

e.g VO 1234567891234567

 

call 150 from your EE phone and follow the instructions

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