Who is the best UK PAYG 3G data provider?

[Guest rbbrslmn]

the free internet on giffgaff until 28th feb is not unlimited, you'll get a friendly warning if you exceed 100mb a day regularly.

cue the idiots arguing this point whilst plugging their own referal links.

[Guest rbbrslmn]

Remember, so long as you top up at least once every three months you will find that calls and texts between giffgaff members are free. Also, with enough referrals each month (two would do) you may never need to buy any more credit in the future. Just buy Goodybags from your referral credit.

if you dont top up from time to time with actual cash you wont get your referral points.

[Guest heavyduty00]

tesco has a good deal and is only 30 days contract

£10

500mins

unlimited texts ( 3000 )

500mb internet

decent unless u watch youtube a lot or need satnav for the data

[Guest tdodd]

if you dont top up from time to time with actual cash you wont get your referral points.

Actually you have a point there. I'd forgotten about that. Even so, you don't have to top up that often - I think every three months should cover it - which still has the potential to make giffgaff an extremely economical way to run your phone.

[Guest rbbrslmn]

Actually you have a point there. I'd forgotten about that. Even so, you don't have to top up that often - I think every three months should cover it - which still has the potential to make giffgaff an extremely economical way to run your phone.

I was working it out the other day after I got my payback (joined in november) if you take payback as airtime it counts as a top up, (you also need to top up in cash every 3 months for free giffgaff calls and texts, also the internet if it continues) so will need to put a tenner on in mid-march, then I'll get my payback mid-june and top up then so it won't be september till I have to give them any more money.

pretty darn cheap really.

[Guest PF62]

After 28th Feb you will need a Goodybag each month of £10 or more in order to benefit from the fully unlimited internet.

It is worth pointing out that -

a. You need to buy a goodybag now if you want the benefit from unlimited internet.

b. giffgaff have extended the free limited to 100mb per day internet twice so far, so the 28th February is a theoretical date, rather than an actual date.

[Guest rbbrslmn]

It is worth pointing out that -

a. You need to buy a goodybag now if you want the benefit from unlimited internet.

b. giffgaff have extended the free limited to 100mb per day internet twice so far, so the 28th February is a theoretical date, rather than an actual date.

apparently the last extension was because there were still bugs in the billing system for the internet.... I wouldnt bank on it being extended.

fingers crossed mind you!

[Guest Woshmistro]

I'm happy with giffgaff and in terms of pricing they are clearly the best 3G company....

not sure about coverage though, its fine for me in liverpool but they use 02, at my friends in the sticks its not so good.

its probably best to put your postcode in there before activating:

http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Join-Cons...-map/td-p/40258

if it shows the places you most frequent as having 3g+ connections of course then you should go for it.

From the GiffGaff postcode checker:

Our network is currently working fine

If we're doing work on the phone masts near you we'll tell you about it here.

Updated 15:20 (refreshed hourly). Recent faults might not show yet.

Normal coverage for Voice, Text, Email and Data

Good indoors and outdoors.

Normal coverage for Mobile Internet

Good indoors and outdoors. Good for mobile broadband.

Good right?

This is a realm I've never properly entered, I've always made an odd call or text not really many a month, I've always used the internet to communicate. If I get close to the 100mb daily limit (using the 3G Watchdog app) then I'll get the goodybag.

[Guest tdodd]

It is worth pointing out that -

a. You need to buy a goodybag now if you want the benefit from unlimited internet.

Yes, true if you want fully unlimited internet right now. If you can scrape by until 28th Feb on an allowance of just 100MB per day (3GB per month) then you can postpone buying a Goodybag for a couple more months, and since Goodybags only last one month that is a potential saving of £20 or so for many people.

[Guest PF62]

apparently the last extension was because there were still bugs in the billing system for the internet.... I wouldnt bank on it being extended.

That has been their excuse both (every) time it was extended.

Anyway, even if they don't extend the free limited internet, the prices they thought up for charging for PAYG internet were thought up a year ago, and are looking out of date now, so even if they do introduce charges on 28th Feb, what they will charge is not known as I doubt anybody would be silly enough to charge last year's prices.

Edited December 21, 2010 by PF62

[Guest rbbrslmn]

From the GiffGaff postcode checker:

Our network is currently working fine

If we're doing work on the phone masts near you we'll tell you about it here.

Updated 15:20 (refreshed hourly). Recent faults might not show yet.

Normal coverage for Voice, Text, Email and Data

Good indoors and outdoors.

Normal coverage for Mobile Internet

Good indoors and outdoors. Good for mobile broadband.

Good right?

This is a realm I've never properly entered, I've always made an odd call or text not really many a month, I've always used the internet to communicate. If I get close to the 100mb daily limit (using the 3G Watchdog app) then I'll get the goodybag.

you'd have to try hard to hit 100mb, basically you'd need to be streaming stuff or tethering.

but yeah thats fine. the only thing you'd want to check is if the coverage is 3g or 3g+

[Guest Woshmistro]

you'd have to try hard to hit 100mb, basically you'd need to be streaming stuff or tethering.

but yeah thats fine. the only thing you'd want to check is if the coverage is 3g or 3g+

How do I get that? The checker only shows if I have a signal, not what type.

Edit

I looked on the O2 site, says I have good in and out signal and I'm quite close to an antenna.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Woshmistro

[Guest rbbrslmn]

How do I get that? The checker only shows if I have a signal, not what type.

ah,. its listed as "mobile internet" for laptops and smartphones there I think so you already know you have it, was getting mixed up between theres and oranges coverage maps.

anyway. if you want a sim

https://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/mrdavid

is one of many links you can use for the extra fiver.

[Guest androidfish]

My GiffGaff sim finally turned up today (got tangled up in the Christmas post), plan to top it up and jump onto the free interwebs tonight :) I assume O2 topup vouchers still work fine? (last time I checked, my local supermarket didn't have an option for GiffGaff vouchers)

[Guest lordofangels]

My GiffGaff sim finally turned up today (got tangled up in the Christmas post), plan to top it up and jump onto the free interwebs tonight :) I assume O2 topup vouchers still work fine? (last time I checked, my local supermarket didn't have an option for GiffGaff vouchers)

Yeah the o2 vouchers work fine,

giffgaff vouchers are available and go through the system a bit quicker.

If the supermarket uses the standard epay machines, tell them giffaff is listed on the last page.

[Guest rbbrslmn]

anywhere with a paypoint sign sells them dont they?

[Guest rbbrslmn]

heres more on where you can top up (you can also do it online with a UK debit or credit card)

http://support.giffgaff.com/app/answers/de...2lkLzFHVDhqNWlr

[Guest wolverine73]

Virgin do a pretty good deal - providing you have other services provided by them i.e Broadband, T.V

Might be of interest to some.

Rolling 30 day Sim only contract;

200 minutes to any network excluding Virgin

Unlimited calls to other Virgin numbers (3000 minutes = unlimited)

Unlimited texts (3000 texts = unlimited)

Unlimited Internet Access with a 1GB limit.

All for £10 per month :)

[Guest Niks10]

So...just to make it clear, on GiffGaff, Internet is free and unlimited without buying a goodybag until the 28 of Feb 2011, right? Of course I should topup to pay for calls and texts. Then after Feb I will need to get a goodybag that includes internet, would that be done by just toping up the value you want or you topup then use the credit to buy the goodybag?

In your original post you mentioned about Tethering.

With Giffgaff Tethering is NOT allowed, so if you are thinking of Tethering, giffgaff is of no use to you.

[Guest popoyaya]

T-Mobile £10/mth (was £7.50):

500 texts

600 mins

unlimited calls to landlines

unlimited data (after 3GB they just throttle the speed at certain times of the day, no extra charges)

tethering works fine

Edited December 21, 2010 by popoyaya

[Guest Woshmistro]

In your original post you mentioned about Tethering.

With Giffgaff Tethering is NOT allowed, so if you are thinking of Tethering, giffgaff is of no use to you.

It's not the most important thing, I'd never really use it... Not even for Nintendo DS? Can the SF host WiFi, thats like what tethering is, isn't it? (Oh yea, and plugging the phone in via USB as a modem, that's it.

Edited December 22, 2010 by Woshmistro

[Guest rbbrslmn]

It's not the most important thing, I'd never really use it... Not even for Nintendo DS? Can the SF host WiFi, thats like what tethering is, isn't it? (Oh yea, and plugging the phone in via USB as a modem, that's it.

it can be done and you'd absolutely get away with using a nintendo DS on it. if you hooked it up to the pc and started heavy duty torrenting or something then you'd just get kicked off the network, that'd be the case with any mobile company though.

[Guest gambieter]

rjm2k thats pay monthly, Giffgaff is PAYG

What's the difference? I pay £10 for a SIM-only T-mobile Pay Monthly, with 30 day rolling contract (for my HTC Desire). That's easier than PAYG where you have to remember to top up, and I am not tied in for a long period.

I also have a £10/month data-contract with USB-stick (18 months) for my laptop, but don't use it much for that (haven't been travelling that much). So I put that SIM in my SanFran, which I have bought for use in my home country (NL) with a local PAYG card, but don't use in the UK (complicated, I know...).

[Guest Qobok]

In my opinion the best offer is on tesco for £10 one month contract. They use O2 network and the internet data allowance can be used for VOIP calling also. Somebody write already about it on this topic.

Edited December 22, 2010 by Qobok

[Guest Samuel Dinnadge]

T-Mobile £10/mth (was £7.50):

500 texts

600 mins

unlimited calls to landlines

unlimited data (after 3GB they just throttle the speed at certain times of the day, no extra charges)

tethering works fine

Is this PAYG or Pay Monthly?