I pay Virgin over £12 a month for a landline and hardly use it - really only have it for the odd call and in case of emergencies.
So I was thinking of getting a PAYG mobile.
First of all are there any benefits of keeping the landline?
Are there any people here who only have a mobile?

I was thinking of the Huawai Ascend G300 or the Nokia Lumia 800 or Samsung Galaxy Ace

If it comes sim free I assume I can get a sim from any provider and fit it to use their network?
How do you decide which network to go for?

Once you have bought the phone the only costs then are when you decide to top up? - is that correct?

If you top up say £15 does that ever expire or do you have to use it within a set period of time?

The Huawai model is on the Vodaphone network - are they any good? - if their not presumambly for around a fiver I can get it unlocked to be able to use another sim from a different provider? - But then will the number change ?

Is the phonenumber always locked to the phone or is it to whatever sim you use?

Lots of questions I know....sorry

That's correct.


As far as i'm aware, Virgin do a mobile tariff where you can choose either a data allowance or unlimited calls to landlines which would probably suit you down to the ground if you had no interest in mobile internet or anything like that.

But you need to look at your own phone use and also take in to account the people who phone you because they'll have to pay higher call charges to ring a mobile as well.

There's no easy answer unfortunately.


It is


The top-ups will, as far as i know, last indefinitely, however most networks say that you have to make at least one chargeable call or text every 60-90 days to prevent the PAYG number from being deactivated.


If you want to move your number from one network to another, you need to get what's called a PAC code. This then allows you to retain your number regardless of the network. I've had the same mobile number for about 6 years now and i've been around most of the main networks a few times.


It's not locked to the phone itself, no, but see above.

What about your broadband? Is that Virgin cable along with the telly or their ADSL product delivered via a landline phone? If it is the latter then cancelling your landline will mean the broadband stops working!

Nope it's cable broadband not ADSL

Fair 'nuff.

Just I have known people ask about getting rid of a landline they don't make calls on not realising they need it for their broadband!

Looking on the Virgin website it looks like they charge higher prices for Broadband/TV without a phone line. Though even allowing for that it seems you would still be a few quid better off if they did charge the higher tariff after you cancel the phone.

Ok I will check them out


I don't get too many calls - I'm a bit of a hermit
I've just been made redundant so trying to save money




and how do you get this PAC code ?

Furthermore how do you go about topping up?
I've seen on my Banks ATM machine a topup symbol


and how about the phones I mentioned - which would you say would be the best?

Yeah they do - I'm trying to save as much as I can but want to keep the broadband as it's so useful for many things .
Dunno how we survived without it

The C in PAC stands for Code

You get it from your current provider when you decide to cancel their service and move to a different one. Then hand it over to the new provider.

Some mobile providers claim they will handle all this for you. ie you tell the new provider the number you want to transfer and who from and they sort it out. Though I've only ever had a pay monthly phone so not sure if the same applies to PAYG.

You would be better off getting rid of the TV not the phone to save money. You will only save a couple of quid over the package if you get rid of the phone. My BB without the phone would only be £3 less and I get free evening an weekends for that £3.
I don't use the landline, but, people phone me on it from their landlines to save money.....

I intend to ditch the tv too..I currently have the Sky Sports package too so dropping all that should save a fair few bob .

But yeah thinking about it I may well keep the landline as I hadn't thought about the extra cost of people ringing me on mobile.

Furthermore how do you go about topping up?
I've seen on my Banks ATM machine a topup symbol

and how about the phones I mentioned - which would you say would be the best?

My friend did this and then wondered why no one phoned him!

It still costs a fortune to phone from a landline to a mobile hence i would never do it.

Asda mobile is a good cheap network and uses Vodafone for the signal.

10p per min to all networks anytime and 6p for texts.

I've decided I will keep the landline but still want a mobile as it will be useful as I will have to move house if money gets too tight....and will be good when job hunting.
The Asda suggestion was good as there is info there about topping up which was one of my questions.
Just need to decide which phone now.....the Huawai Ascend G300, Nokia Lumia 800 or Samsung Galaxy Ace

For the price, The Orange San Diego is the best @ £99 for a limited time on Orange's website. The Ascend G300 comes in second at the price probably. If you can find the Lumia 800 for under £90 then go for that.

If you do go for a phone what would your usage be like. Would you use it for calls/data regularly. or would it be rarely used at all? As this will affect whether i'd recommend a pay as you go or sim only package?


I like your username btw

That is beatable. Carphone Warehouse also use Vodafone and charge 8p a min and 4 p a text (http://www.talkmobile.co.uk/pay_as_y...essential.html)

If you can stand O2, Tesco offer 8p calls and 4p texts with the added advantage of charging standard prices for 0845 and 0870 numbers. http://phone-shop.tesco.com/tesco-mo...itetariff.aspx


But before you look at any of those, talk to Virgin about their Sim only deals- they have cheaper ones for existing customers.

Been available to anyone for some time!

Even Poundland now sell the Virgin 8p/minute SIMsa,

The cheapest I've seen the Lumia for is £159
I'll take a look at the San Diego too...thanks
Edit - thats showing as £159 here
http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phon.../pay-as-you-go
but £100 here
http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/pay-as-you-go
whats the difference ( apart from £59 )


rare useage - which is why I originally asked if the top up ever expired.
I don't understand the last part of the question tho
If I had a phone and bought the sim only surely this is the same as PAYG?


Me too

The difference is i don't know? It's just dropped from £170 to £99 for a limited time only so maybe it's showing the old price on the page. When you actually go to checkout it does say £99 though
http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phon...go-from-orange

thats good, stay with PAYG though. The credit lasts for as long as you use the phone. Just be aware that if you don't top up at least once every six months then they deactivate your sim.

Sim only is a monthly fixed cost for x amount of mins/texts/data,

Pay as you go is a top up whenever basis.

Just be aware that if you buy this phone (like the Ascend G300) it will be locked to the network, in this case orange. So you'd have to unlock it (which you can do via a market stall for £5 or via orange for £20 (yeh £20) ) if you want to use a different sim card like the ones suggested above. I suggest virgin.

One last point - why do you consider the San Diego better than the phones I mentioned?

Faster processor
Better screen res
Double the ram
Better camera
Better battery, I could go on.

Like I said it was literally £170 last week and has just had a £70 price drop

Is that all ?

Probably is tbh

phone ordered - it's coming Wednesday

Phone arrived with ICS already installed. It's a nice fast little phone - I'm impressed. Thanks for the recommendation jabbamk1. As it's my first mobile it'll take some getting used to - I was inputting users telephone numbers and dialled someone by mistake - good job it wasn't in the early hours otherwise I could have lost a friend