Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Entwood on 16 October 2012, 21:07:37
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I know several folks here use GiffGaff, I've been looking around their site and they seem to push monthly packages mostly ... I'm after a cheap PAYG setup that will be used infrequently, but when used will be for mainly data, the use will be very irregular, perhaps none in some months....
Does GiffGaff fit this description, or are other providers better in this regard ?
If GiffGaff suits, who wants to have the "points" from my joining ?? :)
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You are not clear what you want?
It is, ultimately, a PAYG service. Just with "bundles" available if you think that suits you better.
PAYG data will never be cheap. At Newent, my O2 SIM played up, so I shoved a pure PAYG GiffGaff SIM in the MiFi, and promptly did £15 in a few hours ;D
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If, like me (for my laptop dongle/mifi units), your data use is virtually zero, but you know of bouts of high useage coming, then you can do what I do...
PAYG most of the time, but if going away for a weekend with the laptop, I buy one of their "gigabags".
Another option is, from November, they will allow tethering on the £10 Goodybag, which will have 250m/unlimited text/1Gb data, so switch your main phone over, and tether on the occasions you need laptop data.
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Oh, and points always greatfully accepted. I believe Taxi Driver is also a GiffGaff member, so no doubt would happily take the referral as well ;D
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For Add Hoc data use best bet is T Mobile paygo sim with as and when required Internet Bolt On's. 2.50 for 5 days, 5.00 per month or 20.00 for 6 months. Each bolt can be activated by text and takes around 5 mins to become live.
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Gigabags? Is that real? ;D
I like that, made me giggle. :)
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If, like me (for my laptop dongle/mifi units), your data use is virtually zero, but you know of bouts of high useage coming, then you can do what I do...
PAYG most of the time, but if going away for a weekend with the laptop, I buy one of their "gigabags".
Another option is, from November, they will allow tethering on the £10 Goodybag, which will have 250m/unlimited text/1Gb data, so switch your main phone over, and tether on the occasions you need laptop data.
I'm stuck on a contract for another 15 months, so can't switch the main phone, but am thinking of using the older phone, which has much poorer battery life, as a mobile "spare" for when signal issues occur, and as a dongle (tethering) when I would rather use the lappy than the limited screen of a smartphone.
It looks to me like the "goodybags/gigabags" are time limited, so don't really fit the PAYG description .. but I guess the odd few quid not used might be less than the costs of data on this useless contract.... methinks some perusing of past bills and the use of a calculator might be needed ....
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I probably wasn't clear. Its PAYG. But you can buy "bundles" (Goodybags/Gigabags) which last 1 calendar month.
Like all PAYG networks, the SIM has to be seen as active every 6 months (even if thats receiving a text, and turning the handset on to recieve it).
PAYG data charges are 20p for first 20Mb a day, then 20p per Mb beyond that. That makes it dear to use PAYG data.
Also, if its purely for data, O2 doesn't have great 3G coverage. O2 also have a fair amount of their 3G on 900Mhz, which older devices do not support. O2's coverage map is pretty accurate IME. O2 does have fantastic 2g coverage, if its for calls.
As said earlier, if using for data, and 99% of the time, you won't use data, but then if you're away in the pikey wagon for a week, expect to use data, leave it as PAYG most of the time, and then buy a Gigabag/Goodybag just before you go away (this will last 28/29/30/31 days). If that makes sense.
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Any thoughts on using them with an iPad, TB? I've been paying Three £15 a month since I got my iPad (original one) .. and very, very rarely use 3G data on it; but it'd be nice to have the option if I'm away for a while.
Can't remember if the iPad 1 takes mini SIM or micro SIM though, and giffgaff seem to only do mini SIM? (or nano SIM)
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If you have an iPhone, use the phones hot spot.
No...?
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I didn't think O2 allowed that?
Although the option is there on my phone (but not my work Voda iPhone, which definitely doesn't allow it)..
[edit] Oh, a Google says O2 do allow it.. neat, problem solved, thanks Chris! :y
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:y it's why I got a wifi only iPad tbh :y
As opposed to dead slow clunky 3/4 of an hour to turn on lap top. ....rubbish!
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Giffgaff have these :y
http://giffgaff.com/goodybags#data
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Can you stick these sim cards in any phone ?
I'm after a second phone number and the free 0800 bit would come in very handy ;)
The phone in question used to be on the vodaphone network.
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Can you stick these sim cards in any phone ?
I'm after a second phone number and the free 0800 bit would come in very handy ;)
The phone in question used to be on the vodaphone network.
Only if the phone is unlocked or on the o2 network
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Can you stick these sim cards in any phone ?
I'm after a second phone number and the free 0800 bit would come in very handy ;)
The phone in question used to be on the vodaphone network.
Only if the phone is unlocked or on the o2 network
Thanks :)
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Nige - Think about a gigabag for use now and switch it to a £10 goodybag when your current contract expires :)
As TB says you only need to buy a gigabag when your going to use data :y
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Can you stick these sim cards in any phone ?
I'm after a second phone number and the free 0800 bit would come in very handy ;)
The phone in question used to be on the vodaphone network.
Only if the phone is unlocked or on the o2 network
Except some Tesco handset, that are double locked...
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Said phone came from The Carphone Warehouse.
I was told that there phones are sim free :-\
Any truth in that ?
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Said phone came from The Carphone Warehouse.
I was told that there phones are sim free :-\
Any truth in that ?
If its branded as vodoo and a payg, its probably locked.....easy way to find out tho......and if it is, if you do a google it will cost a couple of squid to get unlocked :y
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Said phone came from The Carphone Warehouse.
I was told that there phones are sim free :-\
Any truth in that ?
If its branded as vodoo and a payg, its probably locked.....easy way to find out tho......and if it is, if you do a google it will cost a couple of squid to get unlocked :y
It was my lads old contract phone not pay as you go.
The phone is not marked in anyway.
I'll dig it out, give it a charge and stick my O2 sym card in there and see what happens.
Thanks
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Am I right in thinking that GiffGaff is an offshoot of O2 then ?? or uses their distribution system/masts ??
If so the 3G coverage is basically .. abysmal ...
http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker
2G might be good ... but as I want a data connection ....... :(
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Am I right in thinking that GiffGaff is an offshoot of O2 then ?? or uses their distribution system/masts ??
If so the 3G coverage is basically .. abysmal ...
http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker
2G might be good ... but as I want a data connection ....... :(
Here you go Nige....
http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Learn-giffgaff-Top-Tips/Definitive-Who-owns-Giffgaff-from-Companies-House-records/td-p/2770063
3G is no worse than other mobile operators......imo
2G is still data just not as quick as 3G ;)
Going away in your tin tent, your going to be lucky to get 3G unless your next to large town/city, whoever your provider is......
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Am I right in thinking that GiffGaff is an offshoot of O2 then ?? or uses their distribution system/masts ??
If so the 3G coverage is basically .. abysmal ...
http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker
2G might be good ... but as I want a data connection ....... :(
Here you go Nige....
http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Learn-giffgaff-Top-Tips/Definitive-Who-owns-Giffgaff-from-Companies-House-records/td-p/2770063
3G is no worse than other mobile operators......imo
2G is still data just not as quick as 3G ;)
Going away in your tin tent, your going to be lucky to get 3G unless your next to large town/city, whoever your provider is......
Good point .... well made ... :)
mmmm decisions decisions ... :)
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Entwood - when I go away, be it tents, mobile homes, cottages etc, we tend to stay in th countryside. I have no desire to stay in large towns/cities.
I tend to take a GG sim, and my works Voda sim, for use in the dongle/mifi. Invariably, it seems we end up using the GG sim (bit of a bugger - I have to pay for that ;D) due to coverage. O2 doesn't have great 3g coverage, but then nowhere does in the sorts of places I stay in. O2 does, invariably, have 2G coverage, which is usually usable for browsing and email, but hopeless for anything else, such as streaming.
Also with O2 for data, it helps if you have a 900Mhz 3G device, as O2 have a god amount of 900Mhz 3G. Earlier in the year, when at Haven with the foogies, I nipped down Tesco and bought a newer O2 dongle (E173 - my old one was E170) to handle 900Mhz 3G, which was available in the area. My home town, Brackley, is 900Mhz 3G as well.
I tend not to use the dongles any more, I tend to use the MiFi unit (MiFi is a phone sized device that acts as a wireless access point, but using cellular to provide the internet).
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Entwood - do you have a dongle or MiFi or similar unit?
I'd suggest you "suck it and see", at worse you'll be £10 worse off.
If you use somebody's referral link, you will get an extra £5 credit on the first time (only) you top up, which you have to do to activate the SIM. The referrer will also get £5 worth of points.
If you don't have a dongle, I can happily lend you one of mine for a few weeks, as I tend to use the MiFi now.
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TB has the data side of gg gone down today? had phone signal but nothing on the data side off it??
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TB has the data side of gg gone down today? had phone signal but nothing on the data side off it??
Not here, was working well when I was in Daventry.
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ok,was in mk all morning and had nothing,just checked phone and got it back on here in kettering
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I posted this from my phone, so its ok here :)
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Entwood - do you have a dongle or MiFi or similar unit?
I'd suggest you "suck it and see", at worse you'll be £10 worse off.
If you use somebody's referral link, you will get an extra £5 credit on the first time (only) you top up, which you have to do to activate the SIM. The referrer will also get £5 worth of points.
If you don't have a dongle, I can happily lend you one of mine for a few weeks, as I tend to use the MiFi now.
Thanks for the comments in this one and the previous ones !!
Not using a dongle or a MiFi ... I have a rooted HTC Desire that is surplus to everyday requirements, it tethers well to the laptop if and when I need a "full screen" to work on, but will do basic email and web stuff when such size is not needed.
The "plan" as such was to have the instant-ish access of the smartphone combined with the ability to go laptop as/when needed - best of both worlds really - and the phone would be available as a "spare" at any time.
I'm slowly being drawn to GG, just wish the "gigabags" lasted more than 30 days !! I can see me using the setup at home, simply to burn off unused Gb's ....not the most efficient way of operating, as I have unlimited BB at home anyway !!!
:-\ :-\ :-\
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Be careful pairing/tethering a phone as your internet source on a laptop, it will eat through the data & some "unlimited" internet bolt ons do not allow tethering :y
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Be careful pairing/tethering a phone as your internet source on a laptop, it will eat through the data & some "unlimited" internet bolt ons do not allow tethering :y
Agreed .. but apparently the "gigabags" from GG will allow tethering quite happily ??
http://giffgaff.com/goodybags/500mb-mobile-broadband
(the bit in the grey box)
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Be careful pairing/tethering a phone as your internet source on a laptop, it will eat through the data & some "unlimited" internet bolt ons do not allow tethering :y
Agreed .. but apparently the "gigabags" from GG will allow tethering quite happily ??
http://giffgaff.com/goodybags/500mb-mobile-broadband
(the bit in the grey box)
Yup, looks like they allow it :)
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Be careful pairing/tethering a phone as your internet source on a laptop, it will eat through the data & some "unlimited" internet bolt ons do not allow tethering :y
Agreed .. but apparently the "gigabags" from GG will allow tethering quite happily ??
http://giffgaff.com/goodybags/500mb-mobile-broadband
(the bit in the grey box)
As will the £10 Goodybag (with a 1Gb cap) from 6th November - £10 = 250m, unlimited texts, 1Gb data (which you can tether if you want). Although in your case, I guess you care little for the calls/texts part...
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I'm slowly being drawn to GG, just wish the "gigabags" lasted more than 30 days !! I can see me using the setup at home, simply to burn off unused Gb's ....not the most efficient way of operating, as I have unlimited BB at home anyway !!!
You'll struggle to find a provider who doesn't limit the time a data bundle is valid for now, other than using pure PAYG (which is always expensive if you use a fair amount). O2 do a starter pack valid for 3 months, BUT subsequent topups are only for a month.
I'm never sure how much data I will use - most of the time, none, as unless away for weekend/week etc, I just use my phone out and about (which has (currently) unlimited data (but not for tethering)), so the laptop stays at home.
If I am going away, and taking the laptop, I buy the £5 Gigabag for my data SIM, which goes in my dongle/MiFi. Thats 500Mb, which is more than enough for me for a week (I bought a Cypriot 500Mb SIM for Cyprus last year, used about 150Mb).
But you can never be sure how much you need - you may have to go over that amount (and at 2p per Mb once you go over the bundle amount, it can add up if you way over). So my little workaround is:
I have a 2nd GiffGaff SIM, purely for data use, but without a Gigabag on it. If I'm away, and the data allowance on the 1st Gigabag is getting tight, I quickly buy a Gigabag for my 2nd data SIM, and swap the SIMs over. The size of gigabag needed for this 2nd SIM I estimate based on how far into my holiday I am.
Obviously, if you do consider getting a 2nd data SIM, wait until your first arrives, then refer yourself, so you get the bonus ;)
Note, to stop SIMs going inactive, I send a text message (from my main mobile, which has unlimited texts) to all my other SIMs, and periodically put those SIMs in a device to retrive text. Not sure if you have to do the latter, but I do for a belts-and-braces.