Mobile by Sainsburys

[anneed]

Just my luck. Having painfully mastered the basic functions of my Mobile by Sainsbury smartphone for idiots the service is being ended in January. Now I have some decisions to make and as ever would be grateful for your imput.

My old non-smart phone was a Samsung pay as you go (PAYG) with O2 and I never actually left them. The old phone is still in a draw with a bit of credit and I guess still works. I got the Sainsburys phone because the tariff was so much cheaper for PAYG. I've never been completely comfortable with the new phone but one thing I'd really miss is being able to check my emails easily.

My main questions are:

Can I simply transfer the sim card from the old phone and use it with my old number and O2 in the smartphone? It's a Huawei Ascend Y330 if that means anything.

Or should I transfer the number I've been using with Sainsbury's to a new provider? I saw online somewhere that this will be possible.

And any suggestions on who the new provider should be? I just want a basic PAYG service and am not interested in contracts or bundles.

Anne

[Mervyn and Trish]

You may need to get the smartphone "unlocked". A lot of phone shops can do it for you. Then you will be able to transfer the SIM, assuming it's the same size. Some new phones have smaller SIMs. If that's the case O2 should be able to provide a new one. Since you are planning to continue with O2 it's perhaps asking in one of their shops. They ought to be bending over backwards to help if the alternative is you go to another provider and can probably do the unlock too.

You can transfer your Sainsbury number. You just need what is called a PAC code which your old provider gives you and you take to the new one.

But it is probably worth talking to Sainsburys. If they're ending the service one would have hoped they would help you find the best solution..

[Raybosailor]

Anne PAYG is not always the cheapest way to own a mobile, calculate what you spend on top ups per month on average and if it is more than £11.00 you might be better on a low inclusive tariff.

When my OH retired and lost her company phone entitlement she went for a PAYG sim phone but I convinced her to change to a monthly contract with unlimited texts and enough talk time and data for her needs with a new phone for £11.50 per month.

Do a comparison search and walk into a few phone shops before making a decision.

[Mervyn and Trish]

That's true. My contract mobile costs £12 a month and will drop to £8 if I keep it longer than 2 years, for more minutes and texts than I can usually use. O2 by the way if you're considering staying with them.

[Quizzical Bob]

Hi Anne,

There's a shop in Commercial Road that can help with phone repairs and unlocking:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/iRe ... e528b98bc0

[Delboy]

My mobile phone is PAYG £10 lasts me about 6 months. It spends more time on the counter in our kitchen than it does in my pocket

[towny44]

I'm with you Delboy, we mainly use our mobile for texting while on holiday and I reckon we only spend about £10-£15pa.

[Manoverboard]

We also have PAYG mobiles for incoming text's / calls re deliveries else to send texts while on holiday or for basic communication needs. A tenner lasts me for ages, Mobietta uses hers more but seems to get free bonus top-ups from time to time. Tesco.Net, ie O2, for us.

As an aside ...

Mobietta had her Credit Card ' blocked ' by the Card Issuer due to irregular transactions, the problem was sorted but she was advised to get Top-Up vouchers instead of purchasing network time via her mobile. Tesco weren't interested but the fault doubtlessly sits in their court.

[towny44]

We also have PAYG mobiles for incoming text's / calls re deliveries else to send texts while on holiday or for basic communication needs. A tenner lasts me for ages, Mobietta uses hers more but seems to get free bonus top-ups from time to time. Tesco.Net, ie O2, for us.

As an aside ...

Mobietta had her Credit Card ' blocked ' by the Card Issuer due to irregular transactions, the problem was sorted but she was advised to get Top-Up vouchers instead of purchasing network time via her mobile. Tesco weren't interested but the fault doubtlessly sits in their court.

Maybe not Tesco's fault, I have had similar problems topping up my Vodafone PAYG phone via the mobile, had to have a new credit card once as a result. So I now top up on line which is OK but means I tend to keep a higher balance than I would if the mobile top up worked.

[anneed]

Hi all,

Thanks for the tips. I did go into the O2 shop today and they said I ought to be able to simply put the old SIM into the new phone. They said I should call in again when I'm ready to do so and they would do it for me.
So far so simple, but of course it is a far more expensive tariff than Sainsbury's (perhaps that's the reason they are folding). However I don't use the phone much for making actual calls, it's more for texting and checking my emails. I don't believe I would spend £10 a month even on the more expensive service but I'll have to see how that goes.
By way of compensation I'm getting £5 on my Nectar card (whoopee) plus double points on spending in store and for fuel for six months after the phone service ends in January. I guess that's better than nothing.
Anne

[Manoverboard]

... Maybe not Tesco's fault, I have had similar problems topping up my Vodafone PAYG phone via the mobile, had to have a new credit card once as a result. So I now top up on line which is OK but means I tend to keep a higher balance than I would if the mobile top up worked.

The Nokia phone was purchased at Tesco and it is connected to Tesco.Net ... my view was, and remains, that Tesco's Customer Service Department ' should ' have been interested as it was their servers that were inadequately protected thus causing Tesco customers to be exposed to fraud.

Vodaphone as well eh, that's not good ... has anybody else had this experience ?

[towny44]

... Maybe not Tesco's fault, I have had similar problems topping up my Vodafone PAYG phone via the mobile, had to have a new credit card once as a result. So I now top up on line which is OK but means I tend to keep a higher balance than I would if the mobile top up worked.

The Nokia phone was purchased at Tesco and it is connected to Tesco.Net ... my view was, and remains, that Tesco's Customer Service Department ' should ' have been interested as it was their servers that were inadequately protected thus causing Tesco customers to be exposed to fraud.

Vodaphone as well eh, that's not good ... has anybody else had this experience ?

Moby, don't believe it is a genuine fraud problem, more a case of the anti fraud settings on the credit card being too tight and/or not being programmed to recognise the mobile top up system. Of course if it then trips out there is no easy way to reset it back to a less strict setting, other than issue a new credit card.
So I would think the problem is between the mobile operator and the credit card issuer, Tesco in this case is just a 3rd party selling company.

[Manoverboard]

Credit Card Companies do not block their customer's cards for fun, it was their Fraud Department that advised Mobietta to use the Vouchers rather than to Top-up via the Mobile so something untoward must have been going on somewhere. As an aside, I haven't been blocked and I only use the Tesco Vouchers .... coincidence or not I will be sticking with a system that works to my advantage

[Mervyn and Trish]

On the top up issue Trish has a PAYG phone and we top it up at cash machines, where it is then charged to the card you put into the machine.

[towny44]

On the top up issue Trish has a PAYG phone and we top it up at cash machines, where it is then charged to the card you put into the machine.

Not heard of this system Merv, does it work on any ATM and overseas as well?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Not sure if it works overseas but seems to be widespread, if not universal, in UK. Next time you use an ATM look out for the Mobile Top Up option. You have to select the network, input the phone number twice to ensure accuracy, and the amount you want to top up. It's then charged to your card.

[Manoverboard]

.... are there any charges for this type of transaction or do the ' normal rules ' apply ?

[Quizzical Bob]

.... are there any charges for this type of transaction or do the ' normal rules ' apply ?

No charge if you use a normal ATM. The full amount is credited to the phone.

[Manoverboard]

Interesting ... have seen the facility but haven't, as yet, used it

[Mervyn and Trish]

Can confirm what QB says. Just appears as a purchase on the card (Visa debit in our case) in the usual way. And is credited to the phone PDQ. The phone receives a top up confirmation text (at least Trish's O2 does) almost before the card pops out of the ATM.

[towny44]

.... are there any charges for this type of transaction or do the ' normal rules ' apply ?

No charge if you use a normal ATM. The full amount is credited to the phone.

I assume if you use a credit card that interest will be charged same as a cash withdrawal, but that a debit card will not.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I've only ever used a debit card so don't know about credit cards - but definitely no charge for DC at machines where cash is also dispensed free. I never use the charged ones inside shops etc so don't if this service is available and if so charged.

But have done it free with DC at Natwest bank ATM and at ATMs outside Sainsburys and Morrisons