Author Topic: Lycamobile / Lebara cheap SIMs (Read 9608 times)

Cudzoziemiec · « **on:** 24 March, 2011, 11:22:12 am »

Are there any disadvantages or catches to them?

I make a lot of overseas calls and texts, and these are much cheaper than any of the big high street names. As little as 1p a minute and 10p a text where I'm currently paying 10p and 15p. Even calling within the UK the rates seem competitive. What's the catch? Patchy coverage, hidden connection charges, loads of spam texts and calls, or something far more devious that I haven't thought of? All I can see is that they can't be topped up using my preferred method, the ATM.

Anybody use them?
Thanks.

fuaran · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 March, 2011, 12:49:12 pm »

Lebara are using Vodafone's network.
Lycamobile are now using O2.
So coverage/reliablity should be much the same as those networks.

hellymedic · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 March, 2011, 01:08:26 pm »

IMO the catch is the roaming charges. Lebara charge 140p/min to receive calls outside UK. DO NOT SWITCH ON A LEBARA PHONE OVERSEAS UNLESS YOU'RE LOADED!
Phoning Poland at 1p/min is a joy for my cleaning lady and Israel at 5p/min is fine for me.
I've not had coverage problems.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 March, 2011, 01:53:25 pm »

Quote from: fuaran on 24 March, 2011, 12:49:12 pm

Lebara are using Vodafone's network.
Lycamobile are now using O2.
So coverage/reliablity should be much the same as those networks.

That's good, thanks.

Quote from: hellymedic on 24 March, 2011, 01:08:26 pm

IMO the catch is the roaming charges. Lebara charge 140p/min to receive calls outside UK. DO NOT SWITCH ON A LEBARA PHONE OVERSEAS UNLESS YOU'RE LOADED!
Phoning Poland at 1p/min is a joy for my cleaning lady and Israel at 5p/min is fine for me.
I've not had coverage problems.

I have no intention of using such a phone outside the UK, especially as I have SIMs of networks operating in the countries I am likely to visit/phone! Although my Indian one might have expired, but I can always get another one as I have friends there.

I did however notice something on the Lebara website about "prices excluding connection charges where applicable".

hellymedic · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 March, 2011, 02:32:12 pm »

I don't think I've ever paid a connection charge per se.

Straightforward calls are charged per minute so that quick calls may not work out quite so cheap but hey, Orange PAYG is 15p minimum anyway.

I can't get in to my online Lebara account right now (there might be a website problem) but my Lebara expenditure is 'impressively trivial'.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 March, 2011, 02:34:10 pm »

Orange PAYG is also charged per minute. At least I'm sure it is on the "camel" account I'm currently using (that's the one which is supposed to be cheap for calling abroad).

hellymedic · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 March, 2011, 02:44:56 pm »

Lebara is cheaper than Camel. I first obtained my Lebara SIM after Orange hiked this up - well they converted by 'Call Abroad SIM' plan to Camel which was worse VFM.

All you need is an unlocked phone. I've had no serious problems (but I still can't log in to my account).

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 March, 2011, 02:48:32 pm »

Helly, do you use it also to call within UK? It looks good value for that too - or rather, I can't find any rates for Lebara within UK, but the Lyca one does - and would be a pain to change sims just to make a different call. Course, I do have two phones, but I don't have so many pockets!

hellymedic · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 March, 2011, 02:55:25 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 24 March, 2011, 02:48:32 pm

Helly, do you use it also to call within UK? It looks good value for that too - or rather, I can't find any rates for Lebara within UK, but the Lyca one does - and would be a pain to change sims just to make a different call. Course, I do have two phones, but I don't have so many pockets!

I think it's 10p/min in UK, which is fine.

I don't use it much because I wear my Orange phone round my neck and my friends know my Orange number.
I don't make many calls anyway.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 March, 2011, 05:05:27 pm »

Aye, wish I'd got one of those Samsung dual-sim phones when I was in India. They don't seem to sell them here.

CAMRAMan · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 March, 2011, 05:17:53 pm »

Bear in mind that ASDA mobile is 8p/min in the UK and 4p for texts. Won't be as cheap to phone abroad though...

hellymedic · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 March, 2011, 05:56:34 pm »

Veering slightly OT, I saw an ad on the Tube for some contract offering 2000 minutes on any network or 5000 minutes on the 'home' network, per moth.
Does anyone really spend 83 hours per month on outgoing calls on the phone? That's nearly 3 hours every day!

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 March, 2011, 10:23:32 pm »

I'm sure some people do, but when do they find time for cake? !!

That's a problem with a lot - most - of these "free minutes" offers though; it's all very good in theory, but in practice you never get around to using them. So I prefer to go for a simple low rate.

hellymedic · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 March, 2011, 10:36:05 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 24 March, 2011, 10:23:32 pm

I'm sure some people do, but when do they find time for cake? !!

That's a problem with a lot - most - of these "free minutes" offers though; it's all very good in theory, but in practice you never get around to using them. So I prefer to go for a simple low rate.

I am on PAYG for the same reason. I have several phones on different networks but only use them for speech and text. Even the more expensive PAYG tariffs are much less spendy on my usage than any contract.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 March, 2011, 12:24:56 pm »

Got one this morning, and have used 51p of calls and texts!

Call quality is a bit poor but I think that might be because it is in my old phone.

hellymedic · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 March, 2011, 01:18:29 pm »

I must confess I was wrong about UK call rates.
It's 10p/min to a mobile (but free Lebara to Lebara with top-up) and 5p/min to a landline.
http://www.lebara-mobile.co.uk/prepay/rates

Lebara are currently also offering an extra £10 calling credit if you top up by £20 in one transaction.

hellymedic · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 March, 2011, 02:42:17 pm »

Somewhat OT but
Beware BT landline connection charges, which are rising at the end of April. If your calls are not included in a 'package', they will pull your little hairs till you SCREAM!
http://www.calls.bt.com/pricechanges/?s_cid=con_ebillalert_ya_eIM_ONEVIEW_CON_WBDD_Splash

A mobile would be cheaper...

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 March, 2011, 10:50:05 pm »

I don't even have a landline, so but!

Quote from: hellymedic on 25 March, 2011, 01:18:29 pm

I must confess I was wrong about UK call rates.
It's 10p/min to a mobile (but free Lebara to Lebara with top-up) and 5p/min to a landline.
http://www.lebara-mobile.co.uk/prepay/rates

Lebara are currently also offering an extra £10 calling credit if you top up by £20 in one transaction.

No, you weren't wrong - you said 10p/min earlier.

hellymedic · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 March, 2011, 11:07:05 pm »

Landlines are becoming rather passé...

I have one but might not get another if I moved.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 March, 2011, 11:58:29 pm »

I remember some discussion on, I think, a radio programme maybe ten years ago about the future of phones. They said that landlines would probably die out in homes, as everyone has their mobile with them all the time anyway, but remain on business desks. They also said you wouldn't worry about your phone bill because you wouldn't have one, you'd just have a regular fixed charge to cover unlimited amounts of calls, internet and I'm not sure what else. Hmm.

hellymedic · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 March, 2011, 01:01:17 pm »

Calling mobiles from a landline is still pricy, even with 18185. My landline phone deal includes most landline calls. (Calls outside this deal came to £1.25 last quarter.)I have friends who refuse to phone mobiles at all.
I don't think it would be fair for my choice to add to other peoplle's expense though.

Polar Bear · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 March, 2011, 01:18:53 pm »

I believe that you can buy all in packages already. The main issue for most folks is the internet. When mobile internet competes across the piece, not just at high end with landline internet then the curtain will fall further. I'm surprised voip hasn't grown more domestically yet.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 March, 2011, 08:33:40 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 26 March, 2011, 01:01:17 pm

Calling mobiles from a landline is still pricy, even with 18185. My landline phone deal includes most landline calls. (Calls outside this deal came to £1.25 last quarter.)I have friends who refuse to phone mobiles at all.
I don't think it would be fair for my choice to add to other peoplle's expense though.

Erm... What is 18185?

hellymedic · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 March, 2011, 08:50:37 pm »

18185.co.uk

dial 18185 from your landline before any potentially pricy call. You have to register with them first and they are paid by monthly direct debit from my credit card.

Cheap landline calls (I think they do work with mobiles but I've never succeeded yet). Very cheap for calling USA (½p/min, I think) and cheapest so far landline to mobile - 6p/min weekday, 7p/min weekend - BT is 13p/min with call package, more without.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 March, 2011, 08:53:40 pm »

Ah... It's at least four years since I had a landline at home, and that wasn't in the uk.