Author Topic: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike  (Read 3000 times)

Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« on: 13 January, 2021, 02:39:55 pm »
Does anyone here use Three PAYG (actual PAYG not monthly bundles)?

http://www.three.co.uk/payg-pricing1-2021

https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/13/three_payg_hike/
Quote
Three has announced plans to hike the price of its pay-as-you-go mobile service, with SMS and data prices set to soar by 400 per cent from 16 February. The per-minute cost of making a call, meanwhile, will more than triple.

Under the new rates, the cost of sending a text message rise to 10p from the current price of 2p. The per-megabyte cost of data will increase from 1p to 5p. Calls to UK landlines and mobiles will be charged at a rate of 10p per minute from the current rate of 3p.


Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #1 on: 13 January, 2021, 04:13:08 pm »
I had a quick search, Asda is slightly cheaper for calls, more than half as cheap for texts but the same price for data:
Calls to UK mobiles & landlines    8p per min
Texts     4p each
Data/GPRS    5p per MB

For very low usage, I'm not sure it's worth the hassle of getting a new number.

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #2 on: 13 January, 2021, 04:15:31 pm »
Who pays for calls these days?  Its all about data.

If you dont use much data, I'm pretty sure you could get a SIM only monthly rolling deal with unlimited calls for no more than £6 a month.

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #3 on: 13 January, 2021, 04:17:49 pm »
Yes, just checked.  £6 4gb and unlimited calls and texts,  £7 8GB

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/cheap-sim-only-contracts/#4to9gb

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #4 on: 13 January, 2021, 05:48:22 pm »
Most of the networks seem to be discouraging proper PAYG.
Giffgaff increased their rates last year. Means it is worth buying a bundle if using it much. Especially for data, can burn through your credit quicker than you expect.

1p Mobile looks like a pretty cheap option. Though minimum topup of £10 every 120 days.
Asda looks pretty good as well. And they are now changing to the Vodafone network, should be better coverage around here anyway.

Some useful comparisons here. https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/compare-pay-as-you-go-networks

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #5 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:04:22 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...

Snakehips

  • Twixt London and leafy Surrey
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #6 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:31:39 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...
I have one like that on Vodafone. I have to send a text once every six months to stop them doing what they want to do, i.e. take the number away from me.
An nescis, mi fili, quantilla prudentia mundus regatur?

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #7 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:46:52 pm »
Who pays for calls these days?  Its all about data.

If you dont use much data, I'm pretty sure you could get a SIM only monthly rolling deal with unlimited calls for no more than £6 a month.

I still have PAYG. Cheap Nokia on a different network (vodafone) to my contract smart phone (Tesco/O2) - After 20+ years on Lewis I'm paranoid about not having a signal when in a remote area. The Nokia also has >1 week battery life so is great when on holiday or tour and don't get chance to charge the smart phone.

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #8 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:51:42 pm »
Who pays for calls these days?  Its all about data.

If you dont use much data, I'm pretty sure you could get a SIM only monthly rolling deal with unlimited calls for no more than £6 a month.

£6 real payg would last me 6 months, at least with Three's old prices it would.

All monthly bundles are a complete waste of money for me.


Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #9 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:51:47 pm »
Who's Lewis?

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #10 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:54:12 pm »
On top of Harris.

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #11 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:54:58 pm »
On top of Harris.

Yeah I know. It was an attempt at a crap joke

Need beer

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #12 on: 13 January, 2021, 06:58:08 pm »
Who pays for calls these days?  Its all about data.

If you dont use much data, I'm pretty sure you could get a SIM only monthly rolling deal with unlimited calls for no more than £6 a month.

£6 real payg would last me 6 months, at least with Three's old prices it would.

All monthly bundles are a complete waste of money for me.

I see, So very little use of phone then.

I rarely make calls, but I've got unlimited data so I use it as a mobile hotspot for my laptop in lieu of arsing about with a mesh router. Also means I can stream  highest quality setting music when Im out on bike or running, or indeed in car.

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #13 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:02:03 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...

I'm sure there are but I would guess they're backup phones that are not used (except a call/text every 6 months to maintain the number), which means that for those phones it doesn't matter that most operaters charge 30p per min for payg calls.

Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #14 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:06:13 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...
The vehicle tracking unit on my wife's car sends (a tiny bit of) data every 2 minutes when driving. It had £20 on it in September 2014. It's now down at just under £17.

I don't think that it's giffgaff's most profitable account, and I'm not tempted by their goodybags that last a month.
Quote from: Kim
Paging Diver300.  Diver300 to the GSM Trimphone, please...

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #15 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:09:09 pm »
I still have PAYG. Cheap Nokia on a different network (vodafone) to my contract smart phone (Tesco/O2) - After 20+ years on Lewis I'm paranoid about not having a signal when in a remote area. The Nokia also has >1 week battery life so is great when on holiday or tour and don't get chance to charge the smart phone.
Vodafone and O2 are mostly sharing networks. So you won't gain much coverage by using one of each.
A separate SIM on EE would be more worthwhile (3 have hardly any coverage anyway).

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #16 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:12:09 pm »
Vodafone changed my PAYG contract.

It used to be x pence per minute.

Now I'm charged £1 a day when I make a call (£1 for first call then extra use on same day is not charged)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #17 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:14:53 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...

I'm sure there are but I would guess they're backup phones that are not used (except a call/text every 6 months to maintain the number), which means that for those phones it doesn't matter that most operaters charge 30p per min for payg calls.

Backup phones, data loggers, etc, yes, but they won't have changed their use patterns much because of the pandemic.  On the other hand, this year I've barely been away from decent WiFi, a real computer and a proper telephone for more than a few hours at a time, when I've been busy riding my bike.  What little chargeable cellular use my phone has had since March has been a smattering of data for that ROSPA study and a handful of test calls/messages.  I've pretty much only used it for two-factor authentication, and as a camera.

I know there are people who've been relying on their mobiles for connectivity, but they're more likely to be using contracts/contract-like bundles.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #18 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:22:24 pm »
I still have PAYG. Cheap Nokia on a different network (vodafone) to my contract smart phone (Tesco/O2) - After 20+ years on Lewis I'm paranoid about not having a signal when in a remote area. The Nokia also has >1 week battery life so is great when on holiday or tour and don't get chance to charge the smart phone.
Vodafone and O2 are mostly sharing networks. So you won't gain much coverage by using one of each.
A separate SIM on EE would be more worthwhile (3 have hardly any coverage anyway).

Aah - thanks for that. I used to have EE but that became rubbish in Outer Hebrides so I got a vodafone which (when I lived there) showed notable differences in coverage to that of my tesco (O2) contract. I shall do a comparison next time I head out




Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #19 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:45:58 pm »
On the other hand, Three has kept the same 3,2,1 pricing for apparently 8 years. And it's weird that Three were 3-10 times cheaper than their competitors.

The rise in percentage is huge but the actual amount of money is small.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #20 on: 13 January, 2021, 07:47:47 pm »
On the other hand, Three has kept the same 3,2,1 pricing for apparently 8 years. And it's weird that Three were 3-10 times cheaper than their competitors.

The rise in percentage is huge but the actual amount of money is small.

Yeah, but telecoms is supposed to get *cheaper* over time, not more expensive.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #21 on: 13 January, 2021, 08:08:24 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...

Not sure when I last put credit on my "bike" phone, last time I used it was to tell Megajoulesexpenditure that I'd bailed out of her 600 2 Springs ago.
It was on around 4 quid then, and it's still on around 4 quid now, so I possibly last topped it up the middle of last decade...

As for charging, possibly more recently.

On top of Harris.

<Andy Peters> Ooerrr Missus </Andy Peters>

I still have PAYG. Cheap Nokia on a different network (vodafone) to my contract smart phone (Tesco/O2) - After 20+ years on Lewis I'm paranoid about not having a signal when in a remote area. The Nokia also has >1 week battery life so is great when on holiday or tour and don't get chance to charge the smart phone.
Vodafone and O2 are mostly sharing networks. So you won't gain much coverage by using one of each.
A separate SIM on EE would be more worthwhile (3 have hardly any coverage anyway).

Historically it was Vodafone that had the best coverage in the isles, to the point certain events required you to have a Vodaphone in order to take part.
Example: My brother being able to phone in that the car he was navigating round mull was upside down in a ditch due to the required Vodafone while my O2 was useless (stupid place for his driver to crash really I had a cracking spot for a photo at Calgary Bay)

Have definitely noticed O2 is much better since the network share began, although there was some Islands where Cellnet got their mast up before Vodafone could claim the spot, Colonsay comes to mind IIRC.


Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
  • Overseaing the building of the death star
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #22 on: 13 January, 2021, 08:16:04 pm »
Three offer 200mb free every month.  Just need to use the internet once a month.

Allegedly a data sim but 321 allegedly.  But still not as good as their 321.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #23 on: 13 January, 2021, 09:08:30 pm »
On top of Harris.

Yeah I know. It was an attempt at a crap joke


Yeah, mine too.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Three mobile massive PAYG price hike
« Reply #24 on: 13 January, 2021, 09:09:18 pm »
I expect a fair few PAYG mobiles are like mine, which was last topped up in February 2019...

Mine is.
Don't use data. Text & voice - receiving more than sending/calling.

Mostly used to receive texts & send a very few.
Voice calls when I'm out (like almost never in past 10 months)
Receive voice calls from healthcare folk.