Updating the Youreable forum

[catlover]

I was exactly like you, beau! Granted my previous phone was actually one of the early smartphones (I forget the model - it was a nokia) but I didn't particularly buy it for that and after the initial excitement that it could be used to send emails (although at snail mail pace) I just used it to phone and text for about 10 years. Then I wanted to change my phone plan and needed to unlock it but it was too old to be unlocked! So I started looking at newer handsets but was adamant I didn't want or need a smartphone. A couple of people did mention various smartphones to me and how great they were but I wasn't having any of it. Then an iphone 4 appeared on our works intranet for sale second hand and for some reason I decided I wanted it and impulsively put in an offer for it! That deal actually fell through but suddenly nothing but an iphone would do. I eventually bought a 4s from a friend who had only had it about 7 months but was upgrading to something with a bigger screen. And I was instantly in love! Before long I didn't know how anybody could possibly live without one! It really is so useful. It's a phone and sends texts of course. But it's also a calendar, diary, shopping list and I have daily reminders set to remind me to take my medication. I use it to listen to music on the way to work, I very rarely use the laptop for emails as they pop up on my phone so I can pick emails up wherever I am, I have loads of camera apps to play with when I don't have my digital slr with me, I check the weather, browse the internet when I'm out and about (with my walking so poor I have to stop to sit down or for a coffee whenever I'm out unless I have a scooter so it's useful to make use of that time). I've got into twitter (just following organisations that I'm interested in) - I used to think twitter was just for "following" inane celebrities but it's not and can be really useful for finding out what's happening with organisations or people that you are interested in. I read books on it using kindle and ibooks apps (I didn't think that would work on such a small screen but it is actually easier than I thought). It's amazing how much I use it for. The world certainly is your oyster with a smartphone! Yes I managed for years without it (and for years without a mobile phone at all) but it certainly makes my life easier.

[beau]

TBH, I rarely use my mobile at all. I find no need to and if I am out I am out for a purpose, not to be surfing the net or emailing folk. If I want to say something I speak to them, much more personal. Not interested in taking photos either.
Reminders for me have to be written in large letters somewhere I can't miss them. If I had an alarm reminder I forget that it has gone off as soon as it goes off. Tried that for my meds and it doesn't work.

Each to their own plus the use it would get I couldn't warrant the expense even PAYG or contract. I put £10 on my phone every 6 or 7 months. Just shows how much I use it.
To be honest I would much rather spend my money on something that gives me pleasure. The phone is for emergency use only.

At the end of the day we did manage quite easily without them for donkeys years.

[nukecad]

Hi beau,

I was the same as yourself and catlover, avoided having a moblle for years.
But then I started making quite a few calls and realised just how much I was putting in BT callboxes.

So I bought a basic mobile (£15) on PAYG. After using this for six months or so I realised that for what I was still spending on calls (wasnt even using text then) I could get a contract phone. No real change in call charges but I got a shiny new phone and a new one every year.

So things have moved on and smartphones are now on the scene.

I now use my phone mostly to send texts, usually followed by a call when you know the person at the other end is available.
But also use the alarm, calender, calculator, etc.
Don't use the camera much, still prefer to have a good camera with a good lens. (OK I still prefer film to digital).

But I will use the internet on the phone, especially when I can hook into free wifi.

My basic contract is less than £10 per month, 500 mins calls, 100 texts, hardly ever use that.
I usually end up paying about £13:50 because of VAT, a few other options, and maybe I've been online.
You can get contracts from most providers that will be similar.

I realise that this is more than you are paying for calls currently on PAYG.

But I look at it a different way, I have a brand new up to date phone that would cost a couple of hundred pounds to buy, I'm paying for it monthly at about £13 a month for 12-18 months depending on the contract not too bad for an HP deal, and so calls, texts, and most internet use are for free.
And then I get a new phone and can give the the current one to a family member/friend or sell it if I want to and get some money back.

[beau]

I can see your reasoning but I do prefer to use my landline as we have a decent package on that costing about £20 a month including most calls anytime and our broadband. By my reckoning it is cheaper for us to do it this way. My current phone is about 4 years old and it does what I want it to. Until it stops working I will stick with it then just buy another cheap basic one. More cost effective for me if I don't want it for anything more than emergencies, like ringing the dog warden yesterday when I caught a stray dog whilst out. Lovely friendly creature who was obviously well looked after, that I suspect had got out accidently.

I am not bothered about a brand new up to date phone as I know I wouldn't be able to cope with its facilities, basic does me.
No way would I change to mobile only.

[catlover]

I only have a mobile phone. Not had a landline for years. After having mobile broadband for a few years I ended up paying for a landline just to have decent broadband (already had sky tv so just went for the whole package). Bit of a pain to have to pay line rental just for that but I don't have a handset connected. I can do everything I want on my mobile for £10 a month.

The thing to be a bit wary of with PAYG which you only use for emergencies is that many providers have a time limit on how long you can keep credit. If you don't use it within a certain time period you lose it. I think this is becoming increasingly common as they don't make any money from people who just top up now and again

[beau]

I do know that you lose the credit if the phone not used. What I do is ring my landline every week and don't answer it. This keeps the credit active.

[nukecad]

I do know that you lose the credit if the phone not used. What I do is ring my landline every week and don't answer it. This keeps the credit active.

Good tip.

I'm sure others will find that useful.

[Lighttouch]

I do know that you lose the credit if the phone not used. What I do is ring my landline every week and don't answer it. This keeps the credit active.

This is interesting as my mum has my old Nokia and still uses the same PAYG Orange plan on my old phone number. As you say Catlover the plan is so old the credit is retained each month. She still has £Q50 credit. I leant that my mum was topping the phone up when the digital visible battery bars were reducing!! She very rarely uses it - kept for emergencies.
I pay £13 pm for unlimited texts, unlimited emails, 500mb of memory which is fine as I also use wifi free hot spots as well as home router to access 4G wi-fi through EE.

It's all wonderful stuff!

[jdtaylor]

On that note if you want it Three have very good unlimited data plans and the data connection speed has normally been fast, I've even achieved 8mb download speed on 3g in the middle of the countryside.