I have been trying to work out who provides the cheapest PAYG mobile for calling all types of numbers ie. same network, other networks, and landlines. Unless anyone else can tell me differently, I think the answer is Tesco Mobile. However this is on the proviso that you are willing to top up £15 a month.

If you sign up to their automatic on-line top up at http://www.tescomobile.com/topup.aspx for £15 a month to be credited to your mobile, you will only be charged £13.50, (a 10% saving), also by crediting this amount to your mobile all calls to all networks and to landlines are 10p a minute. texts 5p. Now because you are saving 10% on your top ups, this effectively makes the call cost just 9p a minute. On top of this you also get your Clubcard points, which if you convert them to clubcard deals are worth 4%. This brings the cost of each call down to about 8.6p a minute. Needless to say, we now use the Tesco mobile network, but would change it we could find a better PAYG deal.

You make some very valid points, as it is how often you use the phone that determines which is the best tariff. I didn't use my phone very much to start with and found the Tesco Value Tariff to be very good. This is similar to the Easy Mobile Tariff but does not have the hidden charges.

On the Tesco £15 a month tariff, if you build up too much credit you can cancel the monthly direct debit until you have used up the credit and then reinstate it. However calls charges during this time will be the equivalent of 17.2p per minute but will still be 8.6p a minutes to your 3 favourite numbers.

I have just had a look at the Virgin tariffs, which are not too bad, apart from the 35p per minute call charge to other mobile networks - that is really steep compared with Tesco's 8.6p or even the 17.2p if it is not one of you favourite numbers.

T+ for mobile!!!!! You must be kidding!!!! All calls may be 8p per minute but you still have to may a line rental of £8 a month. As I mentioned in my first post Tesco works out at 8.6p per minute and you do not have to pay £8 per month for the mere privilege of being on their tariff. T+ really don't have any competitive products any more.

4PetesSake wrote on Sep 15^th, 2006 at 9:11pm:


Yes i am fully aware of that.I was only suggesting it in a light hearted way because i had read with interest your post about T-Plus on another site.

Another sleeping distributor appears here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=265517

Sorry i am going off thread.

darkstar wrote on Sep 17^th, 2006 at 5:48pm:


Have you overlooked, its hidden charges eg the 75p a month low user charge,and the fact that its min call charge goes up to 15p on the 1/10/2006.

darkstar wrote on Sep 18^th, 2006 at 10:15pm:

As I said, there isn't one tariff that's cheapest and best suited to everyone. For anyone who uses the phone quite a bit, easyMobile might be more suitable. I hardly use my phone, so Virgin is more suitable for me. Unfortunately, choosing the most suitable tariff is far from simple as there are so many hidden details and the workings of each tariff are different.

The advantage of Virgin is that calls to non-geographical numbers - including 0871 - are only 15p/min. That means you can use dial-through numbers to call mobiles on other networks. The price of these calls used to be hard to find out, but recently (since the new rules?) they've added it to the info on their website.

Anyway, I don't agree that calls to other networks are "one of the most important things to bear in mind" for everyone. Again, this will depend on what each individual intends to use the phone for. I personally would never dial any mobile from my mobile, and almost never from a landline. Having said that, I must admit to keeping the latest 0871 number programmed into the "calling card" feature of my phone in case I need to call a mobile urgently.