DISQUS

Mobile Industry Review: PAYG without top-ups, does it exist?

  • DanLane · 1 year ago
    I'm pretty sure we have that in the UK... I certainly had a Vodafone data card that was billed like that a few years ago. The total was billed at the end of the month though rather than every time it was used.

    Sounds a lot like a contract right? Nope, they said it was PAYG... no idea why.
  • ollysk2 · 1 year ago
    You can SORT of do that in the US.. both AT&T and T-Mo have plans that allow you to pay a fixed monthly fee, no contract, up front (as opposed to after the fact like Post-paid). Then beyond that amount, you get charged a per minute rate.

    So for example, if you are on the 29.00 300 minute plan, and you go over, it charges you whatever the per minute charge is. You have to have a credit card on file to use this option.

    Now, I THINK that it charges you automagically above the 300 minutes, but I'm not sure.
  • Krystal · 1 year ago
    See that's still more than the $10 a month they're currently paying, I was thinking no monthly fee (or a very minimal one) and they just get charged as they use the time. May only be 5 minutes a month.
  • jMac · 1 year ago
    So...lets get this straight...you want a service that you literally pay for what you use?

    Like a petrol pump - but one where we can leave the forecourt for days or weeks before the attendant gets paid?

    Your saying that we could use texts, mins and data before paying for them - yet kinda paying for them (via a credit facility)?

    What happens if the credit card is a fraudulent one?

    What happens if the payment channel cannot honour the usage?

    What is the risk exposure to the vendor?

    Ouch head hurts - this operator game is confusing ;)
  • DanLane · 1 year ago
    What would be good is a similar system to the way Transport for London's automatic Pre-pay Oyster card works... when your balance reaches a pre-determined amount (eg: £5) it automatically tops-up another pre-determined amount from your credit/debit card... surely that's possible (if not already done)?
  • BigJohn · 1 year ago
    Already available on Ikea PAYG for one.

    http://www.familymobile.co.uk/services/automati...
  • jMac · 1 year ago
    Dan - how does your balance exist?

    Are you saying you pay a certian amount and that creates a balance that renews when your balance reaches a certian level.......?
  • TerenceEden · 1 year ago
    Let's say you buy your card and start with £20 credit on it. You set up an agreement that if the balance ever falls below £5.00 - your credit card will be charged £10 for a top up.

    So, on one journey your balance goes down to £4.56. They automagically take a tenner off your card and your new balance is £14.56.

    You can, of course, top up with a larger amount at any time.

    I think it's a great system.
  • BigJohn · 1 year ago
    Virgin Mobile UK already offers a Payg service where one of the options is you can pay by direct debit..

    http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/genericContent.d...
  • MarkW · 1 year ago
    Pretty sure you can do that with some of our MVNO's, like Virgin. You set up a Direct Debit that just takes what you owe out of your account each month. Fairly sure that's what happens, unless I've misunderstood.
  • Mac Morrison · 1 year ago
    t-mobile had a payg with auto topups didnt they? checks www.t-mobile.co.uk
    its called U-fix

    mind you ive never had any PAYG that i had to top up
    ive an 02 and t-mobile one i top up about once every 6 months
    no problem.
  • dani2xll · 1 year ago
    Sounds like your in the wrong country. Move your parents to the UK. If i recall correctly the minimum time for a top up is £5 within a 6 month period on other networks and £5 on vodafone i think. Only thing your parents would have to do is make one outgoing call or receive one outgoing call during that period. Heck, for the sake of it, your mum could ring your dad and vice versa once a month.
  • richard · 1 year ago
    This is exactly what virgin used to do, and I always used to put my contract sims onto orange's virgin value promise, so still have a couple that work this way. There is no upfront monthly fee, the first few minutes each day are charged at a higher rate and then you pay the rest per minute, receiving a bill at the end of the month for calls made. Don't seem to do it anymore, I guess since payment is always in arrears, rather than up front, they do not get thhe benefit of interest.