Free calls & texts for 30 days on Tesco Mobile network with every €20 top-up.

Oracle

Tesco Mobile have just turned the heat up for competition in the PAYG mobile market with this new promotion. Free calls, texts and picture messages for 30 days to anyone on the Tesco Mobile network with every €20 top-up. They're SIM cards are now €2.50 on their web site, but I saw them priced at 99c recently in Tesco stores.

bk

Nothing particularly exciting, the other networks all offer something similar:

o2: €20 free calls to 10 o2 numbers, €30 and free texts also.
meteor: €20 free friend on Meteor and unlimited texts
vodafone: about 4 different deals for €20 per month
http://www.vodafone.ie/offers/prepay/freetxtwknd/

Yes, Tesco's deal is slightly better, but then how many people do you actually know on Tesco? I know of no one myself.

Oracle

....yes it's true other networks have similar offers for topping up by €20. But only 2 networks have 20c per min anytime calls to all networks and landlines, as well as a free texts and calls offer. That's Meteor (only on the Anytime Plus Plan) and Tesco Mobile.

gip

bk wrote: »

Nothing particularly exciting, the other networks all offer something similar:

o2: €20 free calls to 10 o2 numbers, €30 and free texts also.
meteor: €20 free friend on Meteor and unlimited texts
vodafone: about 4 different deals for €20 per month
http://www.vodafone.ie/offers/prepay/freetxtwknd/

Yes, Tesco's deal is slightly better, but then how many people do you actually know on Tesco? I know of no one myself.

Vodafone's offer of free calls to anyone else on same network for 30 days once you top up for €20 is no longer available. It's just back to their previous offer free w/ends or free txt's weekly. Would go to tesco but just don't know any of my family or friends using this network.

muffinhead

Oracle wrote: »

But only 2 networks have 20c per min anytime calls to all networks and landlines, as well as a free texts and calls offer. That's Meteor (only on the Anytime Plus Plan) and Tesco Mobile.

O2 have a 20c plan as well (I'm on it) - the only information I can find about it is here:

http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/About+O2/Terms+and+Conditions/Other+services#20cFlatRate

Only thing is, they don't throw in any bonus texts or minutes when you topup, so I guess it would only suit those who topup not too often or only in small amounts.

Oracle

That's interesting MuffinHead, thanks for posting. I didn't know O2 did a 20c per min flat rate. I'd say very few people are on it, it looks like it's an old tariff, that's well hidden. It's still not as good value as Meteor or Tesco because, as you've said, you don't get extra offers for topping up by €20.

Random

it's not a bad offer but it's very difficult to get people to switch from meteor to o2 at the moment. Tesco don't appeal to me as a competent network either but i'm trying to get past it.
Posted via Mobile Device

Oracle

I'm not sure where you're coming from with your comment Random. Switching from Meteor to O2 is the last thing you'd do if you wanted to save money. Plus Tesco Mobile are a competent network because it actually uses the O2 network, you should see no difference in network quality than if you used O2.

If any switching is to be done it should be to the Tesco Mobile network, to take advantage of this offer, it's available until 31st. December 2008. That's over 6 months of completely free calls, texts and picture messages, if you top up by €20 every calendar month. It could really pay to get friends and family to switch, even small businesses could benefit.

utyh2ikcq9z76b

Oracle wrote: »

Switching from Meteor to O2 is the last thing you'd do if you wanted to save money.

i switched from Meteor to 02 and im saving around 60euro a month...it depends which plan suits ya best

Oracle

What plan did you switch from with Meteor? Are you talking about bill pay? My comments refer to PAYG (prepaid) only. Of course it depends on how you use your phone, but for the vast majority of people 20c per min anytime flat rate calls offer the best value.

bk

Oracle wrote: »

I'm not sure where you're coming from with your comment Random. Switching from Meteor to O2 is the last thing you'd do if you wanted to save money. Plus Tesco Mobile are a competent network because it actually uses the O2 network, you should see no difference in network quality than if you used O2.

o2 have a great new contract o2 clear, for €20 per month you get unlimited calls to landlines and o2 numbers any time or alternatively for €20 unlimited calls and texts to anyone on o2 at anytime.

Much better value then Tesco in my opinion, as you likely actually know people on o2 to use the free calls and texts with.

Oracle

Yes that's a good example O2 Clear is a pay monthly tariff not PAYG (prepaid). Plus charges outside your inclusive minutes are 35c per minute for calls to Irish mobiles & landlines. Almost double what Meteor and Tesco charge. Plus you're paying a minimum of €15 every month, and 2 Clear plans have 12 or 18 month contracts.

I don't propose to enter into the pros and cons of every tariff available here. It's up to each person reading the forums to make their own decision. I know their are many loyal users of O2 and other networks on the Boards, but this is Bargain Alerts, it's not the place to defend or promote your favourite phone company. The Mobile Phone forum is available for the more detailed discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of various phones, rates, tariffs and networks. If anyone has a genuinely lower tariff or better value offer I'd encourage them to post on a separate thread on Bargain Alerts.

Random

Oracle wrote: »

I'm not sure where you're coming from with your comment Random. Switching from Meteor to O2 is the last thing you'd do if you wanted to save money. Plus Tesco Mobile are a competent network because it actually uses the O2 network, you should see no difference in network quality than if you used O2.

For heavy texters €20 per month for unlimited texts to anyone is a better offer than €20 per month for unlimited texts to just Meteor. That's where I was coming from and that's what my comment was based on.

bk

Oracle wrote: »

Yes that's a good example O2 Clear is a pay monthly tariff not PAYG (prepaid). Plus charges outside your inclusive minutes are 35c per minute for calls to Irish mobiles & landlines. Almost double what Meteor and Tesco charge. Plus you're paying a minimum of €15 every month, and 2 Clear plans have 12 or 18 month contracts.

This post is so inaccurate, it isn't funny. I was talking about o2 Clear unlimited:
http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Personal/Price+plans/Pay+monthly/O2+Clear+Plans/?panel=unlimited2

1) Contract only required if you want to get a phone, otherwise only 1 months contract with sim only.

2) Charges are 25c per minute to other networks (calls free to landlines and o2 mobiles).

3) In order to get the deals from Meteor or Tesco, you need to be paying minimum €20 per month anyway, so what is the point of mentioning the €15 minimum spend?

PeterDuggan

Just a quick word of warning re Tesco Mobile. Like most companies they offer free credit if you move to them B U T ... they delete the credit after 30 days!

I only spotted it because I hadn't being using the phone. Most people though don't realise their credit is being quietly removed because they just assume they've used more credit than usual. In fairness TM did give me a (partial) refund when I spotted this - but only after I plagued them with emails and calls - so if you think you've lost credit do keep after them and they will eventually refund you.

Pity cos they could have really shaken the market up and taken a lot of customers. I'm leaving them and so are many of my friends cos I found their idea of removing credit behind my back a bit dishonest and misleading frankly.