PAYG or Billpay

Mcloke

Hello All,
I was hoping to get some opinions on the PAYG vs the Billpay options.
I am trying to decide which to go for....I am a moderate phone user and have a body of sms which are international (which wont matter on either option).
I am interested in hearing your opinions on what you think of the plans available.
Thanks,
Mcloke

Tom Dunne

Define "moderate user" for us.

Stephen

PAYG iphone + cheap billpay tarriff perhaps. I use EirText pro for sending lots of free international SMS.

Mcloke

Hi Tom, Current tarriff is 100 texts and 150 mins...I never go over mins by a very very long way and normally am well within my texts. My bill only increases due to international texts. I think I am a prime candidate for PAYG but I am not sure how much data I will use...am I likely to use data everyday with the iphone (excuse my ignorance ).
By topping up €20 I would get free O2 calls and sms which would cover a decent amount of my calls/sms!

Hi Stephen...eirtext pro??? Can you give me more details on this please...again excuse my ignorance

Thanks for the help
Marie

Tom Dunne

Mcloke wrote: »

Hi Tom, Current tarriff is 100 texts and 150 mins...I never go over mins by a very very long way and normally am well within my texts. My bill only increases due to international texts. I think I am a prime candidate for PAYG but I am not sure how much data I will use...am I likely to use data everyday with the iphone (excuse my ignorance ).
By topping up €20 I would get free O2 calls and sms which would cover a decent amount of my calls/sms!

You could use data every day with the iPhone, for the likes of e-mail, weather, GPS and so on. Then again, if you can live without these, then you won't need a data plan.

Sounds like PAYG is the better option for you. As a side note, you can use data on PAYG. I think it's something like €0.99 a day for 50Mb or something.

Mcloke wrote: »

eirtext pro??? Can you give me more details on this please...again excuse my ignorance

Full details here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=60369708&postcount=2

It basically uses you data connection to send texts for free.

Mcloke

Thanks Tom

I do think PAYG would suit my needs to be honest...and then there is the Italian unlocked (I have an italian friend who could get one) or go with o2 PAYG for less money...I have stayed with them for donkeys years so dont see why I would just up and move now!

Just a quick question Eirtext Pro send the message with your number just like if you sent it from the phone? That would increase my data usage but would prob reduce my monthly spend

Stephen

Yeah, eirtext just uses the free web texts you get via O2's website every month (250 a month if I recall correctly). It also works with other carriers webtext systems too. The recipient gets the text from your phone number, so your name will show up as normal if you're in their phonebook. I think PAYG data charges are extortionate, which is why i'm on a cheap billpay tarriff with a data bundle. If you downloaded 1KB of data every day for a month they'd have you for €30!

My data bundle is 250MB for €7.50. I don't think I've used more than 100MB in a month yet and I do lots of twitter/web browsing etc on my iphone. I'm always careful to turn off data when roaming though, as that's where you can really, really get screwed.

Mcloke

Stephen wrote: »

Yeah, eirtext just uses the free web texts you get via O2's website every month (250 a month if I recall correctly). It also works with other carriers webtext systems too. The recipient gets the text from your phone number, so your name will show up as normal if you're in their phonebook. I think PAYG data charges are extortionate, which is why i'm on a cheap billpay tarriff with a data bundle. If you downloaded 1KB of data every day for a month they'd have you for €30!

My data bundle is 250MB for €7.50. I don't think I've used more than 100MB in a month yet and I do lots of twitter/web browsing etc on my iphone. I'm always careful to turn off data when roaming though, as that's where you can really, really get screwed.

Eirtext sounds like a dream come true for my household we have texts all over the world and so that app will save us a small fortune!
Stephen can I ask what plan you are on...did you buy a PAYG iphone and then take up billpay tarriff? Thanks

Necronomicon

Stephen wrote: »

If you downloaded 1KB of data every day for a month they'd have you for €30!

Not exactly - it's 1c per 1KB until you spend 99c, at which point there is no additional charge until you hit 50MB (which never happens).

I'm on PAYG and my brother is on bill pay. He spends a considerable amount more than I do and I think we're pretty level in terms of our usage. Most of my credit does go on data usage because I have free texts to all networks and scarcely make phonecalls. Usually the obligatory €20 does me fine.

Mcloke

See it just gets more confusing! I did know that it was a max of 99c a day rather than 99c no matter what you use!
I might give PAYG a go and see what happens...I can always find myself a billpay plan if I need to later on

Do you get the free online texts as a PAYG customer? It is so long since I was one that I have no idea anymore. If you didn't that would be a deal breaker for me as I am def getting the Eirtext Pro app...it will be my first download thank you Stephen for that gem!

Necronomicon

Mcloke wrote: »

Do you get the free online texts as a PAYG customer? It is so long since I was one that I have no idea anymore. If you didn't that would be a deal breaker for me as I am def getting the Eirtext Pro app...it will be my first download thank you Stephen for that gem!

Yep, you do.

Stephen

I thoght it was 99c per day for any data up to 50MB? That's the impression their website gave me anyway.

Necronomicon

Certain sections of the O2 store seem to be down so I'm having trouble digging up a link, but it's definitely a cent per kb until you spend 99c.

Mcloke

I can vouch that it is indeed something like 2c a kb until you reach 99c and then you have a max cost of 99c for up to 50mb within that day.

I have been reading a lot on the iphone of late and so am sure I read that a couple of times

Thank you Necronomicon for the online text confirmation and to all others...boards is great always helpful people to resolve your concerns

Mcloke

Mine is booked with O2 as a PAYG I will give it a go for now at least and see how I get on!

Castroman

Say if you were to use your iphone almost exclusively for internet wouldn't data be cheaper under prepay rather than bill pay. In prepay you are definitely going to use the 99c allowance everyday which will result in a monthly bill of e29.70 whereas with billpay it is e40 a month. So with prepay you're getting 1500mb for e29.70 but with billpay you only get 1000mb for e40 plus the added hassle of being tied to a contract. I know the prepay handset is more expensive but is it worth it if data use is your priority.
Am i mistaken?
Thanks.

Mcloke

Yes you do get more over the month but you are limited to 50mb a day while on monthly I guess you can use what you need as you need so 100mb one day 10mb another.

I am opting for prepay for a change as I think it will work out cheaper in the long run and I honestly think O2 treat there prepay customers better than billpay!

w@ll3gurl

Necronomicon wrote: »

Not exactly - it's 1c per 1KB until you spend 99c, at which point there is no additional charge until you hit 50MB (which never happens).

I'm on PAYG and my brother is on bill pay. He spends a considerable amount more than I do and I think we're pretty level in terms of our usage. Most of my credit does go on data usage because I have free texts to all networks and scarcely make phonecalls. Usually the obligatory €20 does me fine.

interesting post for me Necronomicon because i think your usage is pretty much what i plan. I've been trying to work out whether to go PAYG or bill, and i think your post has swayed it for me. I currently just text and rarely make calls on my nokia but love my internet (never use it on my mobile now though) so my iPhone will be a text internet machine for me