Advice on SIM-only contract and new phone

hoody

Hi all,

I've been a longtime Eir Customer, for most of that time I had the broadband + TV + mobile bundle, more recently just the mobile costing me around €50 a month.

I stupidly broke the screen on my Huawei P20 Pro a couple of weeks back, had hoped to get it repaired as it was a great phone but cost at €250 doesn't seem worth it for a phone that's a couple of years old.

I'm eligible for an upgrade with Eir but keen to move away from them to a cheaper monthly deal. Have zero experience of buying phones outside of the Eir / Vodafone experience so kind of unsure where to get an unlocked Android phone, how to keep number, port contacts, which of the SIM-only offerings are best for coverage and data.

Naive questions I know but would appreciate any advice going!

Pataman

Switch to Gomo. Its cheaper and the buy an unlocked phone.

I use Redmi Pro 9 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Xiaomi-Redmi-128GB-Interstellar-VERSION/dp/B088FQRW9Y/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=redmi%2B9%2Bpro&link_code=qs&qid=1630188257&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-3&th=1

Great phone

beachhead

Go to 48.ie for e10.99 a month.Allowances can be used in the EU.The UK is included in their roaming package right now.Calling/texting outside of the EU requires a credit top up to be added to your monthly subscription.Order 2 sims online from them(you might need 2 seperate email addresses for this.To get a cheap phone look at Vodafone.ie Use one of the 48 sim to port the number that 48 allocate to the sim to Vodafone with your chosen phone(its unlocked).

Esel

Tescomobile phones work on 48 (both on Three network).

Gomo is on Eir network (I think Eir phones are unlocked to Gomo).

Clear is on Vodafone network, not sure whether VF phones are unlocked to Clear.

Look at your options with possible Eir upgrade - can you switch to a cheaper Eir plan, is the new phone unlocked to Gomo etc.

SIM-free may be a good idea.

Atlantic Dawn

Coverage in your home can depend on the network, I've seen homes even in built up areas where one or more networks can be useless but others perfect. If it was me I would commit to nothing initially, try to either ask those living near you or experiment with various networks to see which is best. Comreg provide a coverage map for the various networks, should be a good initial guide...https://coveragemap.comreg.ie/map

There's a special on at Amazon for the next few days on the Redmi 9 for £120, an absolute bargain at that price, a budget version of Pataman's phone...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Xiaomi-Redmi-Version-Official-Warranty/dp/B08JGX41KS/ref%3Dsr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=redmi+note+9+pro&qid=1630189343&sr=8-3

Another good option is the Redmi Note 10 5G for €99.99 when switching from another network to Vodafone pay as you go...

https://n.vodafone.ie/shop/phones/xiaomi/redmi-note-10-5g.html?gallery=payg

babelfish1990

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058206313/advice-on-sim-only-contract-and-new-phone

Generally you are better advised to buy the handset outright and select the plan that is closest to your ongoing needs. The Eir €9.99pm unlimited plan is hard to beat if you are able to bundle again with Broadband/TV. This is even better value than the GoMo €14.99 plan, which is also Eir! The €9.99 plan is for 12 months, and you need to call them after 12 months to extend it for another 12 months. I have got it extended year after year for several years - but if you don't ask, the price will go up. While more expensive, the GoMo plan has the advantage of being "for life", and may work if you are no longer willing to look for a bundle. If you are getting your handset separately, you may have issues getting WiFi calling working - as Android needs to have the specific Eir/GoMo settings in the firmware. You could just buy a handset from Eir's prepay range, and pay for it outright. If you get a handset from another source, you need to check that it has the Eir version of firmware.

If you are worried about coverage, WiFi calling is the ultimate solution, as it lets you control your own coverage indoors. (Outdoor coverage is seldom a problem) However, you need to ensure that you select a carrier and a handset that supports it.