giffgaff - What's the catch?

[seagulls4ever]

So the 15gb a month I use with GiffGaff for an all-in £12 would cost me £153.60 with 3 at 1p per MB?

I'm struggling with the value proposition there...

It is obviously not intended at people who use 15gb per month. If someone wants unlimited data transfer with Three, they have other packages. The PAYG package is terrific value and will save me loads of money when I switch to it once my contract ends.

 

[SeagullSongs]

There are no downsides. I never have any issues with signal, apart from at the Amex where the roof above blocks the signal, but that's to be expected.

I'm on £10pm, getting 500 minutes (unlimited giffgaff-to-giffgaff), unlimited texts, free WiFi and 1GB internet, which is sufficient for me.

My link if you want to order a sim: https://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/cmdrxander

 

[Kazenga <3]

giffgaff has been brilliant for me. Proper unlimited internet and not a ceiling of '500mb' which many networks falsely portray as unlimited.

I use about 4GB a month and get 200 minutes + unlimited texts for £12.

Or if you don't need the Internet allowance you can get 1GB for £10 as well as the minutes etc.

Depends what you use the phone for really, giffgaff is easily the best for Internet but if its minutes you want you may get a better deal elsewhere.

No problems with O2 coverage where I am (Haywards Heath).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I remember reading something about GG not allowing you to tether. Out of interest how does a network know you're doing this? Surely data is data regardless of how it is used?

 

[beorhthelm]

I'm tempted by GiffGaff but I'd have to buy a phone outright which, for the ones I want, is bloody expensive

you might want to look at the Motorola Razr i phone, its often on a deal under £200 new/not refurb. Its not as good as the top phones, but is considered a solid tier 1 device. an Everton or Fulham phone if you will. The Huawai phones are getting good reviews too.

on reception, how is O2/GiffGaff and 3 on the Brighton-London commute for data? i have a work Vodafone, connection is there but data rate is utter shite so browsing is bearly possible for much of journey. had Tmobile/Orange before which has blank patches but strong when there is reception.

 

[father_and_son]

The "disadvantage" with giff gaff is that there is no customer support. It's the network "run by you", so if something isn't working, you are expected to do the research and find the fix. If you have a slightly unusual/rare handset you might find that no-one else has encountered the same problem and posted the solution, but if you are using the mainstream hardware then there should be someone who's worked it out before you.

If you are a complete technophobe then stay well clear. If you and aren't afraid of fiddling with settings then go for it.

 

[father_and_son]

I remember reading something about GG not allowing you to tether. Out of interest how does a network know you're doing this? Surely data is data regardless of how it is used?

The device you are using adds all sorts of header information to internet traffic, so they know if its a normal computer sending the request. What normally catches them is tethering the same or very similar devices - before I had paid for tethering, I could use my iPhone as a hotspot for my iPad, but couldn't use the PC, XBox, etc.

 

[Matrix10]

I have used Giff Gaff now for about 18 months as recommended on here and think it is brilliant.
A friend of mine has 3 and has now had to take the issues he has to the Ombudsman as 3 will not now even attempt to resolve the problems

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The device you are using adds all sorts of header information to internet traffic, so they know if its a normal computer sending the request. What normally catches them is tethering the same or very similar devices - before I had paid for tethering, I could use my iPhone as a hotspot for my iPad, but couldn't use the PC, XBox, etc.

I sometimes use my iPhone as a hotspot for my ipad. How do I know if this is allowed or not? And what happens if they catch me?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The "disadvantage" with giff gaff is that there is no customer support.

Pretty much the same a virtually every other service I purchase then

 

[Bozza]

I remember reading something about GG not allowing you to tether. Out of interest how does a network know you're doing this? Surely data is data regardless of how it is used?

You won't get a tethering option when your phone is on GG, assuming you've not jailbroken your phone.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You won't get a tethering option when your phone is on GG, assuming you've not jailbroken your phone.

Okay. So the fact I do get the option to set up a hotspot on my '3' and Vodaphone SIMs implies they're both happy for me to tether and I will not get put in the sin bin?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

The "disadvantage" with giff gaff is that there is no customer support. It's the network "run by you", so if something isn't working, you are expected to do the research and find the fix. If you have a slightly unusual/rare handset you might find that no-one else has encountered the same problem and posted the solution, but if you are using the mainstream hardware then there should be someone who's worked it out before you.

If you are a complete technophobe then stay well clear. If you and aren't afraid of fiddling with settings then go for it.

although that actually makes it the most efficient customer support I've come across. I posted a technical question about my phone and got several answers straight away from several different people, that evolved into a conversation between them and an agreement on the best solution reached by the time I'd logged back on. They earnt some cash or points or something for helping out.

 

[father_and_son]

I sometimes use my iPhone as a hotspot for my ipad. How do I know if this is allowed or not? And what happens if they catch me?

Your contract will almost certainly have a clause that says you can't tether, but the chances of them actually catching you are nil (because to the network an iPhone and iPad look almost identical - and they supply sims for both so its too costly for them to account for the differences).

 

[beorhthelm]

...because to the network an iPhone and iPad look almost identical -

almost, except the HTTP headers will say "iphone" on one and "ipad" on the other, making it bleeding obvious to anyone wanting to check. ( dont know if this is how the networks monitor, but its certainly available option)

 

[sully]

When it came to wanting an iPhone 5, it was cheaper to get a contract phone through Quidco (£100 cashback) than to purchase the phone and stay on GiffGaff.

Up until then, I'd been very happy with the GiffGaff service on my 3GS. Once my 5 is paid for (i.e. done the 24 month contract), I may return to GiffGaff unless there's another phone I fancy by then, when I'll look at the options again.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

You're in SE London right..?

I've recently ditched O2 for EE, due to abysmal coverage in this area. So much better around here IMHO.

South west, but yes, coverage is a concern. How all companies cannot manage to cover all of London is a flaming mystery to me.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

Brilliant, thanks everyone. I have my own phone so if I can keep my number (it's got 1983 at the end of it so I can't be expected to dump it, can I), and researching O2's coverage comes up trumps, I have a pretty no-brained decision to make. Thanks again.

 

[16 bit 44.1]

It is great value but be warned. The coverage in certain part of Brighton is terrible. Its not a GG thing its an o2 thng but the result is the same. Google 'o2 coverage Brighton" then make your own mind up. For me up until about 4 weeks ago it was fine but now it is very intermittent out by Hove Park.

 

[timco]

Should anyone sign-up with GG then here cough is my cough link GG Link

However for low users who do not use the net for browsing websites much just facebook, email, twitter etc then the best value no pay as you go service has got to be Ovivomobile 150 mins 250 texts 500mb a month for £0 yep nothing. Sim costs £15 which you get in credit on the account but so long as you use less than these allowances the cost is nothing. The reason I say not so good for browsing websites is it has a few seconds of adverts on the browsing side before they send you to your chosen site but this is no biggie considering the upside. Does not affect apps like email and FB and Twitter etc just browser.

Ovivomobile is on the Vodafone network

I use both GG and Ovivo means it costs me about £10 over 3 months or so (dual sim phone when not goodybagged up with GG I use Ovivo and if I get close to running out my Ovivo then I buy a goodybag on GG).

Ovivo though, I will say it again, is only for low users not Darren anything above the free allowance is very expensive

They also do a free plan for dongles too.