Best SIM only contract for less than £15?

Tethering is explicitly banned on most unlimited phone packages. If you start downloading large amounts tethered, you'll generally get it terminated.

Hene why I gave the Ofcom link

At my house, I can easily get HSDPA on Virgin

At my work place, the only network that actually works over there is Vodafone.. (Despite the place having MORE cell towers)

Basically, the link is to give the OP an idea of the cell towers in there area

Also, consider the location of the tower - we have MORE towers at the workplace, but they're in bad locations...

I didn't want to quote the above because it was too long so I'll quote this.

I'm looking for reliability and cheapness definitely. I don't think I need unlimited data anymore, I can try and use wifi as much as I can!
I'm not too sure about 4G now but if I get 3G or3.5G, how long will it take to get to 4G.

Thank you for everyone replying, it's been useful!

Virgin is pretty reliable. They used to use the T-Mobile network. They now use the EE network (Which is Orange & T-Mobile) AFAIK, they are the biggest network in the UK at the time being

Because it's so large, it takes a bit longer to improve the infrastructure. I know how long things to take to even move things from one place to another in large organisations (It takes us around 6-8 months just to move some servers to another place in the same damn room, because of bureaucracy and risk)

To roll out 4G would take a bit longer. That being said, they'll definitely do it probably relatively quickly, because the business case for 4G is compelling ie: the risk is worth it

And with VM's EE partnership, Virgin media business can perhaps also sell some of it's services back to EE, to help move us forwards with 4G. It's a nice little domino effect

Most networks offer 3.5G atm (or HSDPA)

Are EE any good in your area? Also, it depends on the phone you have. I think my phone (Nexus 4) doesn't support 4G/LTE, but the nexus 5 does

Older versions of iPhones don't support 4G/LTE either

PErsonally, I find that 1GB is plenty for me

I tend to use just under 3 hours of minutes each month (So around 180 minutes), barely any texts (cos WhatsApp), and around 500 - 900Mb/data per month

As I said before, Virgin are bloody good for retention deals as well, especially if you're a Virgin media customer?

tl:dr - If you don't need the "unlimited" data go with Virgin. In around 3 months time, tell Virgin that three gives me x y and z, for 10p less AND it's 4g. You'll probably get a discount ie: you'd probably pay aound 20-25% less than before

If you have an android phone (Might also be an app for other phones), download "call metre 3G" or is it "call meter 3G" Any way, download that, to see exactly how many minutes you are using per month

Currently I get

Unlimited minutes
Unlimited texts
Unlimited VM to VM
Unlimited calls to landlines
Unlimited internet
Nokia C3-01 (that I sold)

For £17.49/month

As I don't need Unlimited minutes, texts, VM to VM, landlines, or unlimited internet, I'm happy to go for the £10/month sim only rolling contract

Wow! Thank you so much!! I'm leaning very much to virgin now!
I'm also happy to go with the £10/month sim only rolling contract (250mins, 1GB, unlimited texts)
Do you have to renew it every month or can you pre-order it like 3 months ahead so renew it every 3 months instead?

EE is good in my area and I'll be getting the moto g so I think 4G is available on that..probably not actually.

Neither - rolling month contracts renew automatically unless you choose to cancel

Could be worth googling if the Moto g has 4G or not tbh. For me, when network is pretty good (aside from the town I work in... but not working for much longer in) I'm happy to stick with Virgin

I also hope to get this deal for around £6-£7 in three months time

Thanks again! I've had a look just now and moto g has a 3G handset and a 4G one but if I choose the 3G, can u upgrade to 4G later on by updating the phone? I'm new to all this

Basically, no

AFAIK you'd need an actual 4G transmitter inside the phone - one of the costs associated with upgrading to 4G for the telecoms companies is the additional hardware (as well as licencing)

For the end user (ie: you and me) you'd also need to upgrade your hardware ie: the mobile device, to receive 4G

I guess with Virgin if you don't like them after a month you can switch to three if you want as well...

Is 2G any beneficial?

Virgin are BLOODY good for retention deals

My mum had a contract for:

£12/month

1200 minutes
Unlimited texts
Unlimited calls to VM numbers
1GB data
12 months contract

That now costs £8.74/month on a rolling month contract

In November, I'll get a Virgin sim only contract (in my own name, instead of my mums) for the £10/month rolling contract, and then after three months, tell them it costs too much

Have a look here:

http://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/compare/sim_only_deals/

Well kinda.

What's meant to happen is that you're meant to drop down a band for each "loss of service" I think the rationale behind keeping all this existing, costly, legacy equipment is to ensure that end users can ring the emergency services when needed

Basically

No 4G (LTE) = drop to 3.75G (HSPA)
No 3.75G = drop to 3.5G (HSDPA)
No 3.5G = drop down to 3G (UMTS)
No 3G = drop down to 2.5G (EDGE)
No 2.5G = drop down to GPRS (2G)
No 2G = drop down to GSM
No GSM = emergency calls only

Looking at the Ofcom site, it looks like three doesn't actually have any cell towers below UMTS, so not sure how their infrastructure would work, in comparison to other providers



FYI

Ahah, thanks so much . My contract runs out in October - I'll deffo give it a looksie.

Awesome cheers for the info!

Also 30 day deals are worse value than 12 month ones

That's not necessarily true. Virgin's sim only deals are ONLY 30 day deals, yet still beat 12 month deals on other networks

Virgin doesn't do 12 month sim only contracts

For othe providers, perhaps, but then phone them and haggle and say "But but x provider only charges this much. Waaah" and you'll probably get a better deal