On 14/09/2020 13:04, AnthonyL wrote:
On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 13:33:02 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

On 12/09/2020 13:30, AnthonyL wrote:
On Fri, 11 Sep 2020 18:37:06 -0000 (UTC), Chris
wrote:

Robert wrote:
On 11/09/2020 16:43, Reentrant wrote:
On 11/09/2020 16:09, David wrote:
I'm looking for a backup SIM which will keep a phone going but not
require
a monthly top up.

Ideally Vodaphone (to diversify networks) but retaining credit long term
is more important.

Cheers



Dave R



Giffgaff. You just have to make one chargeable call or text every 6
months to keep it "alive" and I think they warn you in good time before
they close the account. Topup credits last indefinitely (ie top up,
don't buy a monthly "goodybag"). It's ideal for low usage.

Runs on the O2 network.

Also Three's 321 tariff, topups do not run out. They also do a free
200MB per month data card.
I think everyone requires occasional usage to keep the SIM active.


Doesn't exist anymore.


Really - where do you look to not see that?

3 certainly does a basic free sim that is payg


Yes I know - I have several of both types. It wasn't clear what
"Doesn't exist anymore" and it read as though the Data Rewards
doesnt' exit when in fact it is the 321 that disappointing has
disappeared.



well my credit never runs out. I use the thing so little that I never
convert it to a time expiring 'deal'.

I have no idea what I have - just 3 payg is all I know

--
"And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch".

Gospel of St. Mathew 15:14

"Apd" wrote in message
...
"Java Jive" wrote:
On 13/09/2020 12:38, Apd wrote:
"Java Jive" wrote:
[...] for everyday life something that has a convenient range for
everyday measurements is required [...]

Which is why, for everyday visualisation, I prefer inches and feet
rather than divisions of metres.

Fine, if that's what you're used to, but the conversions are horrible,

True.

and you could just use m or cm as appropriate - a person's height is
much easier to express in metres than feet and inches:
1.935m or 6'4"3/16?

Sure, they are cumbersome for precise measurement. However, for
general visualisation the small fractions aren't needed. An inch is
about the length of a fingerbone and a foot the length of my forearm.
Those human-related units are a convenient range and make it easy to
describe and visualise human-scale height and length etc. in
conversation.

It depends which you regard as more important: human-sized units or a
measurement system that makes for easier conversion between units of the
same quantity (eg mm, cm, m, km) and for easy conversion between linear,
volumetric and (for water) mass.

It's not a clear-cut decision. I know my height and weight better in ft/in
and lb/stone respectively than I do in metric. But if I have to measure
anything, I always use metric in case I have to do unit conversion.

I realised that imperial had utterly lost the plot when I discovered that
the conversion factor between cubic inches and pints/gallons (at least for
Uk as opposed to US) is not just an obscure number, but it's not even a
f-ing integer (*). :-( I discovered that when I wanted estimate how heavy a
hot water cylinder would be full of water, and I only had an imperial tape
measure. pi-r-squared-l is easy enough - let pi be approximately 3 for a
rough estimate to the nearest 10 kg: all I wanted to know was an order of
magintude. Since neither I nor my dad knew how many cubic inches in a gallon
(a gallon of water weighs 10 lb), we had to convert everything to metric,
and then use the nice simple conversion 1000 cc water weighs 1 kg. We came
to the conclusion that baulks of 2x4" timber *would* be strong enough.


(*) It's 277.42. A nice "simple" conversion ;-)

NY wrote:
"Apd" wrote in message
...
"Java Jive" wrote:
On 13/09/2020 12:38, Apd wrote:
"Java Jive" wrote:
[...] for everyday life something that has a convenient range for
everyday measurements is required [...]

Which is why, for everyday visualisation, I prefer inches and feet
rather than divisions of metres.

Fine, if that's what you're used to, but the conversions are horrible,

True.

and you could just use m or cm as appropriate - a person's height is
much easier to express in metres than feet and inches:
1.935m or 6'4"3/16?

Sure, they are cumbersome for precise measurement. However, for
general visualisation the small fractions aren't needed. An inch is
about the length of a fingerbone and a foot the length of my forearm.
Those human-related units are a convenient range and make it easy to
describe and visualise human-scale height and length etc. in
conversation.

It depends which you regard as more important: human-sized units or a
measurement system that makes for easier conversion between units of the
same quantity (eg mm, cm, m, km) and for easy conversion between linear,
volumetric and (for water) mass.

It's not a clear-cut decision. I know my height and weight better in ft/in
and lb/stone respectively than I do in metric. But if I have to measure
anything, I always use metric in case I have to do unit conversion.

I realised that imperial had utterly lost the plot when I discovered that
the conversion factor between cubic inches and pints/gallons (at least for
Uk as opposed to US) is not just an obscure number, but it's not even a
f-ing integer (*). :-( I discovered that when I wanted estimate how heavy a
hot water cylinder would be full of water, and I only had an imperial tape
measure. pi-r-squared-l is easy enough - let pi be approximately 3 for a
rough estimate to the nearest 10 kg: all I wanted to know was an order of
magintude. Since neither I nor my dad knew how many cubic inches in a gallon
(a gallon of water weighs 10 lb), we had to convert everything to metric,
and then use the nice simple conversion 1000 cc water weighs 1 kg. We came
to the conclusion that baulks of 2x4" timber *would* be strong enough.


(*) It's 277.42. A nice "simple" conversion ;-)



I keep hearing all of these arguments about how much more “human friendly�
imperial units are, but I think it's really just down to what you are used
to. I've never found anyone over in continental Europe struggle with
estimating dimensions or weight in metric units, unless you are prepared to
admit that they are more intelligent than we are

It's a bit like school uniform, another of my pet hates. Every single
teacher or head teacher I've spoken to thinks it is absolutely vital to the
functioning of their school. Not one of them has ever managed to coherently
explain how almost all of the rest of Europe manages without it when
challenged. I do know a UK teacher of German origin - he thinks we are
quite mad, and I agree with him.

Our inability to even consider that we might be wrong and other countries
might be doing things better is a bit if a British problem.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Also Three's 321 tariff, topups do not run out. They also do a free
200MB per month data card.
I think everyone requires occasional usage to keep the SIM active.


Doesn't exist anymore.


Really - where do you look to not see that?

3 certainly does a basic free sim that is payg


Yes I know - I have several of both types. It wasn't clear what
"Doesn't exist anymore" and it read as though the Data Rewards
doesnt' exit when in fact it is the 321 that disappointing has
disappeared.



well my credit never runs out. I use the thing so little that I never
convert it to a time expiring 'deal'.

I have no idea what I have - just 3 payg is all I know


3 still do a PAYG sim which the credit does not run out, but its now
10p min 10p text and 5p MB
and also has this the the T&C
"if within a 180 days you have not made any chargeable events or activities
(for example, made telephone calls, sent text or photo messages, accessed
content using the internet or any other Three Services for which a charge is
made), we may also suspend our Services or disconnect you."

-

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 14/09/2020 13:04, AnthonyL wrote:
On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 13:33:02 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

On 12/09/2020 13:30, AnthonyL wrote:
On Fri, 11 Sep 2020 18:37:06 -0000 (UTC), Chris
wrote:

Robert wrote:
On 11/09/2020 16:43, Reentrant wrote:
On 11/09/2020 16:09, David wrote:
I'm looking for a backup SIM which will keep a phone going but not
require
a monthly top up.

Ideally Vodaphone (to diversify networks) but retaining credit long
term
is more important.

Cheers



Dave R



Giffgaff. You just have to make one chargeable call or text every 6
months to keep it "alive" and I think they warn you in good time
before
they close the account. Topup credits last indefinitely (ie top up,
don't buy a monthly "goodybag"). It's ideal for low usage.

Runs on the O2 network.

Also Three's 321 tariff, topups do not run out. They also do a free
200MB per month data card.
I think everyone requires occasional usage to keep the SIM active.


Doesn't exist anymore.


Really - where do you look to not see that?

3 certainly does a basic free sim that is payg


Yes I know - I have several of both types. It wasn't clear what
"Doesn't exist anymore" and it read as though the Data Rewards
doesnt' exit when in fact it is the 321 that disappointing has
disappeared.



well my credit never runs out. I use the thing so little that I never
convert it to a time expiring 'deal'.

but you do use it enough, so that it doen't expire for under-use

unlike a phone kept in the glove box for emergencies that might not be used
for 5 years (I think I've broken down 3 times in a life time)

tim

"Brian Gregory" wrote in message
...
On 11/09/2020 16:46, Robert wrote:
I think everyone requires occasional usage to keep the SIM active.

Virgin certainly used not to.

my ASDA mobile PAYG is still available

even though the webpage pushes monthly bundles at you, they aren't
compulsory and it works like a true PAYG if you don't use bundles

"Jim GM4 DHJ ..." wrote in message
...
On 12/09/2020 22:54, Brian Gregory wrote:
On 11/09/2020 16:46, Robert wrote:
I think everyone requires occasional usage to keep the SIM active.

Virgin certainly used not to.

My first ever mobile phone in 2002 was on Virgin and that SIM still works
today even though it's only been topped up once since about 2008.
It's in my emergency cheapo backup mobile phone which I only switch on
very occasionally to see if it still works.

who remembers vodaphone when you had to pay for line rental as well as
calls ?...on payg

it wasn't just Voda, it was everybody

But it wasn't just "rental" they were extracting with their monthly dip into
your PAYG credit

it was to payback the subsidy on the phones, which doen't really cost 10
pounds

"R. Mark Clayton" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, 13 September 2020 09:25:39 UTC+1, Jim GM4 DHJ ... wrote:
On 12/09/2020 22:54, Brian Gregory wrote:
On 11/09/2020 16:46, Robert wrote:
I think everyone requires occasional usage to keep the SIM active.

Virgin certainly used not to.

My first ever mobile phone in 2002 was on Virgin and that SIM still
works today even though it's only been topped up once since about 2008.
It's in my emergency cheapo backup mobile phone which I only switch on
very occasionally to see if it still works.

who remembers vodaphone when you had to pay for line rental as well as
calls ?...on payg

No, but in 1986 rental was £25pm, calls 25p/min (33p in London) with no
included minutes. Oh and a pocketable phone cost £2k + VAT

PAYG with a monthly service fee was normal in 96-97 (ish). PAYG didn't
exist before 96 and by 99 contracts without monthly fees existed. 50ppm call
costs were normal.

But you couldn't roam with early PAYG, because the networks hadn't cracked
real-time billing

tim

"Mark" wrote in message ...

"David" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a backup SIM which will keep a phone going but not
require
a monthly top up.

Ideally Vodaphone (to diversify networks) but retaining credit long term
is more important.

Cheers



Dave R

Asda is a cheap 321 payg sim like all the rest use once every 6 months to
keep it alive
ASDA Mobile currently uses the EE network to run it's service, but from
early 2021, it'll use the Vodafone network.


Oh balls, does that mean my "EE" locked iPhone will no longer work

"Tweed" wrote in message
...
David wrote:
I'm looking for a backup SIM which will keep a phone going but not
require
a monthly top up.

Ideally Vodaphone (to diversify networks) but retaining credit long term
is more important.

Cheers



Dave R



A standard Vodafone PAYG sim will keep its credit as long as you make a
chargeable call, or top it up, every 180 days.

but when I dumped it, Voda PAYG was 35 ppm (and no per second billing)