I hated being tied to a monthly mobile phone contract. I like having freedom and being able to control how much I spend each month. I don't want to throw away my money, so now I always go with a pay as you go sim only option.
I wasn't sure if my current phone would be compatible with the Vodafone pay as you go sim . But, it didn't matter, Vodafone sorted it all out, and unlocked it for me. I'm more than happy with my phone, and it still works perfectly. Keeping it saves me money and I don't have to waste my time learning how to use a new phone. I like the fact that you can keep your old number too. There's nothing worse than having to waste your credit sending out the.. I've changed my number text. It's expensive too, especially if you've got a lot of mates.
There are all sorts of pay as you go options like the Vodafone super sim you can choose from. I find that I use my phone the most at the weekends, so I top up with a fiver and get my weekend calls free. I also get unlimited texts too, so my credit goes a lot further these days.
You can get a lot more for your money these day with a sim only option, and some Vodafone pay as you go packages offer even more minutes and texts than monthly contracts. If you top up £10 with the Vodafone freedom pack you get 100 minutes and 300 texts. Add just another fiver and you double you talktime and texts.
If you are interested in what Vodafone have to offer, take a look at their sim only products.
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I got a pay as you go sim the last time I changed my phone. I wanted to keep my old handset as a back-up/work phone that I wouldn't have to worry about damaging.
Opting for a pay as you go sim card seemed like a good idea because you don't always want to mess about changing cards all the time. Having a disposable alternative number can be useful too.
Anyway, I never got round to adding any credit and, I believe, it would only last a certain time.
Is there an option available where you could buy some credit and it would last forever or until you actually used it?
Yes I think nowadays the pay as you go market has become very competitive and simply for that reason you can get a lot for £10 top up. I still feel that sim only plans (the 1 month contracts) tend to work out a little bit better than pay as you go. I agree Vodafone have some nice plans but it is very difficult to beat Orange and T-Mobile sim only offers.
I would only really go with Vodafone if I had to call abroad quite often. The other networks do not provide the best of prices up front without having to sign upto roaming offers etc.
Overall if anyone is going to top up more than £10 a month in my opinion they should opt for a sim only plan (1 month contracts).
As an initial answer to your question about buying some credit and making it last forever.
If you join a network on pay as you go and dont sign upto any of their bundles which offer you a certain number of mins and texts for 30 days, your credit should not run out until you have used it.
I do remember a few years back 3 did set a time limit on how long you had to use your credit before you lost it, i will look into it some more to be 100% sure.
The word contract and 1 month only dont sit together easily, i think people are confused by them and will stay with conventional payg.