[Goosegirl]

I have a little Doro phone which I only used for emergencies and am fancying a smartphone so I don't have to keep going back and forth to my PV to find info. Can you get one PAYG or do I have to take out a contract?

[mumofstig]

Yes, but you'll need to buy the phone outright to start with. Most people buy on a contract so that they can pay for the phone monthy, that's all.

[mrs bouquet]

Interestingly I have recently been doing my homework on the very same.    Mum is right and you can PAYG on any of them, but do need to buy it outright.
Like you Gg, my phone is in my bag for 1 reason and that is in case the car breaks down.     Mine is an original Samsung with a flip lid.    I put £10 on at a time which lasts months and months, sometimes I might text somebody, but not often.    It takes 'photos (waste of time for me  ) Set alarms, baby listener, and other things I do not use.     
I reason I looked is because my daughter and s-in-l, now only use their mobiles.     I have an I-pad, laptop and landline, people I wish to speak to know my number and email.    I looked at Doro because of my hearing disability.        In the end I decided I did not want to be a clone, and spend my life affixed to a 'phone, so shall stay like I am.     But Mum is right, the answer is yes !!!  sorry to ramble on.   Mrs B

[Mr Dog]

Depending how much you are paying (and using) per month on PAYG it could be cheaper to get a contract with a phone included (from around £7.50 a month with an upgrade every 2 years if you're happy not to have a latest phone). Smartphones can be picked up new fairly cheaply (I'd expect to pay from around £30, although you may have to also buy some credit at the same time) but you might be lucky and find a friend or relative will happily give you their old phone if they're upgrading. Just make sure that the phone is either unlocked or not locked to a network you don't want to use.

[pipfit]

I just got a new smartphone on Tesco 2 years contract 500 mins per month £6 per month and £6 upfront !st payment
pipfit

[jezza]

Hello I have my phone (Samsung J3)on contract I have unlimited calls unlimited texts 22G of data for£20 a month it's set up to run my computer as I don't have broad band I bought the phone for £169 from o2 shop ,Have a word with a phone provider as some networks don't cover all areas   jezza

[jezza]

Hello I have just been on o2 web site they do have pay and go smart phones  jezza

[Mr Dog]

I just got a new smartphone on Tesco 2 years contract 500 mins per month £6 per month and £6 upfront !st payment
pipfit

All 3 of us are with Tesco -  family perks gives us all an extra (2 with extra data and 1 with extra Tesco to Tesco mins) + Clubcard points. Coverage around the country is pretty good (uses O2 network) with only our popular haunt in the Lakes where we've had difficulties, although most providers aren't covered there and the one that is can be a bit hit and miss. I'd definitely recommend.

[Goosegirl]

MB, sometimes we seem to have the same way of thinking. I watch my niece using hers to find an instant website, info or pic and am now wondering if I'm either trying to keep up with the times and do I really need a Smartphone, or should I just get up off my bum, go into my office and find what I want on my PC. 

[jaydig]

I'm the same as one or two others on here. My phone doesn't even take photos.  All it does is make phone calls, plus send and accept messages, if I haven't lost the will to live by the time I've laboriously entered every single letter by clicking various numbers the required number of times in order to select each one. The alarm is very useful though.  I try not to get it out in public as it causes much amusement, particularly among the young, switched on people, but it does what I want it to do. I carry it in my pocket on the allotment because these days if I fall down I struggle to get back up again, and would stand no chance if I actually hurt myself. I couldn't tell you what the number is for it.  It is recorded on the house phone, but only because I rang and then added my name to the entry, just in case my hubby ever needs to get in touch, but even then he'd struggle because I keep it switched off permanently, only turning it on when I want to make a call. It's only for emergencies, and I can't think of anything worse than a phone continually going off when I'm trying to have some time away from everything and everyone - not that I don't love them, but sometimes you just need some down time.

[Yorkie]

I've been having this conversation with my Mum this last week.  She has an old PAYG phone that works perfectly well but is not a smart phone.  My brother had suggested that she got a smartphone so that they can  send updates about the family to her without having to go to the trouble of writing emails etc.  You can just buy the smartphone outright, and then decide which network provider / tariff you want to sign up to - or you can sign up to a contract.

When deciding whether you want to use PAYG or go onto a monthly deal (which can either be for a fixed period, or monthly if you buy the handset separately), consider how much you are likely to use the phone.  I don't make many calls and don't send that many texts, and I am usually within range of wi-fi at home or work, so I don't use much chargeable data.  Therefore, Three's 3-2-1 PAYG tariff does fine for me.  It's the cheapest of the major networks, at 3p/min calls, 2p/text, and 1p/MB data (£10/GB).  I reckon I put about £10 top up on it every 3-4 months perhaps.

However, if you're going to be spending more than about £4 per month then it's worth looking at either of the types of contracts.

Some handsets are very cheap.  Mine is a Motorola Moto G - a good little smartphone but doesn't have a great camera.  The current version is about £100.  I've been very happy with mine and its predecessor.

If you're going to end up changing network provider, consider how much PAYG credit you have left currently.  Mum has got about £16 credit, which is not to be sniffed at.  I'll suggest that she uses that up before switching to a new provider, or she'll lose it.

Feel free to ask any other questions 

[Fairy Plotmother]

I bought my phone outright and have a 7 day data package with EE. It suits me well as I don't make calls unless I have to and don't send many texts. I use itmostly within the confines of my wifi for messaging my daughters. we have great fun on WhatsApp!!!! This costs me £1 a week. it started with 10 mins  calls, 10 texts and 100mb of data. every 12 weeks I have been able to choose a loyalty bonus. So now for my £, I have 600 mb of data, 40 mins of calls and 35 texts weekly. This is all plenty for me!!!

[mrs bouquet]

A friend came by yesterday.  I don't know what to do about my mobile, she said.   I am with BT, and pay £12 a month, but I never use it.    What should I do ?     When my laughter subsided, I told her.  
I thought I out to check mine today, and I had a message,  but I couldn't hear it anyway, so just deleted.   If it was important they will find another way.   Mrs B

[grinling]

Look for an Sim free Android with a screen at least 4.5".
Sim free so you can go to any network, you can keep your number by porting it.
Son uses giff gaff pay monthly, which means he can change his tarriff amount per month. He uses data away from home (school). It was cheaper to buy phone and pay tarriff than all in. Giff gaff uses O2 network
Hubby has Tesco mobile, costs more per month o2 network
I have EE PAYG, don't use data, only use wifi at home, but as we have BT we can also access free wifi when elsewhere.
contract can last from 24 months to 36 months.
if you use messenger or similar, free calls