In message , at 14:47:53 on Fri, 19 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 08:14:45 on Fri, 19 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 19:31:24 on Thu, 18
Jul 2019, MissRiaElaine remarked:
On 18/07/2019 15:18, Roland Perry wrote:

Networks have tried hard over the years to introduce their equivalent
of "standing charges" to fight back a little bit. One I'll be writing
about later (in more detail) in another subthread, is the O2
requirement that PAYG phones wanting to use the tube Wifi are topped
up at least once a month.

A standing charge equals a contract. Making someone top up monthly is
effectively forcing them onto one in all but name.

It's a slight discount, because the typical top-up would be £10 and the
typical contract £30.

A £30 monthly contract will usually include the phone as well, so you can't
compare it with a PAYG top-up.

I'm contrasting them.

No, you were comparing them when you said that it was a slight discount.

I might have been comparing the price (where is the Meercat when you
need him) but contrasting the T&C - most obviously is there a "free
phone" involved.

You need to compare the latter with SIM-only contracts, and they're
typically around £10pm.

You are skirting round the half-way house:

And because you can stop any time you like (apart from some more
recent hybrid plans that include a partly-subsidised phone) it's not
in any sense a "contract".

For example Tesco plans which will sell you a locked phone combined with
a minimum of 12 month pay-monthly SIM for less than a true unlocked
SIM-free one.

So PAYG only works out cheaper if you don't top up every month.

That depends entirely on the underlying cost[s] of the phone hardware
and the respective monthly payments.

No, I was correctly stating that, "PAYG only works out cheaper [than a
SIM-only contract] if you don't top up every month". No phone hardware is
included in either, so its cost is irrelevant.

Sadly, that ignores the specific case I mentioned of Tesco subsidised
hardware on a PAYG deal.
--
Roland Perry