Best PAYG network! (Tesco Mobile SIM)

Member Name: numpylicious

Product:	Tesco Mobile SIM
Date:	18/06/09 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Half price calls and texts to 5 numbers, bonus credit AND clubcard points!

Disadvantages: Website isn't great

Following the many adverts Tesco Mobile have around about how good their network is, I researched it a bit and decided to change networks.

What I love about Tesco Mobile is that you get rewarded for topping up. I top up £15, and get £30 back in free, bonus credit. This expires after a month, but I usually use it up before then. This still leaves me with £15 to spend the next month, so my top up tends to last around 6 weeks.

Tesco Mobile's tariff is quite good too. 20p a minute to call, and 10p texts. I think this is pretty standard. However what sets them apart from their PAYG competition is that you can halve the price of calls and texts to 5 numbers. You can change these online and over the phone. This means that to 5 numbers you can call for 10p/min and text for 5p. This makes it a lot cheaper than any other networks out there, and I find that 5 numbers is just enough to have my mum, sister, boyfriend and friends in there.

Yet another advantage is that you get 30 clubcard points per £10 spent on top-up. If you use your points on meals, this means that you get £1.20 to spend in a restaurant per £10 topped up! I think this is great value, and it has really boosted my points (I'm collecting them for my boyfriend's birthday).

However, I have had a problem with Tesco Mobile. When trying to add my top 5 numbers, the automated phone call reassured me all my numbers had been saved. But when my balance was decreasing more rapidly than usual, I decided to check it out online. It turned out that only 1 number had saved, and the person's number who I was in touch with the most was not saved. This really annoyed me, but it was sorted out quite quickly by Tesco customer services through an email. They gave me back £8 in credit on my phone.

Another small annoyance is that Tesco Mobile haven't got a proper website like other networks do. Every time I want to log in a PIN gets sent to my phone. I don't understand why I can't just have login details to access my account.

Overall though, I would recommend Tesco Mobile to anybody who doesn't spend enough to warrant a contract, but spends too much to have a normal pay as you go phone.

Summary: Recommended to everyone!