I've been a Tesco Mobile customer for about 2 years now, when it was slightly less popular and somewhat looked on quite negatively by some. I'm very glad I signed up with them, however, as I've found the service and tariff to be more than satisfactory!

... The Sim ...

Tesco Sim cards can be bought in-store and online. A Pay As You Go sim with £10 credit costs £10, however they're currently £5 on their website which is a bargain. Alternatively, they offer free sims without credit, which is also a great offer as most service providers charge for empty sims.

... The Tariffs ...

Tesco Mobile now has two main tariffs: a basic pay as you go or pay monthly. When I first signed up, I was on Tesco Value. I thought the value tariff may prove as lifeless as their value cardboard biscuits, however it was just as good as top brand services at a fraction of the price. Unfortunately, they no longer offer the Value Tariff, as I found out when I swapped from value to standard and was told I wouldn't be able to go back to value.

:: Pay Monthly :: - There are a few different options available with their flexible credit scheme, for example £10 a month will get you £40 'flexible' credit that month (the equivalent to 400 minutes talk time or 800 texts). If you pay £30 a month you with their 'unlimited' package, you get unlimited calls, texts and browsing.

:: Pay As You Go :: - This is what I'm now on. The cost charges are simple and straightforward: flat rate anytime calls are 20p and texts are 10p.

The great thing about their pay as you go is that you can select a 'top 5' of numbers you regularly use, and these are easy to set up via your phone or Tesco online mobile account. You then get half price calls and texts to all five of these numbers which is a bargain.

Currently, as a way of promoting Tesco Mobiile, they're offering free credit each time you top up per month: top up £10 and receive £10 free credit to use that month. Topping up £15 gives you £30 free credit and topping up £20 gives you a whopping £40 free credit!

It's important to note that free credit usually takes a day or two to register on your phone and wont show on your usual balance. There's a separate number to check your free credit, which will only last for that month so it's best to use it up rather than let it go to waste (says she who struggled to spend £10 in a month).

... Clubcard Points ...

Topping up, as well as purchasing Tesco Mobile Phones is a great way to add some extra points on your clubcard. There are frequently offers, such as getting triple clubcard points per top up, so it's a good additional bonus because 'every little helps'!

... Ease Of Use ...

I've found that setting up a sim, changing tariffs, finding information I need, checking credit etc is all made easy and simple with Tesco Mobile. Their website, tescomobile.com neatly lays out their price plans in plain English, so there's nothing to confuse you or small print to tie you up with.

... The Service Provider ...

I've not had any problems with Tesco Mobile so far, so there's nothing negative I have to say about them as a service provider. They're coverage over the UK seems very good; bearing in mind no reception will be perfect, Tesco Mobile are satisfactory and quite possibly better than Virgin Mobile who I was with previously.

... Customer Service ...

I've changed tariffs once or twice whilst being with Tesco Mobile, as well as changing my number over, and I'm pleased to say any changes have always been relatively hassle-free. The customer service on the phone and online have always been very helpful. Email responses are quick and informative, and so I feel they're very knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to queries or requests.

... Overall ...

I would definitely recommend Tesco Mobile, especially with some of their current offers which are an appealing bonus on top of an already reasonably-priced price plan. Whether you choose pay as you go or pay monthly, there is something to suit every need and price budget.

Tesco Mobile is brilliant because of it's simplicity and ease of use. The sims and tariffs are clear cut and do the job very well, so I would suggest looking into Tesco Mobile if you're thinking of changing because changing is easy and you have the option of transferring your current number without a fuss.