Business mobile - SIM card only or contract

[KayaPapaya]

Hello Geeks

Got a bit of a dilemma - I'm due to qualify shortly from my hairdressing and want to get prepared - and start advertising - so I need a phone number.

I don't want to use my personal mobile number for business so was thinking of getting either a SIM only deal or a cheap pay monthly mobile.

Pro's and cons -

Sim only - have to top-up £10 a month anyway, or you can lose the number (not good if it's advertised and I've forgotten to top up!)

Monthly pay: Or being locked into a 24 month contract for £10 a month, if I don't get any business! But the safety of knowing I'll have that number.

Really not sure what to do. I don't want to jinx myself if business is slow and I'll only be doing p/t evening to fit around my day job initially.

What do you reckon is the best option?

PS Really sorry if this has been asked before, I did search but didn't find quite what I wanted!

 

[Christy.]

You will only lose the number if you don't make a chargeable phone call every 6 months on pay and go. If you don't top up for 3 years, you'll lose the number. If you do lose the number as long as you ask them to reconnect it within 12 months you'll get it back. I work for O2, if you have any questions just PM me x

 

[KayaPapaya]

Thank you for the replies!

Still not sure what to do though!

 

[Christy.]

Why don't you start off on pay and go, see how you get on, then if need be, move onto sim only or a phone contract?

 

[facelashbrow]

Why don't you start off on pay and go, see how you get on, then if need be, move onto sim only or a phone contract?

I agree if you're not sure. If you do upgrade, you can ask for your PAC code so you keep your number. Although with a contract you'll get a phone too.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Baggybear]

I decided to get a contract phone as I planed to make my business work.

I got a 500 minutes with a ton of texts and unlimited internet for £21 month & I got a Nokia sturdy canybar style handset.

If you plan to include your bills in your business expenses you should NOT use the minutes to call friends or family it should be 100% business use :wink2:.

 

[sarahlou09]

I have a pay as you go sim with my spare phone & it does me I didn't want a contract as I will be getting a landline once I have premises.

 

[KayaPapaya]

Thank you for all your advice ladies and gents Appreciate it.

Baggybear I know what you mean, it's not my intention to not make a go of it, but the economic climate and my limited working hours is the only thing that's holding me back! And the fact I need to pass my course first!! HAHA

But doing some research tonight, there's some crazy contract phones for £7.50-£10 a month at the moment, which is just nuts!

Cheaper than topping up and liveable with if business doesn't go as well as planned I can cope paying out £7.50 a month LOL!

Hmm!

 

[Belle Vie]

I've just switched over from PAYG that was costing me £20 a month to a SIM only contract giving me more minutes etc for only £6 a month for 12 months, I can up the package as I expand things.

 

[KayaPapaya]

That's a good deal Belle Vie.

The thing tempting me towards contract/pay monthly is getting a newish, modern, phone as well. They only seem to offer 24 month contracts though - well for a price I'm willing to pay! It's the 24 mths IF it all goes horribly wrong that's bugging me.

I already pay a lot for my own phone, I don't need another big phone bill expense, but want reliability if that makes any sense Fussy blighter aren't I?!

 

[Belle Vie]

That's actually how I got my deal. I wanted an upgrade on my current phone, I was paying £20 a month for personal and £20 a month for business, now I'm paying £35 a month personal, £6 a month business and using my current (old) iphone for the business line with a shiny new iphone (for free!) for personal.

I've been a customer for donkey's years so just kept on asking if they could do better until I was happy with it, the first person I spoke to said they couldn't discount and wanted £100 for the iphone 5, the 2nd was more helpful! :wink2:

 

[KayaPapaya]

That's ACE! I'm rubbish at getting deals I threaten every year to leave my company and they say oh ok then!
I don't spend much on my personal phone, but I'm now stuck in to a 2 year contract with the iPhone (personal) as well! Lol!

Maybe I'll give them a call and see what they'll do.

 

[fojo]

I've just switched over from PAYG that was costing me £20 a month to a SIM only contract giving me more minutes etc for only £6 a month for 12 months, I can up the package as I expand things.

Wot network is that on?

 

[KayaPapaya]

Well geeks an update:

Went for the pay as you go. Got the SIM yesterday evening. After spending an hour faffing about trying to register, add money, etc, etc. Thought I'll just test the number and have a quick look on FB.
Managed to spend sum total of £3.80 off the £10 top up in less than 5 minutes. Not very happy about this! LOL!

Got on the phone to the Supermarket mobile website, got a £10 a month capped deal with a fancy'ish smartphone, 500 minutes, 5000 texts and a good data allowance... Chuffed!

 

[Tomme]

I have a Payg phone for work. My personal phone is £45 a month contract so wanted to keep costs down. Most of my bookings are through salon landline phone so I don't use my work mobile
Much. Would have been a waste if contract as I only spent £1 in the last month (ordering my own diner lol). Xoxo

 

[KayaPapaya]

I want to keep landline and mobile numbers personal so seemed like best idea this time! Of worst comes to worse £10 a month will be fine to pay!
Fingers crossed it all goes well!