New Mobile Phone

[Rosetta]

our old PAYG phones have died ( being virtually steam driven) so I am thinking of having to buy a new one. Our big problem is lack of telephone signal where we live, the best we ever got was intermittent signal for txt only from 0. 2, usually having to traipse around the house/ village to get a signal. As we have wifi would the new phone be easy to link in to this . Sorry if this is a daft question, but I am totally not au fait with technology

[calmck]

Yes all phones have WiFi capability

[Samuraisan]

Yes if you join Whatsup and/or Facetime. Then you can make free wifi calls with whatsup, as long as the other person has also joined, and with Faacetime you can talk and see the other person.

[barry1010]

Or use the Skype app then you can call any landline or mobile phone anywhere in the world, regardless of whether they use Skype or not.

[barry1010]

I think you mean Whatsapp, Samuraisan :)

[bhg481]

People seem to be assuming that you are looking for a smartphone; ordinary PAYG phones don't use wifi. Furthermore I don't think you can make a telephone call via wifi but I stand to be corrected on that.

[Prudie]

You need a smartphone to be able to use WhatsApp etc to make calls via WiFi. Having a smartphone and good WiFi connection has no effect though on mobile signal and the ability to make calls and send texts the normal way.

[barry1010]

bhg, Skype and many other services uses wifi to call landline and other mobiles. I've been using Skype for years as I got rid of my landline.

Landlines and mobiles can call my Skype number and they have no idea that they are not calling a landline.

[theshedman]

I have a PAYG mobile smart phone and it uses wifi when I am at home or if I am somewhere I can connect to ie, cafe, shop son's houses or pub. I only use the credit on the phone if I am out and about and I make a call or text. £10 credit lasts me a long time.

[Rosetta]

many thanks to you all for your answers. I suppose I must join the 21st century and get a cheap smart phone, I will look around for PAYG deals

[barry1010]

Rosetta, the Samsung A12 is the one that Buenchico recommends. There are cheaper phones available but Samsung is a reliable brand. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9214990?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=iatqwrpwx&;istBid=t

Note if you buy that one from Argos you must buy the EE sim card. Make sure you can get a good signal from EE where you live https://coverage.ee.co.uk/coverage/ee

Otherwise you can buy it SIM free from Amazon and other retailers

[Rosetta]

thanks Barry, I had already seen Chris's recommendation and I need to find a provider with the best signal, it was always a bit of a joke that any visiting workmen had to wander round the village trying to get a signal

[theshedman]

Got my A21s from Argos as it was £30 cheaper than carphone warehouse and it's sim free. Works well but there are many others that do similar.

[Hopkirk]

Have a look at Moto G phones. They are the best of the budget phones.

If you decide to use the EE network, go with Plusnet. They are owned by BT/EE, and you can be on a one month contract at good price.

[gingejbee]

And, if you don't want to spend that much, the Nokia 1.4 is a respectable smartphone for under a £100...Amazon price £90 (but out-of-stock at the moment).