How To Have A Spare Mobile Phone??

[joko]

I want to get a sim for a spare mobile that i can just set up & put it in the drawer for if & when i need to use it - which wont be very often.

i dont want to have monthly payments, or to lose the minutes etc each month, or for it to be cut if its not used often, or i just want it to be there & be useable preferably indefinitely.

It seems like most PAYG deals arent actually PAYG, theyre "PAYG but only under all these conditions"

How can this be done?
Or something as near to all that as possible.

Thanks :)

[barry1010]

You are going to have to use it every so often to stop the SIM being disabled and the number reused.

[Buenchico]

There are only a finite number of mobile phone numbers available, so all 'genuine' PAYG phones (i.e. ones where credit isn't bought in monthly bundles) will be cut off if they're not used for several months in order to free up the number for use by someone else.  So that's one bit of your problem that you won't be able to get around.

Other than that though, you simply need to look for a mobile phone provider offering what I call 'raw' credit.  (i.e. that doesn't come in 'bundles').  Asda Mobile offers such a SIM, where your credit never expires as long as you make one chargeable call, or use some data, in a 180 day period:
https://mobile.asda.com/pay-as-you-go#rates

 

[Hopkirk]

The mobile providers say they will cut off unused SIMs, or at least delete the credit. In my experience of Tesco mobile, they don't do it. 

[Old_Geezer]

They will eventually. Some may not feel the need to do so at the exact time the contract states. Many a panic will turn out ok, but best set an alarm to ensure you don't get in that position.

[Buenchico]

>>> "i can just set up & put it in the drawer for if & when i need to use it - which wont be very often"

You'll need to remember that, even though it's switched off, the phone's battery will gradually discharge.  So, if you want the phone to be available for emergencies, you'll have to charge it occasionally.  (I'd suggest once per month if it's not used).