# Phone Plans for limited internet use



## Larsheen (19 Aug 2019)

Never having had a phone plan, my wife and  I use Virgin WiFi in the house and do without when outside. However with my wife’s elderly parents now needing looking after and they not having WiFi she needs to sign up to some plan to have internet whilst looking after them. Emergencies, checking stuff out etc. It will be for just that, no gaming etc or no large scale internet use. Can anyone kindly suggest what the best way to go might be and are there precautions that can taken on the phone to stop high data usage, what could be turned off etc? Thank you


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## PaddyBloggit (19 Aug 2019)

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## tallpaul (19 Aug 2019)

Any decent mobile phone plan will come with plenty of data. What phone does your wife have and we can work from there!


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## SparkRite (19 Aug 2019)

What about '48', buy their 'Guido' plan (memebership, they call it) €10 a month includes 3GB data.


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## Larsheen (19 Aug 2019)

It’s an iPhone 7 with Vodofone and as I say pay as you go. €45 worth of top ups since Jan which tells you how little it’s used. We’re with Virgin and I see they have deals. I have heard stories of data being gobbled up with background stuff like apps being refreshed going on. She uses WhatsApp to stay in touch because of course it’s free but after that it will be for possibly ordering food delivery  from Tesco and checking opening and closing time of pharmacies etc. Doing our checking it seems as I say that a 30 day contract with Virgin might suit but it’s the small print and tricks of the trade we know nothing about. Thanks again. Oh and the area it will be used is Dundalk if that would influence coverage.


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## SparkRite (19 Aug 2019)

It's simple, if you don't want any 'sudden shocks' go PAYG and NOT bill pay.
With '48' all WhatsApp msgs. are free, ie. they won't impact on your data usage.

See here:- [broken link removed]

I am not a subscriber to '48' just thought that it would suit your needs.


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## Leo (19 Aug 2019)

Larsheen said:


> I have heard stories of data being gobbled up with background stuff like apps being refreshed going on.



I'm going to assume iOS is like Android and you can set that so updates only happen over WiFi. Most modern phones allow you to configure alerts on data usage.


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## Alkers86 (19 Aug 2019)

three €20 monthly top up gives you free texts all month, free data all month, free 3 to 3 calls.


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## Larsheen (19 Aug 2019)

Leo said:


> I'm going to assume iOS is like Android and you can set that so updates only happen over WiFi. Most modern phones allow you to configure alerts on data usage.


Would the trick be to turn off data when the phone is not being used specifically for internet use and then turn it back on every so often to check on WhatsApp messages?Thank you


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## Leo (19 Aug 2019)

Larsheen said:


> Would the trick be to turn off data when the phone is not being used specifically for internet use and then turn it back on every so often to check on WhatsApp messages?Thank you



That's one way to limit it, the phone itself may give you further options on what types of data to allow, and what to restrict to WiFi only. I'm not familiar with iPhones, so can't help you with that piece.


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## SparkRite (19 Aug 2019)

Larsheen said:


> Would the trick be to turn off data when the phone is not being used specifically for internet use and then turn it back on every so often to check on WhatsApp messages?Thank you


Kinda defeats the purpose of having instant messaging, don't you think?
Just 'strip' the phone of whatever apps you can and/or don't need and then turn off 'auto update' or as advised by @Leo restrict updates to WiFi only.


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## AlbacoreA (19 Aug 2019)

Its impossible to control data usage. I tried it for years. Always runs out when you need it.
Do not go on a limited bill plan. They always find someway to put extra charges on it.

Either
PAYG phone so it cuts off when it runs out of money.
Or an everything included bill pay.

As you are on virgin they have a 25 a month 30 day sim only plan.
https://www.virginmedia.ie/mobile/sim-only/

Or the €20 three PAYG plan, personally, though I find it always cobbles the €20
The 48 deals seem to be the best if you want to spend as little as possible.


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## AlbacoreA (19 Aug 2019)

Whatsapp isn't as reliable as SMS messages. They are often delayed. So I personally don't use them for time critical communications.

Have to say turning off mobile data never worked that well for me, there was always some update or app turning it back on.
So I got it turned off on the sim. But then you don't have it if you need it.


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## tallpaul (19 Aug 2019)

People might be overcomplicating this here. From a cursory perusal of the various sites:

- Virgin Mobile offer unlimited minutes, tests and data for €5 for five months and the €25 per month as an existing customer
- eir offer unlimited minutes, tests and data for €20 per month
- Vodafone offer unlimited minutes, tests and data for €30 per month

Forget this nonsense of turning off data on the phone. Go with one of the above and get on with other things!


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## Larsheen (19 Aug 2019)

tallpaul said:


> People might be overcomplicating this here. From a cursory perusal of the various sites:
> 
> - Virgin Mobile offer unlimited minutes, tests and data for €5 for five months and the €25 per month as an existing customer
> - eir offer unlimited minutes, tests and data for €20 per month
> ...


You are probably right.It was me suggested turning off the data as that is what we do at the moment and whilst I think it has turned on once it has never caused a problem being off.Other of course that WhatsApp messages don't come in and people don't know what the hell is going on when you don't reply.But I agree that it complicates things and is just one other thing to be thinking of as my wife looks after two sick people in their nineties.It seems that as suggested either Virgin seeing we are with them or else just PAYG or 48.


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## Larsheen (19 Aug 2019)

SparkRite said:


> Kinda defeats the purpose of having instant messaging, don't you think?
> Just 'strip' the phone of whatever apps you can and/or don't need and then turn off 'auto update' or as advised by @Leo restrict updates to WiFi only.


I agree, it does defeat the purpose.


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## Larsheen (19 Aug 2019)

Thank you everybody for your help.I appreciate it and the education.We are in our 60s and have mobiles witih PAYG.My wife's parents are in their nineties with no mobile and just a landline that for some reason,I don't ask, they pay through the nose for calls on.We are both behind the times in our own ways and it's a sort of interesting/scary thing to notice.Thanks again.


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## tallpaul (20 Aug 2019)

Very good. Go into one of the phone shops. Carphone Warehouse for example; there are others but CW sell all of the mobile operators' plans. Explain what you are looking for and a good salesperson should steer you in the right direction. However!! Don't end up in a contract i.e. bill pay, don't end up with a new phone and don't end up paying more than €30 per month.


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## SparkRite (20 Aug 2019)

CW do not sell all the plans. AFAIK they do not sell any of the NVMO's.

€30 a month?? For what you need don't spend more than €10 a month.


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## Feemar5 (20 Aug 2019)

I use the 48 €10 a month and it is fine.    If your wife's parents have a personal alarm system they have to have a landline - and if they don't have the alarm they should get it.      It cost's about €80 a year and the installation is grant aided and costs nothing - Pobal operate it.    When their contract is up for renewal someone should negotiate with the provider - there are a lot of providers who have free calls.


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## Eithneangela (20 Aug 2019)

Tesco mobile, €15 every 28 days. Free calls, loads of data both in Ireland and 5GB when in Europe. I only use phone internet to make sure I am available via WhatsApp at all times, listen to the radio etc. No movies, games, videos etc. Have only ever used less than 1/20th os my allowance and always have mobile data turned on. Vodafone have similar for €20 every 28 days.


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## Niall-1980 (20 Aug 2019)

The 48 @ 10 Euro a month is 1,000,000% the way to go.


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## Larsheen (26 Aug 2019)

Thank you again everybody and my apologies for not replying to the most recent comments sooner. I appreciate all the help.


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