[Wraithe]

Hey guys for those of you on o2 data only contracts is it still posible to receive phone calls on the streak secondly as the £25 contract comes with 300 texts per month do i use the messanger application as normal as it mentions on the o2 site a "connection manager system". I did ask in the store and as usual they didnt have a clue

[Dunhamzzz]

I don't think it is sorry.

SMS is ok though, but they will charge you for each one sent!

[crowcrow]

From a guess from 3 sims - I'd say no.

The data plan sims on 3 do also come with sms, but do not allow calls in or out.

[ChrisJSLH]

The O2 data only plan comes with 300 free SMS but you can't make or receive phone calls.

[WyndStryke]

The data-only plan does not let you make or accept calls.

A lot of people on the forum (including at least two on this thread) are using GiffGaff instead of an O2 plan.

It's a lot cheaper (£10/m for the most popular option), you get much more data allocation, and you can actually make phone calls unlike the data-only plan! If you get a referral from someone then you get an extra £5 when you first top up (and so do they).

If you go down this route you'll need to pay for the phone up-front, but in the long term it is a lot cheaper.

[0260]

i have the £45 plan 900mins calls free txts and free data had to pay the extra £5 a mth for the free data plan

[Meekychuppet]

I am data only, voice calls impossible either way. I can text at 12p a message, but voice is disabled.

[Tarquin]

Originally Posted by Meekychuppet

I am data only, voice calls impossible either way. I can text at 12p a message, but voice is disabled.

Yeah that sucks. I was going to go for a data only plan, wait for my contract at the time to run out, then upgrade to a voice & data plan, but you can't even do that!

Still to find a way to upgrade from my 500mb a month data limit, as last month I went about £26 over that apparently. Kind of a sucky limit, but I didn't wanna pay an extra £10 a month for 1GB.

[Purple Zebra]

Originally Posted by WyndStryke

The data-only plan does not let you make or accept calls.

A lot of people on the forum (including at least two on this thread) are using GiffGaff instead of an O2 plan.

It's a lot cheaper (£10/m for the most popular option), you get much more data allocation, and you can actually make phone calls unlike the data-only plan! If you get a referral from someone then you get an extra £5 when you first top up (and so do they).

If you go down this route you'll need to pay for the phone up-front, but in the long term it is a lot cheaper.

I'd question that actually. Giff Gaff do a great deal at the moment, but that doesn't last.

Until tomorrow you can get 100 mins, free texts and free (unlimited) internets for £5... which is, frankly amazing, I can barely belive it. You lucky *******s.

That offer however ends tomorrow, and goes up to £10 a month. Still quite a good deal.... However (again) that deal expires on the first of december, after which internet is 50p for 30Mb a day, Plus whatever goodbag you want to add for texts and calls. So...

Option 1: Lets assume you don't want calls, so go for the cheapest £5 option for just texts... Over the course of 18 months, that's £90, then you ad on internet for 50p a day, (assuming you use it everyday) thats (if my maths is right) £270...

So lets add that all up. £90 + £270 + £400 (the cost of a streak from O2) = £760 for 18 months of lovely streak use

Option 2: If you want calls as well, that's another £90 on top (£10 a month instead of 5), so £850 over 18 months

Those options will of course be a bit cheaper if you buy before December, but at most you are going to get 3 months of free internet and 15 months of 50p a day, So you'd save £45 on Option 2, but nothing on option 1 as internet isn't included anyway...

And if you want to buy your phone unlocked from Dell, you'll have to add another £50 onto either option... so you could be looking at £900! ... effectively £50 a month over an 18 month period!

Now, I have worked all those out over 18 months because... Currently I am on an 18 month, 300 mins, unlimited texts, plus internet (which for me is unlimited, but for you wont be.) for £35 a month. Then I had to pay £59 on top for the phone... so that brings it to a total of £689 for 18 months of streak use... Which is significantly cheaper than either Giff Gaff options.

In short. Giff Gaff is a great option if: a) You already have a phone from an old contract which you therefore don't need to pay for... or: b) if you absolutely don't want to be tied down to an 18 month contract with 02.

If: c) you don't already have a phone to use, or: d) You anticipate using a phone for at least 18 months (which if you are talking about a high end phone like the streak, surely you would) then getting a regular 18 month contract with O2 is far cheaper... and at the end of it, you can either sell the phone, and put the money towards a new contract, or you can keep it and go with Giff Gaff afterwards (which puts you in the 'a)' category mentioned above.

[iStormUK]

I saw this option, and reading up in here makes me glad I went for the 25+5 tariff, As phone usage, though minimal, is required for me. 30 a month seems reasonable, sure there is a 59 quid up-front cost, but its the best balance I could find, and if the phone can last more than two years, the contract is worth the device. (IMO anyway, even with the oddly tested 2.1 update)