Giffgaff

[solo12002]

Some of the users on this fourm have spoken about giffgaff before: www;giffgaff.com

They are owned by o2 and run on the o2 network offering charges of: 4p a text and 8p a call, free giffgaf to giffgaff calls, Picture messages to giffgaff and other mobiles 16p, 0871, 0872,0873 numbers 20p,0843,0844,0845 numbers 20p and 0800 numbers FREE up untill May of this year they are offering free data. However this is about to change and they have relesed new prices from today:

£5 giffgaff bag - Unlimited Texts
£10 giffgaff bag - 100 minutes, unlimited browsing and texts in the UK for a month
£15 giffgaff bag - 300 minutes, unlimited browsing and texts in the UK for a month
£35 giffgaff bag - unlimited voice, text and browsing in the UK for a month

Note giffgaff have stated the following: don’t forget, unlimited is truly unlimited. There are no fair usage policies attached to these.

[Hands0n]

A bit of a Bump here :)

I got a GiffGaff SIM this week and have finally had a few moments to fire it up in my San Francisco handset (its an Android, Froyo by Modaco ROM). The Orange credit had just run out and I wanted to keep it going. So, having followed an affiliate link from another website I took delivery of the SIM this week.

Internet Speed
As Solo says, GiffGaff are an MVNO on the O2 network, or more like notwork in my case. The 3G here where I live, work and play is nonexistent to all intents and purposes. Or, at least, it was when I was on my iPhone contract with them almost a year ago. Then there was a single 3G mast just over the hill about a mile or so away. I had to go and stand by a window in the dormer loft room to get a single bar of 3G! Elsewhere was just as bad, so after a couple of years with O2 I gave up, they won, and I went to Vodafone.

But things seem to have changed a bit for the better round here. That or the San Francisco is pulling in the O2 signal like three different iPhone models could not! To be fair, I also, previously, had another 3G handset on O2 and it was just as bad then. Now, however, I have been getting HSDPA speeds, nothing like with Vodafone or Three, but nevertheless these are significantly better than I have experienced before with O2, ever.
1141
Reading from the bottom up, the first couple of test runs were regular 3G. But then the HSDPA kicked in and we see speeds higher than 3G. Watching the speed dial I saw a peak of 2Mbps, but that was not sustained at all. Could be that either the local airtime or the 3G transmitter's backhaul circuit was being heavily utilised at the time.

Why the improvement in mobile broadband speed then? Well, it could be for any number of reasons, but the most likely will be the mast sharing agreement that O2 has with Vodafone. I have a Vodafone mast close by, within 250 metres of where I am sitting right now. So it could be that O2 have planted their kit in the same cabinet and hence the improved data speed. Mobile network operators are quite secretive about this kind of thing, and so we will probably never know for certain.

Giff Gaff a viable operator?
I do not really know for sure. They have been around for a little while, and their offers for non-contract are pretty good. I quite like their "Goody Bag" concept where you can buy add-ons that suit. They are quite attractive. And calls between Giff Gaff numbers are free - with the only caveat being that they are limited to 60 minutes. Giff Gaff even suggest that you hang up and dial again when the 60 minutes are up, encouraging lengthy use of the service. Not bad at all.

Try for yourself?
If this has whetted your appetite and you fancy giving Giff Gaff a try then you can get a free SIM and £5 free credit when you register the SIM for first use by clicking on this URL --> HERE (http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/dannythompson) and I get £5 too, which is nice :)

The tariffs are very straightforward;
Calls to landlines and mobiles are 8p a minute (charged by the full minute, ie. 5 seconds = 1 minute charge)
Texts are 4p per SMS (multiply for long SMS messages)
MMS are 16p each
0800 numbers are free

Full details on the Giff Gaff pricing are HERE (http://giffgaff.com/index/pricing)

Conclusion
I'm sold. I can readily recommend GiffGaff to anyone who is looking for a cheaper alternative to their existing service.

GiffGaff is a very credible alternative for any of the UK network service providers, and in that I include actual (MNO) and virtual (MVNO) network operators.

The tariffs are compelling and the lack of a fixed term contract is appealing too. Especially in this day and age of 24 and 36 month contracts. Far better to pick up an affordable handset - and even so-called smartphones are coming down in price significantly - and pop a GiffGaff SIM in.

Although I have previously had long-term problems with the O2 network, the service delivered across it for GiffGaff has remarkably improved. A pure coincidence I am absolutely sure, but as the network reaches out further it places GiffGaff in a marvellous position.

So, all in all, the GiffGaff proposition is one that should be checked out. What have you got to lose? They'll even give you the first £5 to do so. That is how confident they are that you will not leave for another service provider once having sampled their service.

Nice. I'm suitably impressed.

[Hands0n]

It looks like Giff Gaff are setting out to take on Three's "The One Plan" as today I have seen on Twitter the following announcement:

From 14th Jan, 1500 mins, unlimited web and texts all for £25. Get you sim http://www.giffgaff-sims.co.uk/offer.html

This proposition includes not only 1500 any-network minutes, but also truly unlimited web (tethering forbidden), unlimited texts and unlimited on-net calls. Also no need for credit qualification, this is PAYG. You are also able to get a SIM or micro-SIM from GiffGaff when placing your order.

Now this is a pretty good deal when you consider that Giff Gaff is only 500 fewer any-network minutes (unlimited on-net Giff Gaff to Giff Gaff calls) than The One Plan. The big bonus is, of course, absolutely no contract tie-in. Giff Gaff is entirely PAYG so you can come and go as you please. Of course, you can port your mobile number about as you move - and that is a relatively minor inconvenience these days.

So, as ever, choose wisely. Each network's proposition has its pros and cons.

Get your Giff Gaff SIM and £5 free initial credit here --> GiffGaff (http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/dannythompson) (if you follow this link I'll get an introduction credit too :D ).

[DBMandrake]

Could it truly be considered to be unlimited data if tethering is prohibited though ?

This was the trick used by several mobile networks a year or two ago (O2 on their "unlimited" iPhone data plan for instance) where they said unlimited, but were obviously relying on the fact that you couldn't (or at least they thought you couldn't) use huge amounts of data on a mobile phone unless it was tethered, thus they could say unlimited, but without having to back that up with being able to actually supply actual unlimited data to a large percentage of users - something that came back to bite them in the behind.

O2 and others soon discovered that you can in fact use a LOT of data on a 3G capable iPhone, comparable to a tethered connection if you really try, and thus the illusion of "unlimited" plans went away, until the recent changes in Three's one plan.

I've always despised the artificial distinction some networks make between data used on a handset, and tethered data through that handset - as far as I'm concerned, data is data. If they claim it's unlimited data, it should be unlimited for both. If they claim it's 1GB of data, you should be able to use that on the handset or tethered as you see fit up until the sum usage reaches 1GB.

I have to applaud Three on their position on Tethering - for as long as I've been with them (since Autumn 2009) they have never enforced any distinction between phone data and tethered data - yes technically on 3pay there was a more expensive add-on you're supposed to use for tethering - but the cheaper Internet Max (handset data addon) always worked for tethering, and nobody that I've heard of was ever charged any extra or warned for using it. If you did pay for the more expensive add-on the usage was shared between handset and Tethered data, as it should be.

Then in 2010 Three started introducing plans where Tethering with the same handset data bundle was officially endorsed - such as the One Plan. Now they've made data unlimited on the One Plan, they've officially confirmed on their blog that you can use that for Tethering too - a first I believe.

I commend GiffGaff on their attempt to emulate Three's new plan, but I wonder how hamstrung they are by their network provider O2, particularly regarding the No-Tethering clause. I don't think we'll see unlimited Tethering data from any MVNO running on O2 in the near future ;)

[Hands0n]

Could it truly be considered to be unlimited data if tethering is prohibited though ?

Oh yes, absolutely it can, and should be recognised for what it is, the only other truly unlimited "Unlimited" tariff in the UK. I do think that it would be rather specious to suggest otherwise.

The fact is that, on the handset, you have no fears, worries or concerns about using the mobile device for whatever it is you wish - the only constraint being the prohibition of tethering. Now that is no bad thing at all. Not so long ago it did not take hardly anything much at all for me to go over the "generous" 500MB that Vodafone bundle in their monthly contract. It was only a minor and short-lived change of use that I had made, nevertheless it rapidly took me over the allowance.

There are an increasing number of data-hungry apps for smartphones that put the 2010 500MB bundles under a real strain. The likes of Spotify and YouTube are of particular note - a quick search of Android Market reveals plenty of streaming radio stations to choose from.

And so, even without the additional burden of tethering, it is clear that unlimited mobile data is of sufficient worth.

I have to wonder, also, how many people taken as a whole percentage of smartphone users actually use tethering. My feeling is that we, the likes of us on these forums, occupy the top one or two percent of users and for us, we may use tethering rather more occasionally in lieu of something a bit more robust such as a MiFi for more serious lengthy use. Outside of most of the core Talk3g crew, I know of no one else that tethers (not counting a very few specific work colleagues).

Likewise, I applaud GiffGaff for this move. I wonder if 2011 will see the other operators respond with equivalent propositions.

[Ben]

I hear what you're saying DBMandrake, I really do. From a customer perspective the proposition could still be regarded as a little misleading.

However, I think it's wholly reasonable. I do believe that handset data and tethering data should be regarded as separate entities and that customers should pay more for tethering data. The most important thing for widespread smartphone adoption is, IMHO, no worries of 'extra charges' for data use on the handset itself.

[gorilla]

Thanks to a certain senior forum member (*cough* Hands0n *cough*) I have taken deliver of a fine giff gaff sim. It looks just like any other sim and arrived in nice environmentally friendly packaging, or cheap ;-) if you like. Surprisingly my experience of O2 has not changed in the year or so since I've left. I feel very strongly that they are a sham of network, but I thought giff gaff sounded good and was willing to try.

At home, my giff gaff (O2) coverage is very poor, much worse than either vodafone or 3. I was genuinely surprised with this as I thought that in a year O2 would have upgraded their network in Belfast, but apparently not. Indoor coverage was particularly poor.

At this point I'm thinking that there must be a problem with the sim or my handset isn't set up correctly because their data service is very slow. I had originally thought that I would move over completely (I'm only on a 30 day contract and moving to PAYG would not be a big deal for me) but my £10 per month deal with 3 seems even better than giff gaff.

I'm sure if O2 have improved their coverage in your area, then giff gaff could be a good fit for you, after all it's only PAYG and there's not much at stake if you give it ago and it doesn't work out.
I'm going to take my giff gaff sim on holiday in a couple of months time and use the credit abroad!

[Hands0n]

@gorilla - I think that you will be getting an extra SIM sent to you by GiffGaff :) Having activated and topped up my SIM I got an alert today saying that another SIM has been sent out to me (probably for friend or family member). "Extra SIM - A SIM that was sent to you as a result of having activated your own SIM."

How did you get on with your GiffGaff SIM at work? Was the O2 notwork (sic) signal any better?

I, too, am completely nonplussed at O2's lack of investment in network coverage, even 2G. They got a real slap from OFCOM with the threat of losing their 3G license. But that toothless regulator did nothing about it and O2 continue to underinvest. The thing is, this seems to be all too typical of Spanish companies. They are buying up our UK assets and doing very little with them. Recent examples may include Sandander nee Abbey National that now have a dreadful reputation. Then there is Heathrow, Spanish owned, that failed miserably during this December's snows. Not only with poor snow clearance but also in how they handled the poor customers stuck in the airport with little information etc.

I like that the GiffGaff proposition does not timeout - well, the Goody Bags do but the regular credit remains indefinitely. Oddly enough the O2 3G signal at home has become apparent out of the blue. Has O2 invested in another transmitter nearby? Who knows. But previously there was zero 3G and very weak 2G here since forever (and I've been here 20 years!!). I've not tried it at work because the handset my SIM is in (Dell Streak) has decided to pop its clogs. So until I get it fixed/replaced under warranty I don't have a spare handset just yet.

[gorilla]

The signal was actually worse at work and I'm starting to appreciate how good 3's network really is. While I'm slightly disappointed with giff gaff, their product is pretty good and the other networks will surely respond. As it is, 30 day sim only contracts are reasonable value already and can only get better.

[Hands0n]

I'm really sorry that GiffGaff didn't work out for you. O2 really know how to suck at networking. The thing is, I had been encouraged to take up a GiffGaff SIM about a year ago and declined because of the O2 experience where I live. It was only that I wanted an O2 SIM without having an O2 SIM :D that I went for GiffGaff. I was, and remain, gobsmacked at the 3G availability at home where previously there was none. Is this the Spanish investing in UK.plc finally or a complete fluke. My money is on the latter ;)

[DBMandrake]

While I'm slightly disappointed with giff gaff, their product is pretty good and the other networks will surely respond.

I wouldn't be so sure of that ;)

https://talk3g.co.uk/showthread.php?8575-T-mobile-UK-Fair-usage-policy-500MB-from-1st-February-2011

It seems like Giffgaff and Three are swimming upstream with their data allowance increases while the big four drift comfortably downstream ;)

[Hands0n]

I'd tend to agree. However, the problem seems to be that those who can [probably] least afford to are giving away some excellent deals, and these cannot last unless the volume goes up. I have been doing my bit for GiffGaff, and have been cautiously promoting Three. But neither of these two are in a particularly strong position - and poor old Three with their dreadful Customer Service team off-shore still attracting huge amounts of negative comment are really the underdog. They shouldn't be, but unless they can get out from under that millstone that is Mumbai (actually, anything off-shore) they're destined to repeat their short history endlessly. I digress.

[hecatae]

sorry if I sound stupid, but I dont understand the giffgaff premise.

say I took the hokey cokey goody bag, that expires in March, if I choose it now can I keep it after March, or will I have to choose a different one?

[Hands0n]

Nope. You buy the goody bag of your choice as and when you wish. So if the Hokey Cokey goodie bag expires you just buy another. Goody Bags are like feature packs - each one containing an amount of minutes, texts and Internet, plus other bits and pieces maybe.

[gorilla]

I'm really sorry that GiffGaff didn't work out for you
No apology needed!