Mobile phone

I have an alarm system that is also a burglar alarm. It's quite expensive but worth it for peace of mind. if when I fall I press the button round my neck and the company ring either next door or Gary

My aunt had an emergency alarm I think either round her neck or attached to her wrist but it cost I think £20+ a month to maintain. I found it irritating at times that the call centre rang me to find out if she was okay. The reason she had the flipping thing was because I, as her next of kin lived a fair distance away.

It's the phone providers way of making more money out of us, the balance only lasts a certain amount of time then 'runs out'. You'd think it would be an ideal way of making contact in an emergency, and it is but not the way the phone companies work the system!

Thanks for all the advice. She does use it every few months to stop O2 from disabling it but I don't know why the money keeps getting stripped off it. I suppose I will have to give them a call or look at the small print. Thanks for the tip about preventing messages!

Chris

If you've already got a handset then a SIM only contract can be very cheap for minimal use and the phone remains 'live' whether used or not. Mr C uses his rarely, no advertising messages and no problem with access. If your Mum doesn't go out alone then as others have said an alarm system could be safer overall.

Most payg mobiles will cut off after six months if they haven't been used, the company assumes the number is no longer used and reuses it. My Dad got caught out (despite me telling him to just ring the home phone to keep it live) by this, I rang the supplier who reinstated his money and number. He now uses it every now and again.
Contact them to stop messages and explain the situation re the phone, they may be able to stop the number cut off to.

Hi when you get the messages from O2 you can text back to them to stop the messages , i just have a phone (its not a singing /dancing 1 just basic 1 ) and with O2 and just text back i did not wnat the messages calls from them

If possible I would look into the alarm system, if a fall a phone can fly out of the hand, or go to bed and forget to take the phone.

I don't know a lot about mobile phones but got caught out in the way you mention. We had a cheapie pay as you go phone for the use of family who came to visit from abroad. It was never used for much more than a couple of calls and the second time we brought it out a few months later to be used by other visitors there was no balance on it.

I'd check what Annibach says - somethimes the emergency alarm systems can be expensive to install but I'm not aware of the criteria and it could well be that your mum falls within what is needed to qualify for a free system. Check with Age Concern or Citizens Advice.

Have you thought of an emergency alarm system?