Mobile Phones - older persons

I have what my DD refers to as a "festival phone". It's a Doro phone, no frills, it just does calls and takes rubbish photos. It is all I need though. I keep it in my coat pocket in case of emergencies.

I have upgraded from an old Nokia to daughters old smart phone which I am getting used to, and it's great to be able to take photos if you've forgotten your camera. As to paying, same as old Nokia - pay as you go. I top up by £10 every month or two and not had any trouble Once I worked out how. I jus buy a 'top up' voucher from my supermarket (you need to say which provider eg o2, Virgin, etc - mine is called '3' ) and they give you a slip with a number on - 8 digits I think. Then I have to phone 444 I think (it says on slip) using the phone you want to top up and enter the voucher number and it's done. Very easy. You can also top up with voucher on line but I find that harder. My problem is lack of phone signal in the village so I now phone to top up sitting in car in supermarket car park.
Our grownup children get fed up with us for not having phones switched on at all times but they accept they have to use land line!

You can top up mobile phones at a normal cash machine, using your bank card to pay the amount you want from your bank account to the phone.
You then get a text telling you that the top-up has been done.

Wilma I have this feeling that if you carry a mobile phone around with you, then you are 'available' all the time. If I carried one it would probably be switched off all the time, because I do not want to be at that available.

PRINTMISS my Mum only turns her phone on when she wants to use it or thinks she'll need it. That's not very often, certainly not every day. I suspect her hearing has something to do with this because she does struggle in public places to hear the caller and hates attention drawn to her loss of hearing.

We have an old mobile phone which sits in the car for emergencies. I do not carry one around with me, neither does the other half - and much to the grand-children's surprise, we survive each day. Unfortunately, we have forgotten how to top up with cash, so will have to go to the shop to see if they can help - or we shall wait for our son-in-law. We only ever have to top it up with cash when we run out. It does do text, but never bothered.

My Mum has a clam style Doro easy phone and it's the only one (of many) she's ever stuck with. It has larger buttons, a good size screen, a loud ring (she wears a hearing aid) and all it's designed to do is make/take calls and send/receive texts. She did choose the model with a camera, but I don't think she's used it. I think it cost about £70 some years ago.

My Step-Dad did programme in the speed dial numbers for her for the few family and friends she might contact.

She has an O2 PAYG SIM which gets topped up when it needs it - hardly ever!

I too have an ancient vodafone PAYG, (very tough and small) must have had it 10 years. I top it up with £10 about every 8 months, just use for car breakdowns and emergencies really/occasional rather slow text.

I do sometimes wish I had a phone that took photos, as often I don't have my camera with me when I see something I want to snap. But I'm too mean to pay £8 - £10 a month for it. Also I am bad enough on the laptop when at home, if I had access to it at all times, I don't think thats a good idea for me.

I got the same pay as you go sim from vodaphone til i realized you had to top up once a month whether you used it or not. went back to shop and chatted up a young assistant - played the old - poor - oap card and they changed it to no top up once a month. be aware that if you call someone and let the phone ring more than 3-4 times. without it being answered vodaphone divert you to the answering service and charge you - message left or not. on my older mobile i only have to press one button for the phonebook not multiple menus like a smartphone. its a clamshell phone so disconnects by closing the lid. i kept forgetting about the end call button on the posh phone - it cost me a bomb

I use a Vodaphone and PAYG. I have to make at least one call every 6 months to show that the phone is still working. I think when I first bought it I put £15 in the kitty or whatever it is called. I only use it for the odd car break down or ordering a mini cab.

I had a smart phone for 6 weeks, was paying Vodaphone a tenner a month and I was not using it at all, I soon got rid of that.

DS hardly uses his phone due to his problems, I couldn't find him an actual 'pay as you go' he has a Vodafone which he has to top up by £10 per month. Such a waste, he might text me (nobody else) once or twice a month. He has to have a phone in case he panics when out.

Oh I see what you mean I was confused as mine was just top up as and when there was no commitment to top up each month...

Tanith i had a pay as you go phone from vodaphone last aug but i had to top up 10pm whether minutes were used or not. then they canceled the number because i had not made any calls.

I have a monthly contract - grandchildren not aware that landlines exsists ! But I will not upgrade, use my old Nokia , just text and phone , all I need

We are the same oldkranky and we have a pair of cheap as chips mobiles on which we can make calls and texts. Rather it is me who does the texting as DH gets frustrated by how long it takes him and then despairs when he gets a speedy reply. To be fair I am not much better but he is funnier!

oldkranky I've never seen a 'pay as you go' phone with a monthly fee.. you buy as 'pay as you go' and then top up the card as you please AFAIK they do what they say 'pay as you go' with no monthly fee.

Sensible! Why pay for something you don't use, I am not sure Smart phones are all that smart anyway.
You could be starting a trend!