Using Payg Phone Abroad (O2 Specific)

[auntie-bertie]

After years of being in a pay monthly contract I thought I would look at PAYG. I only send about 2 SMS a month, rarely make calls, but I do use a lot of data.
Current cost is running around £47pm with O2 which is a lot and trying to economise a bit!

Looked at PAYG - seems I can buy phone outright for about £700 and then top up as little as £10pm. Given my usage above.... this has got to be cheaper.
However concerned what happens when you use it abroad. I see you can add on a data roaming package for £4.99 pd. But how do you top up when abroad?
Anyone done this? Any recommendations! Pros and Cons?
TIA

[Guilbert53]

You dont need to spend £700 for a phone, particularly if you use it so little.

Seach the web for "budget Android phones" or buy one second hand.

I bought this fantastic Google Pixel a few weeks ago from Argos for £299 and more than happy with it

http://www.argos.co.uk/browse/technology/mobile-phones-and-accessories/sim-free-phones/c:30147/brands:google/

[auntie-bertie]

Sorry. I'm an iPhone snob. Couldn't use anything else!!!

[Guilbert53]

Funnily enough that Google Pixel phone looks just like an iPhone, in fact when it was released it was called "the iPhone killer" (but of course did not happen).

While I admire the iPhone (in fact one of my relatives helped design it - he was one of the lead designers) I would never buy one (or any Apple device) as I consider them vastly overpriced and tend to appeal to "vain" people who want to have a "name" brand.

The profit mark up on Apple products is huge, they make something like 30% profit on each product they sell.

This helped them build their massive new multi billion dollar Apple headquarters, plus allowed them to give their boss Tim Cook (who took over when Jobs died) about 200 million dollars worth of shares.

So I am just no prepared to buy Apple products to line the pockets of overpaid Apple executives.

p.s. However I have just read Steve Jobs life story (for the second time) as I worked in computers and do admire how he turned Apple round from a company that was going bankrupt to one that is now the richest company in the world.

[derek-33]

a fool and his money spring to mind

[237SJ]

If you spend a lot of time abroad you might want to look at the 3 Go Roam deals as you can use your data in a lot of countries.

[whistonian]

Wow you are paying far to much.Get a simcard from GiffGaff and for £7.50 pcm you get 2GB of data,250 minutes and unlimited texts. GiffGaff operates on the 02 network.Calls anywhere in Europe come out of your minutes. For £10pcm you get 3GB of data and unlimited calls and texts.

[auntie-bertie]

Thank you to those who have been helpful. I will look at giffgaff.
If I had wanted rude, snide and personally insulting answers I would have asked for them.