Moving to GiffGaff

Marky

Marky

Marky

Soldato
Joined
16 Apr 2007
Posts
23,440
Location
UK
Hey all,

I've been talking about doing it - And now the time has arrived :D

I have a GiffGaff Sim Card ready and waiting...

However, it's been a while since I've moved from one supplier to another (Even though technically GiffGaff are O2 :p), so a few tips would be appreciated :)

How can I make the transfer with as little trouble as possible?

I get charged on the 26th of each month, so should I wait until nearer that date to call O2 and cancel?

I want to bring my number with me, so should I get my PAC when I cancel or should I get it now?

Any advice would be much appreciated :)

Thanks,

Marky
 
Is your current O2 a Prepay or Contract SIM? If the latter, and you are able to end your contract at any time now, then call ASAP and don't wait until nearer that date. Call up O2 and say you would like to cancel and you need your PAC code so you can transfer your number. One thing I've learned with working in telecoms is you do things ASAP and never leave it until the last minute. If it's not the network technical part that is delaying you, then it's admin, or billing or anything else out of your hands.

They usually text the PAC code to you. Then I'm not sure how Giffgaff works and if they have a telephone customer support number, but you then provide the PAC code to them. Takes about 2-4 days.
 
Without opening a new thread, can someone kindly explain Giffgaff to me please? I've Wiki'd it and I take it's a service that piggybacks onto O2, like how 3 piggybacks onto O2/BT. Apart from that, I can't seem to make sense of the rest of the article. Don't understand payback, remuneration, payzone and how top-up works. Like it says that a card ordered from another member has +£5 airtime when activated by the recipient with a minimum of £10. It says 'another member', so is it a referral scheme too? Thanks.
 
Mixture of referral system, replying to questions on the forum(their version of CS) and a few other bits to earn money. Some people do this very well and so pay nothing.
For the rest of us you just buy a goody-bag or credit with a card. The app is very good. Card details can be saved and it's super easy with the app to buy credit/goodybag. It used to take a while. But it's instant now. Or you can use the website.

Yep runs on O2 network.
 
I heard giff gaff support is non existent if you have anything less than a perfect transfer and setup. i.e. One problem and you're stuffed?
 
Been using it for less then a week, setup was easy. Also new to Android so quite a bit to take in, but managed to root and all is well. Using it now, firdt post on the forums wiuth a smartphone.
 
I've been with giffgaff since July 2011, and have been recommending it to friends ever since.

It's a community support based network so instead of calling a helpdesk, you use the online forums for advice. There are good referral and assistance incentives, thus, the forums seem to be well moderated.

I also switched from O2 to giffgaff last July. I chatted to O2 via the online chat module, requested the PAC number and received it immediately. PAC code expires after 28 days.

Transferring the number was easy. If my memory serves me correctly:
Order and activate the sim (top up with min credit purchase) > click on transfer my number when you want to (before 3pm will transfer around midday on next working day) > when ready, buy the goody bag.

I currently use the £10goody bag; note you will always require some credit on the sim but this is not a problem as it does not expire. It is useful when I am travelling as I tend to just use my credit rather than the goodybag.

I've only used it with iPhones and helped resolve a few random problems some friends had.The link below details my experience with giffgaff, and covers tips to avoid some potentially very annoying problem on the iPhone.

Good luck!

http://pangosworld.blogspot.com/2012/03/giffgaff-best-off-contract-sim-to-date.html
 
You don't need extra credit, it just means you need to Pre perchase a goody-bag or use wifi. Also means you can't phone certain numbers. But saynoto0847 sorts that out or what ever number it is.

I've only had a goody-bag and no credit for months.
 
Last edited:
@Glaucus Yes you are right. Alternatively pre-purchase the goody-bag to activate the sim. You will get £5 credit from activation so if you aren't using the credit, you may not need top this up at all.
 
y.pango said:
@Glaucus Yes you are right. Alternatively pre-purchase the goody-bag to activate the sim. You will get £5 credit from activation so if you aren't using the credit, you may not need top this up at all.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you only get £5 credit if you use a sim card that's referred by somebody. You enter their username when activating the sim and you get £5 free credit.
Hint - my username on there is the same as on here ;)
 
I just want to let you know my experience.

They are cheap for a reason, check their official forums. Customer service is all online, and it can take 24-48hours to get a response from the ticketing system.

When I received my sim I could not activate it. Apparently it hadn't been created properly on their end. I made a ticket the day I got it and had a response 3 days later to order another sim.

After checking the online forums it just put me off completely so I didn't bother with them. I went with three and pay £15 a month instead (£5 more).

I know some people are going to complain more than praise online but my intial experience of trying to activate the sim and then try to contact customer service just put me off. The forums even more so.
 
How Often do you need CS? I haven't used CS for years. Also the forum means you'll usually get the problem solved no hassle. It's certainly not a draw back for me.
 
Glaucus said:
How Often do you need CS? I haven't used CS for years. Also the forum means you'll usually get the problem solved no hassle. It's certainly not a draw back for me.
Click to expand...

I'm only using it as a temporary measure until the galaxy s3 is released. So my situation may not apply to the op. Still, I found it frustrating waiting for a response on my issue to be told I would have to order the sim again and then wait.
Reading about people having to wait months for issues resolved on the forums further put me off... but as you say there seem to be some very content people on the service.
 
Thanks for all the replies :)

I'm currently on an O2 simplicity contract, so it's a one month running contract. I'll go and get my PAC code now, and see if I can cancel.

From what you guys have said, I can expect about half a day to a day without my current number?
 
As far as I understood the process:

Order sim
Recieve sim
Activate sim on their website
Top up
Enter your pac code on a special section of their site (may take a day or so to transfer)
Job done

I asked tmobile about the transfer process and they told me that I would pay for the month I transfer out. So use your pac code 7 days before your current month expires to get the most out of it. Maybe different with 02.
I was also told when I used the PAC code I would stop being billed by tmobile. You don't say you want to cancel it....
 
Great :) Thanks again for the quick reply :)

I contacted O2 through their live chat online and have myself a PAC code, after they offered me quite a tempting offer! (Unfortunately, the offer would be on a one year contract, and I want to stay on a one month rolling contract :()

So once I'm home I think I'll get straight on and activate the sim :)

Hope it all goes well :)
 
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