Spec my 85 y.o. mother a phone and contract.

[Quartz]

My mother is fed up with her phone. She's been on a PAYG thing and because she doesn't use it much it keeps getting cut off so she cannot depend upon it.

She doesn't need - indeed doesn't want - a smartphone, though one with a camera would be nice. She is a very infrequent user, wanting it more for safety when she goes out than everyday use. Large buttons would be very nice, and ease of recharging is a must: her current one drops into a cradle; having to plug in a cable every day would not be pleasing. NFC charging might be of interest.

For the contract, she just wants to pay a small monthly fee and not worry about the number being cut off.

 

[lltfdaniel]

Okay...

So she does not want or need a smartphone, wants a camera and a infrequent user, does not want to charge the phone everyday

Well off the back of my mind look into the nokia 3310 new model which is this > https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_gb/nokia-3310

So yea if you leave the phone on standby it will last upto 1 month.

As for a sim contract maybe sky mobile > https://www.sky.com/shop/mobile/plans or this > https://www.carphonewarehouse.com/sim-only.html?cid=PAIDSEARCH_Google_Non Postpay - G - SIMO - Generic - E_G - SIMO - Generic - E_sim only contracts_43700053277485086&&gclid=CjwKCAjwgdX4BRB_EiwAg8O8HaayiRYjtREs4hA4MB9QXKLxP1btxuwfPNPAbjcyLOUTEAolvhACDhoCDewQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I think the lowest cost for a sim contract will be around £6-8 a month which isn't bad.

Dan.

 

[Quartz]

So she does not want or need a smartphone, wants a camera and a infrequent user, does not want to charge the phone everyday

Camera is optional. The buttons on that phone look a little small for her.

I think the lowest cost for a sim contract will be around £6-8 a month which isn't bad.

That looks real good.

 

[UnworthyBean]

If you go through uSwitch or moneysupermarket, you can get a 3 SIM for £5 a month. Some of the lesser known providers are £4 a month too.

Don't know if it makes any difference but ASDA mobile along with a few others have a 270 day cut off period. Surely she makes at least one call or text every 9 months?

 

[xb8browney]

Doro 6620 comes with a cradle and a £6pm id sim

 

[Quartz]

Doro 6620 comes with a cradle and a £6pm id sim

I think her current phone is a Doro.

 

[Quartz]

Don't know if it makes any difference but ASDA mobile along with a few others have a 270 day cut off period. Surely she makes at least one call or text every 9 months?

I don't think she's ever sent a text.

 

[Biz.Kid09]

I recently gave my grandad my old iphone 6s, honestly its changed everything for him. Especially with lockdown, hes able to facetime his family and we can send him photos etc. The buttons on the screen are nice and big and clear. He used to have an old Nokia and honestly whilst they are indestructible and only a few buttons they are so small its just impossible for many older people to use.

The camera point as well, the 6s is not the best camera in the world but at least you can take something half decent. Any of these Nokia models etc are going to be awful, not only is the camera crap but how are you possibly going to enjoy looking at it on a phone that small.

I would really try push going to a smartphone, with a bit of nudging I think you can win her over.

Hes on Asda mobile, I topped up £10 and he just needs to make a call or text every few months to keep it live. I will just ring him and tell him to ring me back.

 

[Quartz]

I topped up £10 and he just needs to make a call or text every few months to keep it live.

My mother has consistently failed to do this.

 

[Biz.Kid09]

My mother has consistently failed to do this.

As I said though, just set yourself a reminder in your calendar to give her a call and say ring me back then you put it down and call her to save her credit. Job sorted. By all means go for a sim only so you don't have to worry but just seems a waste for a 30 second job.