Just had a SMS from Giffgaff receiving text/sms abroad will now be charged 30p not free as before.

So watch your credit

 

Are you sure about that?  I never heard of a phone company charging money for receiving texts, even not abroad.

 

Yes, that's true outside the UK/EU. But giffgaff is very very good, I keep my giffgaff PAYG SIM number alive for 6 Pounds per month but only use it when I return to the UK.

9 minutes ago, Trillian said:

Yes, that's true outside the UK/EU. But giffgaff is very very good, I keep my giffgaff PAYG SIM number alive for 6 Pounds per month but only use it when I return to the UK.

I keep mine alive by sending a text message every 6 months only .

Mine is alive and I haven't used it for 4-5 months But I have a top up pay as you go Giff Gaff sim that I don't pay a monthly fee for. I would recommend one of those Giff Gaff sims.

2 minutes ago, eyup said:

Mine is alive and I haven't used it for 4-5 months But I have a top up pay as you go Giff Gaff sim that I don't pay a monthly fee for. I would recommend one of those Giff Gaff sims.

You should get an email shortly telling you that if you don’t use it within 1 month they will relocate your number.

Your options to keep it alive are :
 

I got the email and went to fit my giffgaff sim but couldn’t find it ( must have lost it when changing back to my Thai sim on my way back from the U.K. last October ).

Luckily I had a couple of unused sims that I had for a couple of years and wondered if I could transfer my balance to a new sim without losing any.

It worked a treat and was able to keep my old number !!, very good service.

I only use my UK GiffGaff sim occasionally here.  Usually when I receive a security text from one of my banks.  These texts show as being charged by a separate company to both GiffGaff and my bank; presumably for some 'service' fee. I maintain a credit with the to 'secure' the number.

 

I try to work on email only as contact from the UK, and only use about £10 a year on text credit with GiffGaff , so I'm not too concerned if they do impose further charges.

Jus checked the SMS from Giffgaff and it seems incomplete, so I checked their site and incoming texts are still free, sorry about that

Roaming prices

Data	20p per MB
Calls & voicemail (charged in per second increments after first 30 seconds)	£1 per minute
Receiving calls (charged in per minute increments)	£1 per minute
Sending texts	30p per text
Receiving texts	Free
Picture messages (MMS) to a UK/EU mobile	30p per MMS
Picture messages (MMS) to any other mobile	24p per MMS

Yes you're right of course, I was confused too, it's outgoing SMS's that are charged at 30p....sorry also!

4 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I keep mine alive by sending a text message every 6 months only .

Likewise, and Giffgaff even send you an SMS to remind you to use it or lose it.

Just now, Stocky said:

Likewise, and Giffgaff even send you an SMS to remind you to use it or lose it.

I get an email, which is great as I don’t have my GG sim in my phone, only put it in on my way to the U.K., so I pop it in send a quick text message to my daughter in the U.K. and can relax for another 6 months.