I know a few of us have a Giffgaff SIM for a cheap way of keeping a UK number, so thought I’d share the text message I received this morning.
I’ve been with them for over a year but this is the first time I’ve had this.
My phone has a Sosh sim card too, which I use for data so hopefully the Giffgaff change won’t affect me… I guess I’ll see if my balance starts dropping.
Just a thought, but would it be worth posting your SIM to a friend in the UK, asking them to use it briefly in their phone, then posting it back again?
Yes, I suppose I could do that. Will monitor it and see if I need to explore that. Cheers.
Am I misunderstanding? I have two SIM cards, one is Sosh, with a French phone number, one is Giffgaff with a UK phone number. With the Giffgaff from time to time I send a text message ( from my UK number) to friend in UK (UK number) and that seems to keep them happy. Does this not work any more?
That’s the implication.
I’ve been getting those messages for some time but I don’t use the phone for calls - just for receiving texts. I get charged 10p for my periodic keeping-it-alive texts and this comes out of my balance. When it thinks i’m in the UK, texts don’t get charged but so far I’ve only lost a small part of my original £10 balance as a result of roaming.
That would be a roaming call from France to the UK. Whenever your phone is switched on the operator knows its location.
UK phone operators that require a specified use in the UK to justify inclusive roaming use seems to be expanding.
Giff Gaff t&c include
What to avoid:
Using our services for the first time outside of the UK, using a large volume of your allowance (be that text, calls or data) in the EU and our other selected destinations (excluding the UK), or using our services and travelling within the EU and our other selected destinations (excluding the UK) for prolonged periods which don’t follow reasonable consumer holiday and travel patterns and behaviour. If you use our services outside the UK in the EU and our other selected destinations for 63 or more days in any four-month period and you cannot demonstrate prevailing use or presence in the UK this is likely to be deemed to be an unfair use of our services. When this happens charges will apply (see below), but we will always contact you 14 days before this time to make you aware of this. These charges will cease to apply when your behaviour is in accordance with this policy.
Ah, thanks. I’ve been using Giffgaff for a while but this was the first time I’d received the warning. Seems I might have been overreacting.
Thanks all. Seems I can go back to not worrying about stuff again 
Your GiffGaff phone will continue to work, but you will be charged for each text, call or any data unless you regularly use the phone on the UK. This isn’t new, it’s been in their Ts&Cs since I’ve been with them (about 2 years).
Indeed. I used my GiffGaff number very rarely and just check that it has some credit left. I use the phone about once a month - basically to check that it still works - and i seem to spend about 3€/year. When the balance gets below £5 I top it up then forget about it.
Yes, can confirm the roaming charge makes no difference to the normal charges outside of a plan - i.e. if you haven’t purchased a plan (goody bag). And as Angela mentions, you do have to make some sort of use every three months.
Good to know - if you make an 0800 call (in the UK mind! ) that also counts for the keeping it alive thing. (last time I checked). So whenever you have the sim in the UK, make sure you call one or two 0800 numbers.
Edit - I did notice once or twice that when in France texts did NOT come through until I did make a call - or something, maybe switch off / on. Weird.
