PAYG SIM that doesn't expire?

[paulrockliffe]

Does anyone know of PAYG Sims that don't expire at all?

I'm after a sim for an old phone that's going to sit at home only to receive very occasional 2FA text messages, happy to put a tenner on it, but I'll never run it down and I just want the number to stay connected to the network without getting booted off.

Thanks!

[paulrockliffe]

Google suggests the answer might be no. If so, can anyone recommend an app I can use to schedule a text message?

I'm already installing Home Assistant on the device so it can tell my server how much battery it has so it can turn the charger on, so maybe I can use that to send text messages too.

[fooman]

Buy a £10 Vodafone PAYG turn off auto renewal and it defaults to receive texts / calls only, been working fine for a few months. Also Tesco Lite still working after a few years I remember it been more complex to switch to Lite tariff. Of course sims have to be switched on and connected regularly or they'll probably expire. WiFi for data works stuff like Duo 2FA.

[Actual]

When my dad died I kept his PAYG phone going in case anyone tried to contact him. The mobile service provider sent reminders to use some credit or it would expire and so I sent a txt message. Unfortunately the txt was sent using Wi-Fi calling and didn't register a charge and so in time the number and the credit was lost. Very annoying.

[paulrockliffe]

All the ones I've looked at require more than just being switched on, you have to send a text, call or use data. The best I can find is 180 days before you get booted from the network, I'm hoping someone knows of some obscure thing, but if not I can probably automate a text message or something.

[Newc]

I went through this recently. I don't know if there has been a rule change, or if the telco's have all just come to the same commercial conclusions, but AFAICT there are now no providers offering this. Every payg requires some kind of minimum periodic top up and a 'chargeable event' every 90 or 180 days.

[MesoForm]

paulrockliffe said:

Does anyone know of PAYG Sims that don't expire at all?

I'm after a sim for an old phone that's going to sit at home only to receive very occasional 2FA text messages, happy to put a tenner on it, but I'll never run it down and I just want the number to stay connected to the network without getting booted off.

Thanks!

Unless my maths is wrong a 12p text every 3 months will take 27 years to run out of £10 credit so I'd just send a text to your other phone when you get a reminder message from your network saying you need to send a text.

[rednotdead]

If it's an android phone then something like Tasker could be used to automate a text every few weeks to keep your sim live.

[MesoForm]

rednotdead said:

If it's an android phone then something like Tasker could be used to automate a text every few weeks to keep your sim live.

If it's an Apple it's under shortcuts --> automation. Looks to be monthly as a maximum time between messages so your £10 will run out in 7 years.

[paulrockliffe]

MesoForm said:

Unless my maths is wrong a 12p text every 3 months will take 27 years to run out of £10 credit so I'd just send a text to your other phone when you get a reminder message from your network saying you need to send a text.

Thanks, I'm not going to check your numbers, but I figured I would never need to top it up. My 9 year old has a smart watch, but doesn't have a phone, it won't even turn on properly without a phone connection, but it causes havoc for me if I use my phone as it disconnects my watch and syncs all sorts over that we don't want. So I've setup an old phone to act as the 'server' for the watch, it'll sync his Calendar and the weather and a few other bits and pieces when he's in the house. But I can't get all the accounts setup without a phone number as everyone insists on 2FA these days.

I might go all in on the automation just for fun, have Home Assistant send a text to me, then have it detect me receiving the text and reset a counter that triggers the next text. That way I cover the risk that something stops it working and it gets canned anyway. I'm setting up Home Assistant so it can sit in a drawer and have the charger switched on and off by the battery % and get a notification if it goes offline, so might do the full thing that way. Or Tasker too.

Thanks!

[GCH]

I couldn't risk losing my UK number for not topping up or inactivity, so I ported my UK number to Swytch about 18 months ago - https://www.swytch.com/ - which costs a fiver a month. Zero issues personally. The fiver is worth it to eliminate the risk of losing it (and can can be used as outgoing call/text credit if desired).

If you have the app installed and the phone connected to wifi (or another data plan) then it'll just sit there and work as intended. Incoming calls and txts are free.

Edited by GCH on Monday 5th August 19:58

[Actual]

I had a £10 per month PAYG subscription with O2 which was paid by direct debit to use as a data SIM in my camper van for Wi-Fi. I didn't use the Wi-Fi for a while and when I came to turn it on again it didn't work. O2 had cancelled the subscription due to there being no usage. I suppose I should be grateful that they saved me a bunch of cash but it was very inconvenient for me at the time. Also they had sent me a txt that month to say they would take the money but then cancelled the SIM without telling me. Very annoying.