SIM pay as you go, only top up when funds get low

[silverfoxcc]

Mrd Fox had a sim card that was'everlasting' and only needed to occasional ( about every three months iirc) to keep her in credit for the odd call she needed to make( the way it worked was we got the card with a 10.00 initial top up, when that got down to about 2.00 she got a reminder to top up. did this at the local suupermaket and about 4 months later when it got down to 2.00 or so again another reminder)
It looks like that my Volvo V90 needs a sim card to make all the stuff on the Volvo on Call feature active.
I am buggered to spend another 29.00 a month on a rolling contract, , and was wondering if the collective could suggest a SIM that might still be out there like the only she had VERY CHEAP to run!!! or have the gone the way of unicorns and rocking horse st

[S6PNJ]

O2 classic SIM - - cost about 99p from ebay. Costs are £10 to initially top up (then for min top up when needed) and 3p, 2p, 1p - call, text, data/Mb

Take your pick - https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=o2+classic+...

[GlenMH]

Go on MSE and see what deals are on there. I currently have 3 sims and aren't paying more than a quid each per month for them. That is for unlimited calls/texts and >10GB data.

[Catnip64]

I very much doubt that you can just use any SIM in the Volvo, it will expect a certain provider to allow the car to connect to their server.

[Alorotom]

They came supplied by Vodafone for the first 3mths but from Reddit it would appear like the functionality is unlocked for any sim use (which makes perfect sense tbh)

[biggiles]

Have a look at "IOT SIMs" - this is what they are designed for. You can get down well below £5/month.

[ChickenvanGuy]

I've bought 3 data SIMS (the network, not quantity) which were preloaded with 30gb and lasted a year for use in a TT to get connected services.

Didn't want to faff with topping up a SIM in the car.

Not sure if they're still available as using Waze via Android Auto has superseded the online services (which weren't that good anyway, tbh)

Stop press - looks like it's now 24gb for 24 months for £36:

https://ebay.us/m/TXTPVw

UK seller, despite the URL, apparently. Not used them myself.

[Somebody]

How much data do you need? Buy and forget options here:

https://www.rwgmobile.wales/webshop/buy-forget/

[Zad]

Lebara? (Vodafone based)
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/get-100gb-lebara-...

You will need to port out and in again (or get another sim/number) after 8 months though. But for £1 or so per month, I reckoned it was worth the hassle for my use.

[chrisch77]

How old is the Volvo? In recent models (eg 2015 on) the data sim you can put in the car is only for providing a Wi-Fi access point and powering the (pointless) native apps on the entertainment system. It has nothing to do with the Volvo on call system connectivity, you just have to pay the subscription to Volvo and that uses its own internal modem connection. However you have an early SPA platform car then the issue now may be that it only came with a 3G modem and now most of the 3G networks have been switched off. On the XC90 the modem was upgraded to 4G from 2017 model year.

[RacingStripes]

I have a giffgaff one for my tracker. I've topped it up once in about £10 years. Tops up automatically when it's low.

I've just bought a Tesco one (i say bought as it was free but put £10 on it) as i needed a second number.
Annoyingly they start it off as some kind of monthly sim and your £10 buys you x messages calls and data and lasts a month. But if you go into the account for it you can select for it to be like an old pay as you go so I don't expect to ever have to top it up.