Virgin Media has revealed a new pay as you go tariff that bags you unlimited data when you top up £10 a month.
The 'Big Data' tariff comes with 300 texts, which you can also bump up to 'unlimited' status if you're willing to top up £15 per month. A second 'Big Talk' option gets you unlimited UK landline calls and 120 UK mobile minutes, but frankly that's much less interesting because it doesn't help you access funny songs about seals from your smart phone.
I asked Virgin Media whether the service really offered unlimited data or whether that was the kind of bare-faced lie operators and broadband-mongers have traditionally been fond of telling -- I was told it was truly unlimited, so you shouldn't find your Internet jollies cut short without warning.
To activate the tariff you need to call 789 from a phone with a Virgin Mobile SIM, press 3, and choose the tariff you want.
If you don't top up £10 every month you'll get a text telling you your unlimited offerings will soon expire. To keep the service on an even keel you'll basically need to activate it, then top up at least a tenner every month.
Unlimited data on a pay as you go tariff is appealing, because as well as delivering all the downloading, video streaming and on-the-move Facebook checking you could handle, you can ditch it at any time -- ideal if you're being tracked by a shadowy cabal of assassins and need to hop on a jet to another country.
Networks like Virgin will be scrambling to get customers addicted to their 3G data deals, as EE has just launched the UK's first 4G network. Our initial tests suggest you'll get speedy data, but you'll need to be made of money to afford EE's pricey tariffs.
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Comments 10
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AkumaJack 1 November, 2012 14:22
If virgin has updated its network to 3G+ (HSPA+) this is such a good deal. Great question Luke
"I asked Virgin Media whether the service really offered unlimited data or whether that was the kind of bare-faced lie operators and broadband-mongers have traditionally been fond of telling -- I was told it was truly unlimited, so you shouldn't find your Internet jollies cut short without warning."
anonymous 1 November, 2012 14:37
From Virgin's website:
"Unlimited Mobile Web access subject to a fair use policy of 25MB per day. UK use only."
anonymous 1 November, 2012 17:45
Hmmm....unlimited data is good, but no minutes are included, just the £10 PAYG credit. At 26p a min for calls to mobiles & landlines this works out at a rather pathetic 38 minutes!
giffgaff still seem the way to go for unlimited data, texts and 250 mins for the same price (even though it's going up to £12 next month, still the best deal around).
http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/beddoess
anonymous 2 November, 2012 13:30
The website says you cant tether, so whats the point! If its mobile only, giffgaff is better.
Im going to dual sim my galaxy nexus (magicsim elite) then try tethering my ipad to the virgin sim to see if they will cut me off or if it is the best deal in uk. I also read there is a 10gig limit.
anonymous 2 November, 2012 15:00
giffgaff will be £12 a month goody bag for unlimited data so this sounds like a good alternative
khairul 2 November, 2012 18:53
An anonymous user quoted from Virgin's T&Cs that the unlimited data has a fair use policy of 25MB per day.
In actual fact, that doesn't apply to the new Big Data & Texts tariff, as elucidated elsewhere in the T&Cs:
For customers on the Big Data & Texts tariff excessive use over 10GB of data per calendar month will result in their maximum bandwidth being restricted to 3G speeds (384kbit/s) on our network between midday and midnight. Excludes all other PAYG tariffs. This policy will apply until the end of the calendar month, when it will be automatically removed."
Hayden Lloyd 5 November, 2012 00:59
Virgin Mobile UK does not use HSPA+?
Any confirmation of this?
anonymous 8 November, 2012 08:23
I got it and the big data tarrif. But it used all my credit when i used data! Also it seems to be a capped speed, it didnt go above 700. Ps i dual simed my galaxy nexus for it. Giffgaff are being funny about tethering on their unlimited data tarrif, so i had to try something. I use easily 5gig a month on netflix and spotify whilst on night shift. I wish giffgaff would offer a tarrif that allows a healthy amount of tethering, rather than the miserable 1gig on £10 tarrif.
anonymous 14 December, 2012 08:30
Its 95GB limit
anonymous 14 December, 2012 08:31
correction : its 95 GB limit i read it here : rateitstar dot com