On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 14:42:01 +0000, John Rumm
wrote:

Mike Mitchell wrote:

Even that doesn't sound cheap to me. What would the phone charges be,
roughly? Does one pay someone else for the usage? It's all so bloody
complicated!

OK this ought to be simple enough:

http://www.virginmobile.com/mobile/phones/SIE-STD-A50-1

40 quid will get you a phone and 10 quids worth of out going calls.
Since you wont be making many (any?) outgoing calls that will last you
many months!

What happens when I have used the £10 worth of calls? Okay, I know I
said I won't use it, but inevitably the agent or buyer will want
calling back sometimes. Can I top up the phone from anywhere or only
from Virgin?


Receiving calls or text messages is free.

Receiving voicemail is free.

It comes in a box, with a SIM card, a battery, and a charger. Take the
SIM card and insert it in the phone, clip on the battery, plug in the
charger and charge it up. Job Done.

If you want to be able to receive incoming calls then leave the thing
turned on. If not then turn it off (voicemail will take messages if you
want). It will run for a week on a charge if you don't use it much (the
more time you spend talking on it the sooner it will want recharging).

Compared to 75 quid to have a BT line installed, and 12 quid a month
that does not sound too expensive does it?

Fair enough. It's not as bad as I thought. Thanks a lot for this very
straightforward elucidation.

MM