Talk:Prepaid mobile phone

References?

New to wikipedia. Have not figured out how to cite refrence. Change that occured was from a report on prepaid telephone link: http://www.sfu.ca/cprost/prepaid/docs/Gow-PrivacyRightsAndPrepaidCommunicationServices.pdf As I have been doing work on this material there are other changes I will make to keep it up with current knowlege. However the main one is the name needs to change. In all the litrature it is refered to a prepaid mobile phones. This title is confusing and misleading by anybody who want to look at this information. Also this report quoted also has some demographical information about prepaid mobile phone that should also get included. Jumpspark 00:38, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

I think the concept was first developed in Portugal by the TMN company with the MIMO mobile phone. Correct me if I'm wrong. --- Mmcarvalho 15:22, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

Same year as Eircells launch, 1995. Eircell always claimed to be the first, anyway --Kiand 14:43, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

See the article on the Portuguese company TMN or Telecomunicações Móveis Nacionais, SA.--- Mmcarvalho 16:11, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

I did, which is where I saw that it was also 1995 for TMN, albeit towards the end of that year. I have no idea when Eircell Ready To Go started in 1995. --Kiand 22:30, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

Yes, you are both right. I was leader of the Service Design Team in Eircell. Ready to Go was launched at the end of October 1997 and was influenced by successful prepaid mobile propositions elsewhere including Timmy (Italy). Dublinblue 12:48, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

Article title

Wouldn't Prepaid mobile phone be a better title than Pay as you go (phone)? —Tokek 00:41, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

-Yes! or Prepaid Wireless... -Tghare

Except that a web search of "Prepaid" (wireless or mobile) typically also results in contract-type services. I would agree that this doesn't make logical sense because a monthly contract service is paid after the service is rendered. Since they are commonly referred to as "Pay-As-You-Go" or PAYG phones, I would leave the title as is. ~ CJP —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.77.50.54 (talk) 13:14, 11 June 2009 (UTC)

Should be changed back. Most countries use "PAYG" and it's less ambiguous. Turkeyphan^t 19:43, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

I disagree. The term "pay as you go" is in many cases a registerd brand or copyrighted advertising slogan. It is not a generically descriptive term. There is nothing in that phrase itself to indicate that it refers to mobile phone services. The phrase could conceivably be applied to totally different things such as train fares. The title "Prepaid mobile phone" leaves no doubt about the subject of the article. Please read the WP:TITLE guidelines. Roger (talk) 20:38, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

Then why not "Pay as you go phone"? Turkeyphan^t 10:52, 15 March 2011 (UTC)

hm ! I have come here looking for "pay as you go phone", as I have a phone plan that is neither pre-paid nor post paid : I really do "pay as I go" ie, my phone provider debits my credit account when my credit with the provider falls below a certain amount - which is quite small and refundable if necessary. So I believe I am not paying in advance { pre-paid], nor do I receive an account monthly {post paid}. Should I cancel the service, I get a refund of unused credit, so I believe therefore that I am only using my own money "as I go.." <sigh>. I'll vote for the article being "Prepaid mobile phone" Feroshki (talk) 06:26, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

Article needs work

The article needs work. I created a proper intro but their is more that can be done. Some suggestions:

• The article should explain how pay as you go commonly work such as adding airtime via a prepaid card, the fact that you have to add airtime at certain intervals (every 2 or 3 months for example) in order to keep your mobile phone and its associated number activated (at least the U.S.).
• Create a sections explaining the advantages and disadvantages of prepaid vs. standard monthly fee based mobile phone service.
• Consider moving this to "Prepaid cellular service" or "Prepaid mobile phone service" or something like that as already suggested.

--Cab88 19:43, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Requested move

• The title is not a proper noun; therefore, under WP:MOS, only the first word should be capitalized. This needs an admin to do because there is already a redirect at the proper title. --Russ (talk) 15:33, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Done. On 2007-08-28T12:39, Anthony Appleyard moved "Prepaid Mobile Phone" to "Prepaid mobile phone", as requested. (-A876 (talk) 06:59, 10 November 2018 (UTC))

Other countries

I can't vouch for any of the other countries mentioned, but some of the information for prepaid phones in the UK (usually called pay-as-you-go) seems incorrect or misleading. I'm not completely sure of myself, however, so I'm only suggesting someone else look at it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Raylin (talk • contribs) 22:22, 29 December 2007 (UTC)

What about Africa?

There's a humungous hole in this article! It doesn't say anything about how prepaid cellular services have made telephony and internet available to millions of people all over Africa who would otherwise never be able to afford it. In many African countries "airtime" (as it is called in English speaking Southern Africa) is available in units as small as US$1 or even less. See Roger (talk) 11:41, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

References

Patents

As should be explained, the some of the patents in this area have been the subject of litigation, yet this article cites to several patents without a whisper of the controversy. We really should have sources to back up claims about a patent being the first to solve problem X. If sources aren't provided, I will take these claims out. Cool Hand Luke 05:49, 7 July 2008 (UTC)

"Sticky" meaning holding a customer's attention or custom

Putting quotes round "sticky" makes it clear (to me) that this is a jargon term, and so should be hyperlinked, but I can't find a suitable target. The nearest I see is Sticky content. Sticky (economics) seems to be related, possibly in etymology? -- passer by 2010-08-23 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 95.148.244.32 (talk) 18:53, 23 August 2010 (UTC)

Privacy rights and prepaid mobile phones

This section is unbalanced. It needs more coverage of the advantages of providing privacy. Currently it reads almost entirely in favor of big brother/state control/surveillance.

Needs more coverage of the advantages of allowing individuals freedom of communication, fighting oppression, etc.

I couldn't find a tag requesting NPOV improvement, so I put a tag I could find on the section (not that I know of any dispute) just want to suggest improvement. Zodon (talk) 09:16, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Just a note: IMHO, the fact that prepaid SIM cards may be used anonymously does not necessarily mean they can be used for crime with impunity. Devices on the mobile networks can be easily tracked [reference to some articles here, e.g.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_tracking, http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs2b-cellprivacy.htm#5, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/22/AR2007112201444_2.html?hpid=topnews, "FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool" http://news.cnet.com/2100-1029_3-6140191.html). So really, I do not think there's a necessity (and definitely shouldn't be a requirement) for someone to provide personal information just to be able to talk with someone [on the phone]. 66.183.21.148 (talk) 13:36, 5 February 2011 (UTC)

I'm Italian and in Italy it is mandatory to present a valid ID document and the equivalent of social security number (codice fiscale) in order to buy a prepaid SIM card. Since June 2014 I live in Germany and here you can buy prepaid SIM card at the supermarket without showing any document. You have to activate the SIM on internet and there is no verification on the data you register. Since it is possible to anonymously connect to the internet, privacy if fully granted. I share this information on my experience base, cannot quote any source for now. --95.90.229.111 (talk) 19:45, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

Censorship and prepaid mobile phones

The article claims that prepaid accounts can subvert censorship, but I found the opposite to be true. Just form personal experience over the last two weeks, T-mobile in the USA censors Internet use on prepaid accounts. They even block queries using any alcohol related words. Good luck using a prepaid account as a tourist on a wine tour... Perhaps someone could substantiate this, and add that in the USA prepaid accounts are extra censored.

Ability to receive calls with zero credit

I've added to the "churn" section that in some countries (and presumably on some networks), a prepaid mobile with no credit can still receive calls. This is the case in the UK for most if not all networks. Unfortunately I can't find a citation. The whole section would ideally be expanded a bit, with consideration of how the ability to receive calls with no credit affects "churn", if there has been any research on the topic. M0ffx (talk) 12:01, 21 February 2011 (UTC)

First of all, you cannot receive calls without credit if you would have to pay for the inbound call and you have to pay for inbound calls 1) when you're roaming abroad and 2) if you live in a country that uses the RPP system (see Termination_rates).

In addition to that, some phone companies require that you buy new credit once in a while or they'll stop delievering your calls. In most cases however, these rules are usually something like "buy €5 of credit every 6 months and you can receive calls", not "keep your credit above €0.01 and you can receive calls". -- 2001:638:A000:4130:131:188:30:90 (talk) 16:47, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

Churn

Hi, I removed the line: "In the US incoming calls are also barred." People using pay-as-you go plans in the United States of America can receive calls. Bye. Starionwolf (talk) 15:43, 23 September 2012 (UTC)

Wrong. The US uses RPP which means that people have to pay for INBOUND calls as well. Now, if you're on a prepaid plan and your prepaid credit is empty... Well, then you can't do anything that would cost you money, including receiving calls unless your phone provider allows you to overdraft your prepaid credit (but then it isn't prepaid anymore because you are using service without paying in advance). I think that this is one reason why prepaid is uncommon in RPP countries but popular in CPP countries. I restored the line. -- 2001:638:A000:4130:131:188:30:90 (talk) 17:03, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

burner

I don't know if people actually use the phrase "burner" but I've heard it a lot on TV on Breaking Bad and Scandal. Could anyone add a sentence or two regarding the word burner and how that name came to be?Theresavalek (talk) 18:04, 8 February 2013 (UTC)

VAT and roaming

There was a mistake in the article - it claimed that when a user from an EU country roamed in another EU country, they would have to pay 0% VAT on that call even though their top up was subject to national VAT in their home country.

The latter part is true - prepaid phone top-ups are subject to VAT - however, the claim that roaming calls were excempt is is wrong. The customer has to pay VAT for their roaming just as they have to pay VAT for domestic use. On the wholesale level, things are a bit different than usual - the visited network will send an invoice to the home network that excludes VAT; The home network has to report this to their national VAT authority and pay VAT; When they have paid wholesale VAT, they have to request a refund for that amount because they would otherwise pay VAT twice.

So it is totally wrong to claim that roaming was subject to a 0% VAT sentence. It is subject to domestic VAT in the customer's home country and the cross-border wholesale roaming agreement is subject to VAT reversal. -- 2001:638:A000:4130:131:188:30:90 (talk) 16:24, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

Out of date information

Wikipedia now seems to be full of out-of-date information probably because far fewer people contribute to the site because of the bureaucracy, newbie attacks and poor work on the part of admins. This article has such issues especially one part 9 of 24 surveyed OECD countries require prepaid mobile users to register. These countries are Australia, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Slovak Republic, South Africa and Switzerland which is 8 years out-of-date or 100 years in technology years. Many other countries including Italy now require personal and / or tax identification when buying a mobile phone, a SIM or signing a contract for phone or Internet services. Somebody needs to really focus on updating Wikipedia.--109.114.71.114 (talk) 21:21, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

"top up"

This article says:

Users are able to top up their credit at any time using a variety of payment mechanisms.

Then the terms "top up", "top-up", "topped up", and "topping up" are used repeatedly, and it is assumed that the reader knows what they mean. I've never encountered the term before. Can someone explain what it means? Michael Hardy (talk) 02:10, 14 March 2015 (UTC)

Not "Prepay mobile phone". "Prepaid mobile phone".

This article is currently named "Prepay mobile phone". On 2016-06-20T04:11 Crlfrncsmndzprk moved page "Prepaid mobile phone" to "Prepay mobile phone" with the edit-comment "Better spelling and grammar". However, "Prepaid" is spelled correctly, is an adjective, and is grammatically correct. "Prepay" is a verb, and is grammatically incorrect. This article should never have been renamed from "Prepaid mobile phone" to "Prepay mobile phone". It is embarrassing. It should have been moved back immediately, or long ago.

I checked the prevailing usage on the WWW using Google search with the "verbatim" option. "Prepaid..." is used 15 to 35 times as often as "Prepay...". (And the ratio would probably be higher if not for the error on Wikipedia.) Here are the counts:

• "Prepaid mobile phone" -wikipedia 772,000
• "Prepay mobile phone" -wikipedia 58,000
• "Prepaid cell phone" -wikipedia 1,130,000
• "Prepay cell phone" -wikipedia 29,100

Also, there are only two articles on English Wikipedia with "prepay" in the title, whether article or redirect, both created by spurious renaming in 2016. (See All pages with titles containing prepay.)

I'm going to rename this article back to "Prepaid mobile phone", in a few hours, or when I remember to do it. -A876 (talk) 06:59, 10 November 2018 (UTC)

UK law change?

Hi, it seems that one possibility being considered for the "Counterterrorism and Border Security Bill 2019" is to require people purchasing new phones to activate the device by sending its IMEI in a text message to a specific number depending on the supplier. This would also mean that simply putting a prepaid card in a phone would no longer work by default but this function could be added to the firmware relatively easily or done manually as part of the set up procedure.

Contract cards would be unaffected as these normally need registration and photo ID anyway. Additional information might be the last three digits of an NID, passport or driving license number but this could cause more problems as not everyone has this information readily available.

What's the point? The supplier (I assume you mean the service provider) already knows the IMEA to provide service to the phone! If the buyer has to register an address with the seller (e.g. as for TV Licensing how will that be enforced for phones purchased outside the UK? Seems like another proposal that hinders the honest while having no effect on the dishonest. For:

The rain it raineth every day
On both the just and unjust fella
But mostly on the just, because
The unjust has the just's umbrella

85.67.32.244 (talk) 13:11, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

Has the term "PAYG" become obsolete?

I came here from List of United Kingdom mobile virtual network operators because the first Mobile virtual network enabler I looked at didn't fit the mould. That article uses the term "PAYG" to link to this page, and Asda's Bundles are indeed prepaid. But. What I expected to find was that PAYG would be a contract where you buy some minutes, or some data, or both, and when you've used them up you buy some more. Their contracts aren't like that. Yes, you buy them in advance. But you get a month's worth, with caps on amount of data (not calls) or on data speed. A pay monthly contract, in contrast, you get a month's worth, with caps on the amount of data (or calls) or on speed depending on the network. Just to make it really interesting if I have it correct my current (obsolete) Vodafone contract bills me in advance for each month. The difference between Asda's "PAYG" with autorenew set, and my current "PAYM" contracts are trivial. What do people think? Number774 (talk) 09:05, 31 May 2022 (UTC)