How to make mobile calls without credit

The only real drawback of pay-as-you-go (PAYG) mobile phones is that when you run out of credit you can’t make a telephone call. So what can you do when you need to chat but don’t have the credit?

Mobile networks have recognised this problem and stepped in to plug the gap with several clever ways to call without credit.

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Orange Reserve Tank

Orange (www.orange.co.uk) lets its PAYG customers stay in touch even without credit with its £2.50 “Reserve Tank” facility, which kicks in when your credit has run dry.

The service works much like the emergency credit option on coin-operated electricity meters, providing you with just enough credit to make short telephone calls or send a few texts until you can top-up.

The £2.50 - or however much of it you use - is then deducted from your next top-up. For example, use your full Reserve Tank allowance and you’ll later need to top-up £12.50 in order to put a £10.00 credit on your Orange mobile phone.

You can switch on Orange’s Reserve Tank setting by texting the word “TANK” to 2002. Each time you need to use the service after that just call 450. The initial text and switch-on call are both free.

Reverse charge call from a mobile phone

Reversing the charges is a tried and tested way of calling someone when you don’t have any money. It all started years ago with public payphones, but now the service has been updated to help you quickly and easily call someone from your mobile phone and they’ll pick up the bill.

0800 REVERSE (0738773) is one of the most famous providers of reverse charging services for mobile phones. Its automated system means you simply:

1. Dial “0800 0738773” from your phone
2. Tap in the number you want to call, when prompted by the automated voice
3. Wait for the other person to accept the reverse charge cost
4. Start talking.

The service has also been simplified for use by children, allowing them to do exactly the same but by simply dialling a pre-configured number stored in their phone’s address book. Mum and dad then pick-up the call cost, of course.

Other ideas

• Free text messages - Most mobile phone operators let you send a small number of free text messages from their websites. Speak to your network provider for more information
• Low balance warning - Some operators will alert you via text message when you’re approaching the final few pennies of your PAYG credit.

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Galaxy S2(black) £0.00	100 min Unlimited texts	£20.50
Galaxy S3(blue) £0.00	400 min Unlimited texts	£31.00
One X(black) £0.00	600 min Unlimited texts	£28.50

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