Mobile by Sainsbury's now open, PAYG plans with double Nectar points on sale with partner Vodafone
Mobile by Sainsbury’s, the new network partnership between supermarket chain Sainsbury’s and mobile phone network Vodafone, has luanched today.
Acting as mobile virtual network operator using Vodafone’s signalling infrastructure, Mobile by Sainsbury’s aims to entice customers with PAYG price plans that earn them double Nectar points on their Sainsbury’s loyalty cards.
Tying a Mobile by Sainsbury’s PAYG bundle to a Nectar card earns the customer double reward points on every purchase in store, with Sainsbury’s stating that a family of four could earn up to £180 worth of Nectar points if each opts for the £10 bundle.
Three bundles will be on offer, allowing for different amounts of calls and data to be used, with texts unlimited across all price plans. For £10 you get 200 minutes and 250MB of data, while the £15 bundle includes 300 minutes and 500MB of data. The top-tier £20 plan offers 800 minutes and 1GB of data.
A basic price plan is also available, charging calls at 8p a minute, texts at 4p each and data at 50p a day for up to 25MB. Phone top-up starts at £5, and there’s also a “Borrow a Pound” service, where customers can use up to £1 of credit for calls or texts when they have used up their own credit. This then has to be repaid plus a 10p fee when they next top-up their phone.
Aiming for the low and midrange of the market, Mobile By Sainsbury’s will be stocking the Nokia 100, Samsung E1190, Nokia Asha 201, Alcatel One Touch, Samsung Galaxy Y and Blackberry 9320 in 250 stores, with an extended range of Sony Xperia E, Samsung Galaxy Fame and Nokia Lumia 520 in other selected stores. Every single branch of Sainsbury’s however will be selling the new PAYG SIM cards however.
“The average UK family is feeling the pinch, and this is an easy way to make your pound stretch further,” said Emma McLaughlin, Mobile by Sainsbury’s Marketing Director.
“Sainsbury’s has demonstrated that a family of four can eat five meals for just £20, so the £180 worth of Nectar points would feed a family across 45 meals a year. Or you could use the points to treat yourself and your partner to a relaxing spa day.
“We know that many customers find choosing a mobile phone network a bit stressful, so we’ve opted to not only keep our price plans as affordable as possible – we’ve also made it incredibly simple. With our pay as you go service, customers know exactly what they’re getting and how much they’re spending – which means no nasty surprises at the end of the month.”
