Pay as you go SIM

Once you’ve inserted your Essentials SIM into your phone, you can activate it by making a standard call, sending a standard text, or by using data.

If you bought your SIM card from us online, rather than in a store, your first bundle should automatically activate at the same time as your SIM.

Yes, you can earn points by linking your Clubcard to your Essentials account.

To get started, just text the word CLUBCARD to 28578, free from your Tesco Mobile phone. Then follow the instructions.

Once linked, you’ll collect one Clubcard point for every £1 you top up using our app, in our stores, or by calling 4488 from your Tesco Mobile phone.

Our help page has more information about earning Clubcard points.

The Tesco Mobile app is the easiest and quickest way to manage your bundle. This will allow you to check your allowances and usage, change or stop your bundle, top up your balance, and more.

You can also do these things by calling 4488 from your Tesco Mobile phone.

Please note: to sign up to our app, you’ll need an email address that isn’t already linked to a Tesco Mobile account.

No. Your allowances of data, minutes and texts last for 30 days, starting from the date that your bundle activates or renews.

No, you cannot add extra allowances before your bundle renews. However, you can renew your active bundle early or start a different bundle at any time*. This will give you a new set of allowances that will last for 30 days, as well as a new renewal date.

Alternatively, you can still make calls, send texts or use data once you’ve used up your bundle allowances. This usage will be charged at our standard out-of-bundle rates.

*Please note: you can’t make changes to your bundle in the last two hours before your renewal date (10pm to midnight on the day before).

Your bundle will only renew if your top-up balance is high enough to cover its cost. If your balance is too low on your renewal date, your bundle will be paused until you top up.

As soon as your top-up balance is high enough your bundle should automatically renew, beginning a new 30-day period.

If your top-up balance is high enough but your bundle still hasn’t activated, or if you have any other problems with your bundle, please contact us using the help tab of the Tesco Mobile app.

Every bundle you purchase from us online is subject to a 14-day cooling-off period. This policy covers bundles bought through the Tesco Mobile app, as well as our website.

So, during your first 14 days of a bundle, you can contact us to ask for a refund on any allowances that you haven't used yet — as long as you bought the bundle from our app or tescomobile.com.

For more information, please see our returns policy.

With Home From Home, you can take your UK data, minutes and texts with you to 48 destinations across the EU and beyond – at no extra cost .

When using your phone in countries outside of the EU, our standard roaming charges will apply.

You can check our standard out-of-bundle rates here.

Your number will remain active as long as it’s used very occasionally.

If you don’t use your phone for a period of six months or more, we’ll disconnect you. If this happens, you may lose your mobile number and any remaining credit.