Hello !

What operator would you recommend for a mobile phone to be used only in answer-mode i.e. almost no calls from the device ?

I have found Yallo - any other ? any recommendation ?

Thanks !

Lebara

http://www.lebara-mobile.ch/en/index.php

Good rates, should you decide to call out to overseas numbers.

Well if you're not making any outgoing calls, then just look for an operator with the cheapest line rental. You might want to consider pre-paid.

Then there's coverage. I personally have Swisscom. Friends of mine have both Orange and Sunrise. I have always found that I've had the best coverage inside buildings, etc. when they don't. As far as I know other providers (i.e. not Swisscom, Orange, Sunrise) use the infrastructure of one of the three mentioned... probably Sunrise.

As I hardly use my mobile to call other numbers, a Swisscom prepaid works out much cheaper than any normal Abo.
Two points though:

• When my mobile is switched off, without the Combox activated, the caller receives a verbal message (in four languages) 'This number is not valid'.
• I'm sure I have read somewhere, no idea where, that if a Mobile with Prepaid is not used to call a number within a time limit of three months, the phone number will be 'de-activated'. I don't know if it's true and I don't know if it is Swisscom, but if you really intend to use the cell phone just for receiving calls it might be worth checking out.

Has anyone else heard this? or even experienced it? I ring someone about once a month, just to make sure it doesn't happen to me...

Yeah it happened to my UK pay as you go SIM (O2), and the guy in the shop it is becoming more common. Once your SIm has been deactivated it can't be reactivated again. I would have thought that receiving calls and texts would be enough but I am not 100% sure.

The limit is 12 months inactivity, and I think the rule is from the federal office of communications.

With my pre-paid Vodafone UK SIM card, I have to spend some money once every three months. Not sure how long I have to "wait" until I loose my number, but I guess it does happen.