decent phone deals?

[tris-]

im currently on a student plan with orange. for £19/month i get 300 texts and 60 minutes. i phoned them up to see what they can offer me so i will stay. their idea of a good deal is charging me more and giving me less so im therfore looking for something else.

i dont want to pay much more than i do now
i use texts more than i do minutes
i want a better phone than the N70

i know there is a few mobile phone bods here, TIA

 

[Gray]

If im still with O2 job wise in 2-3 month the deal i'll be getting is

1000 minutes for Weekdays
2000 minutes for Weekends
1000 text messages
100 mb data usage
+ Phone

£25 per month

Ooh yeah


/edit

And i do recall you at somepoint being on O2, i know recently we brought out some new deals [Hence the deal above for staff] but also for customers as well, some which are pretty cheap.

The handset i was looking at originally was the Nokia N95 or the XDA Orbit, but i want to see whats going to be available on O2 as i say in about 2 month or so. Had my eye temporarily on the Apple iPhone but hmm... Might be a while before that one comes out

 

[Earl]

So the moral of the story is work for o2 and get a great deal, or get screwed over in terms of texts/minutes but at least have signal.

 

[tris-]

And i do recall you at somepoint being on O2, i know recently we brought out some new deals [Hence the deal above for staff] but also for customers as well, some which are pretty cheap.

so you gonna tell me what they are then you lazy fucker



p.s. :wub:

 

[Gray]

O2 Q2 Tariff Table in PDF format

There you homo, im 99% certain that is the correct tariff sheet as it looks familiar, the tariffs are only a few weeks old

 

[tris-]

would the k800i be classed as worthwhile?

 

[Gray]

Well the K800 has been out about a year and half now if not more.. Should see if there is any updated models to the K800... I know theres a few out now

 

[old.user4556]

I love my k800i.

Stick a 2gb mem card in it, it does music, it does the radio - thus good for travel or when you're knocking out code at a rate of noughts and you need peace from babbling project managers. The camera and proper discharge flash are awesome for party shots and random nights out. I can post pics if you want to see some examples?

I love it, it does everything I need.

 

[DaGaffer]

Just don't get a n80 - shite battery life, stupid blue flashing light, and wi-fi doesn't really work as advertised.

Am I right in thinking the iPhone won't have 3G, thereby making it a bit of a waste of time in Europe/UK? If so, well done Apple...

As for tariffs, Orange don't seem to understand the concept of customer retention (7 times more expensive to get a new customer than keep an existing one), you're one of many who've mentioned shit treatment at renewal time. With O2 you can usually do a deal, even if its just a handset upgrade.

 

[Shovel]

Am I right in thinking the iPhone won't have 3G, thereby making it a bit of a waste of time in Europe/UK? If so, well done Apple...

The model they've announced in the US — on AT&T — does not have 3G, but that's because AT&T doesn't use 3G. The phone specs are an exact match for the network capabilities (random access voicemail, etc.)

Apple haven't announced anything about the European model, except that it won't be until the autumn. I would expect that its specs will once again be linked to whatever their partner network can offer (read: can be persuaded to offer). I'd be extremely surprised to see it launched without 3G over here.

Regardless, it's yonks away.

 

[Samaroon|Terracotta]

Stay away from the 3 network like the plague.

 

[MYstIC G]

Stay away from the 3 network like the plague.

Why? I'm on three and have been for over a year. Compared to Orange it's a fucking dream (most probably because if you can't get a 3G signal you're using an O2 one instead).

 

[tris-]

Why? I'm on three and have been for over a year. Compared to Orange it's a fucking dream (most probably because if you can't get a 3G signal you're using an O2 one instead).

ive been on 3 and it was gash, im on orange now and have had no issues.

so back to phones - U600. anyone have any experiences with it?

 

[MYstIC G]

Guess it's just luck of the draw then All I know is £500 billing errors by orange that they won't sort out "until your next bill" happened more than once for me. I hope you don't ever get the same matey.

 

[Ch3tan]

There is a new version of the k800i, k810i.

 

[evzy]

Personally I still think the best deal I have found is just mug a chav - see how they fucking like it. It also has the benefit of none of em can afford a contract phone so you get their phone and their pay as you go minutes..

I am still trying to work out how to run one over without ruining the phone though

 

[Bodhi]

As some of you may know I work for Vodafone, in customer retentions as it happens. I spend all day chatting to customers, figuring out which handsets sell the best (and get returned the least). So my advice would be get a K800i. It's the best phone out there at the moment and regularly talk people into having one rather than an N95. I borrowed one for a weekend - nice features, horrible to use. The UI is shocking - using it after UIQ 3.0 on my W950 is like going back in time. I've also heard of a trip to Manchester running up a £26 data bill. Couple that with a 50% return rate and some worrying bugs, you do wonder what all the hype was about. I've just seen a preview of the SonyEricsson P1, now THAT looks sweet. No idea when it's out tho.

The K810 isn't worth bothering with, we've dropped it after numerous software issues and are going to wait for the K850 instead (the 5MP version). Have also heard the K800 is much nicer to use. Oh yeah and avoid the N73 like the plague.

As far as tarriffs go, we can do you 75mins/250 texts for £18 with 3 months half price, or 150 mins/500 texts for 25 with 6 months half price. Plus in 18 months time we won't take the deal off you, and I'll sort you out a top upgrade.

 

[tris-]

As far as tarriffs go, we can do you 75mins/250 texts for £18 with 3 months half price, or 150 mins/500 texts for 25 with 6 months half price. Plus in 18 months time we won't take the deal off you, and I'll sort you out a top upgrade.

how do you do the half price thing? its not that cashback shit is it, because ive had problems with that in the past :/

 

[TdC]

Oh yeah and avoid the N73 like the plague.

why's that Bods? I was thinking of getting one, me.

 

[Bodhi]

tris, the half price line rental comes straight off your bill. £12.50 is all you'll pay. You should try phoning up, the internet deals can be improved on with a bit of haggling. Without giving too much away, things like free memory cards or headsets are more likely to be offered.

teedles, i know too many people who have had them to recommend them to anyone. One was on his third before he finally got fed up of ti crashing whilst sending a text and rebooting itself every time it got a bit bored of working properly. He's got a Samsung Z720 now. Another sent his back for a K800i. Unless you must have a Nokia smartphone give em a miss.

 

[Samaroon|Terracotta]

Why? I'm on three and have been for over a year. Compared to Orange it's a fucking dream (most probably because if you can't get a 3G signal you're using an O2 one instead).

I've been on 3 for about 5 months now, haven't had more problems with phones. Considering this is my first contract phone, I've got nothing to compare it to I supose. Constant Network Failing, it was apparantly meant to be fixed within 8 weeks, and that was at the beginning of February. I'd say it worse now aswell.

 

[phazey]

Would any of you phone bods have anything to say about the Nokia e65 - i've had a play with one and am tempted.....

 

[mycenae]

i transferred to 3 from 02 4 years ago, and have had absolutely zero problems with phones and networks and prices. My only complaint would be that nearly ALL their call centers are in Mumbai....hence very few of the people you'll speak to when you ring customer services are able to deviate off a written script they have. The only way to talk to someone who a) can actually speak english and b) knows what they are talking about, is to go into a 3 store and talk to customer services through them as they have a number that goes straight through to a glasgow call center if they cant solve the prob for you there and then. I have a nokia N73 - like it very much, no problems there, and the camera quality is great!

 

[Jimmae]

3 is fine if you do most of your calls in a city, or a large urban area. if you live out in the country, 3 doesnt actually have a network out there, so they rent out other peoples, but only 2g.

3 regularly came last in all the customer satisfaction surveys. i wouldnt advise using them tbh, go with one of the big names, o2 and vodafone, theres nothing between them.

 

[Insane]

I've lost track on how many Nokia N Series phones I've had to flash upgrade for friends. One friend has one of those X series Nokias from 3 and ended up having to get it flashed with standard Nokia N series firmware to resolve the problems.

Any time I have went to upgrade my phone, I talk direct to the Disconnections team and get a better deal through them for cheaper.

 

[tris-]

tris, the half price line rental comes straight off your bill. £12.50 is all you'll pay. You should try phoning up, the internet deals can be improved on with a bit of haggling. Without giving too much away, things like free memory cards or headsets are more likely to be offered.

so would you suggest simply asking them for extras or is it worth making up some bullcrap like "orange said theyd give me x and y if i stay, what can you give?"

 

[tris-]

bodhi another q for ya. i phoned up orange for my pac code, now when i left O2 they billed me only untill the code was used. well apparently with orange i get billed for a full month even if i dont use the full month. is that right? something about i have to pay for 30 days, even if i only have a service for say 5 days.

with my knowledge of contract law, it doesnt really make sense to me :\

 

[Guest]

if you are on contract then you give 30 days notice to end your contract at the end of the 11th month, at the end of the 12th month Orange send out your code by post, thats it............

thats if you are on a 12 month contract etc

 

[tris-]

if you are on contract then you give 30 days notice to end your contract at the end of the 11th month, at the end of the 12th month Orange send out your code by post, thats it............

thats if you are on a 12 month contract etc

im on a 12 month contract, and pretty soon im making my 14th payment. so im not sure why i need to give notice.

 

[Bodhi]

so would you suggest simply asking them for extras or is it worth making up some bullcrap like "orange said theyd give me x and y if i stay, what can you give?"

It's worth a try, you're not exactly going to end up with a worse deal, and call centre staff alway have a bit more room for maneuver. I also know the new connection tariff matrix has a very generous accessories budget, so you're more likely to get a bluetooth headset or memory card thrown in. Doubt you'd be able to get round the 18 month contract thing, but we do let you upgrade early and will guarantee your phone for the duration. Plus retention can sort you a 12 month deal at the end of it.

As far as the PAC code is concerned, I can only speak for Vodafone when I say we pro-rata any line rental, so if your number transfers on the 18th your account closes on the 18th and you only pay the line rental up until that point. It's true you pay 30 days in advance, but any over payment is always refunded. It is with us anyway. If Orange don't refund your money for that time considering you're in month 14, I'd strongly suggest having a word. The only reason you still have to give notice however is that if you sign an 18 month contract, that is the minimum term of the contract not the length of the contract itself. After the mimimum term you normally go on a 30 day rolling contract like those SIM only deals.

Oh and one last piece of advice. About once a week I get a customer come through who's signed up with T-Mobile and wants to come back to us. I'll say no more.