New mobile contract time - what to get, and best deals??

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New mobile contract time - what to get, and best deals??

25 posts & 14 voices | Started 7 months ago by FunkyDunc | Latest reply from FunkyDunc

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FunkyDunc - Member

I've got the original HTC Desire on an Orange 18 month contract, which ends next week!

300 minutes, unlimited texts, 500mb data. £25 per month.

I have no idea whats good in the world of smartphones these days, to be honest the Desire does everything I need, and has technology really moved on in the last 18 months, what would be noticeably better? Is the Desire S the same phone I will have currently? If so I could just swap, pay a couple of pounds less per month, and sell my current Desire on Ebay (all madness IMO)

So if I do upgrade, what phone should I go for? I dont want to increase my monthly payment but need to keep the minutes and data. Windows 7 appeals as I use hotmail and outlook calendar a lot (yes I know google mail etc etc, but I dont want to faff like that)

What handset should I look at and where from?

I can go SIM only but that will still be £20 a month, which 500 minutes which I dont need.

Ta

Posted 7 months ago #
cynic-al - Member

Do some research, lazy! http://www.gsmarena.com is good.

Sounds like HTC works for you.

An ABSOLUTE MUST is to call Orange after the end of the contract and threaten to leave-I usually get £10+ per month off.

Posted 7 months ago #
rOcKeTdOg - Member

if you work in the public sector orange will give you 10% discount too, but ask them, they won't volunteer it

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

rocketdog - cheers for that I wasnt aware of that.

cynic I normally would research to the hilt, but it was only last night I realised my contract was up, and it doesnt leave me long to look...

Posted 7 months ago #
joolsburger - Member

Best deal I have found is sim only from tesco take a look.

Posted 7 months ago #
joemarshall - Member

T mobile sim only costs tenner a month for 300 minutes 300 texts, and internet 'booster ' (it's either 500 or 1000 mb, can't remember.)

Orange should do you an unlock as the contract has ended.

Orange and t mobile share networks, so you should get the same coverage.

Posted 7 months ago #
weirdnumber - Member

Desire S is essentially the same as the Desire but with more application storage capacity. Current top smart phones are HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S II.
The £10 Sim Only as mentioned above on T-Mobile is great. Its a 12 month commitment but you can upgrade within the 12 months to a longer contract including a handset if you need to. The internet booster is 500Mb but its a fair usage limit not a cap so there are no run on rates.
Orange will do something similar especially if you say you are looking at a deal like that.
As for Orange and T-Mobile network sharing, its 2G only at the moment and not seamless but 3G sharing is rolling out this month.

Oh and stay away from Windows Phone 7. Its still poor in comparison to IOS and Android.

Posted 7 months ago #
cynic-al - Member

Have to say if my Desire contract was up I'd think of sim-only till significant advances are made. PITA changing no. though.

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

Weird - Thanks thats very helpful.

Think I'll try and give Orange another call (not that you can get through at the min as everyone apparently wants to pay an arm and a leg for the new iphone?!?) armed with the details of the T-Mobile deal, so long as I can upgrade within the 12 months to a new phone that will be great, as although my Desire is OK now, I'm sure in a few months time it might start packing up.

Posted 7 months ago #
lunge - Member

Tesco mobile is the cheapest I have seen.

Posted 7 months ago #
dooosuk - Member

If you work for the NHS Orange will also give you 25% off your monthly bills.

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

doosuk really? Thats a huge amount, I do in fact work for the NHS, where is this stated as I know I asked previously about NHS discount when I took out the contract and was told no.

Posted 7 months ago #
disco_stu - Member

When my contract with 3 expires next year I'll be going to a sim only deal as I can't see anything that newer phone offer over my current HTC Desire that makes me want to sign up for a new contract.

Have a look at giff gaff? £10 a month sim only gives you 250 mins, unlimited texts and internet and it runs over the o2 network.

Posted 7 months ago #
dooosuk - Member

FunkyDunc - Yes really. My Mrs renewed (in a shop though) and the assistant told her. All she had to do was take in a pay cheque as proof.

She got a new Galaxy II S free and pretty much unlimited texts/calls/internet for £30/mth instead of £40.

I guess if you barter well and get a willing online member of staff you might get the same deal but when the Mrs phoned up they wanted her to pay for the phone.

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

Doo suk - Yeah Ive just done a bit of googling and its a recent thing since April. Apparently shops know more about it the telephone sales.

Many people appear to be saying you can get the discount for up to 5 friends and family too.

Thanks for the heads up.

Posted 7 months ago #
banks - Member

same with me, same phone & contract. I'm just sticking with Orange, paying monthly & renewing when my Desire dies

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

Banks what SIM only deal did you get?

Posted 7 months ago #
z1ppy - Member

GiffGAff is worth a butchers for sim only deals, we (g/f & me) have been on them for the last 3 month with no issue, both of us have even managed to get down from the £15 deal to the £10 a month deal without issues..

Posted 7 months ago #
BigButSlimmerBloke - Member

i got 10% nhs and 10% loyalty on my orange bill from phones4u. orange never mentioned either. and i got a motorola defy which orange weren't offering at all at the time

Posted 7 months ago #
dooosuk - Member

If you can with voucher redemption, you can get some very good contracts through http://www.mobiles.co.uk.

I finish a contract with then next month and will be taking out another one. The redemption just requires you to email or post your bill to them. I didn't have a problem with the system...even when I moved and they sent a cheque to an old address they cancelled and re-issued without a problem.

18mth contracts for the price of 6mths...can't see why you wouldn't.

Posted 7 months ago #
Woody - Member

If you work for the NHS Orange will also give you 25% off your monthly bills.

Really!! That makes a huge difference to what I'm looking at. Cheers

Do they do that on broadband/home phone too?

<is getting excited>

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

Spoken to tele sales and the local Orange shop this afternoon.

Telesales said 25% only available in store. Store said its only available on 24 month contracts...

Stores cant offer as good a deals as retentions so all in all 25% might not add up to much...

Posted 7 months ago #
Woody - Member

I'll be having a word with Orange (if I ever get through) as I'll probably be looking at 24 month contract.

NHS Discount is offering a good deal on the iphone4 via Orange at £30 a month with the phone free.

"iPhone 4 Special, 450 Mins, Unlimited UK Landline or Orange to Orange
Calls, 750MB Data, 250 Texts, VoiceMail, Warranty Cover"

Posted 7 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

Have a look at talkmobile, they're pretty cheap

Posted 7 months ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

Woody, thats a bargain!

I've just gone for a SIM only deal with Orange.
30 day contract thing,
200 minutes,
unlimited text,
500mb data

£9.90 a month which I think is pretty good!

Posted 7 months ago #

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