I've always had PAYG phones, on O2 because they have some really cheap good deals. I use lots of texts and like to use the internet, but use very little minutes.

I was never someone who cared about what kind of phone they had, until these lovely shiny touchscreen smartphones took off! I was really taken with the HTC Desire, swayed for a while by the SE Xperia X10, but am back on with the Desire, after much internet research.

Being new to this game, I have a few questions:

a) I've looked up the 3g coverage maps, and O2 seems pretty poor. I've used the Ofcom comparison maps, which aren't very precise and my house seems to be on the cusp. O2 have a 'coverage map' which doesn't detail 2g vs 3g so I'm not sure if I get 3g here. Vodafone's coverage map on their site shows 3g for my street, but annoyingly, not for the little square over my house! So how accurate are these maps?

b) Orange has good 3g coverage according to the Ofcom maps, but I've read that the Desire will come with loads of Orange bloatware on it, and I won't be able to take it off and replace it with the Android stuff that they've removed. Is it really that bad? I want all the proper Android stuff on and Orange have some really good price deals.

c) How good are sites like mobile.co.uk which offer you an O2/Orange etc contract with half price line rental for x months? Do you really get the money deal? If the phone breaks, do you need to send it to them for fixing and are they as helpful as big high street places? Are the phones just as good?

I don't know how to pick a contract - I know I want lots of internet usage, at least 1000 texts a month, and a few minutes, and I want the phone for free. I've seen deals that are good on most of the major suppliers, and I don't know how to choose between them.

Finally, are there any other factors I should consider when selecting a contract?

ETA: Also, if the phone has Wifi, can I connect it to my wireless broadband at home?
Last edited by incy wincy : 04-07-2010 at 10:27

These maps aren't that accurate, I treat them as a rough guide. I don't know how bad orange phones are for crapware, they can be debranded quite easily at home though. Don't know much about these websites either, I prefer to deal with major retailers or the phone companies themselves, whatever your offered you want it in writing anyway. Also do make sure you get a data plan, it'll cost a fortune if you don't.

The desire connects to your router in the same way as everything else, put in the key and you good to go. Put the power widget on your home screen so you can turn WiFi off away from home, it really helps save the battery.

http://webmap.o2.co.uk should work to tell you what is 3G and what isn't (the darker blue areas - video calling, etc). I don't think their map is too accurate, in my area it has almost no 3G coverage, but in practice I can get some.

At the risk of advertising, Quidco is often good for giving you cashback on a new contract. I've just taken out a new 3 contract and got £80 back for it. Not bad.

As for branding, you may have some luck buying at Carphone Warehouse - they sometimes give you a unbranded, unlocked handset but still subsidised. At the moment, Three also seem to be giving out unbranded Desires (at least mine isn't - unlocked too).

Thanks to both of you.

It's annoying that the maps aren't accurate, as it's not helping me in my decision! I'd just hate to make the leap to a decent phone only to not have good coverage. I suppose at home isn't too big an issue since I can hook into my home wireless connection.

moox - by unbranded, do you mean to buy the phone outright, sim free?

Carphone Warehouse has been known to give you the SIM-free phone as if it were an operator branded, subsidised handset. You don't have to buy it outright.

3 have also given me what would be a SIM-free handset, but again, subsidised.

It's also worth having a look at sim only deals and buying the phone outright, it does work out dearer but your guaranteed a crap free phone that will be easier to sell when you want to move on. You can also get 30 day deals sim only, handy if your not sure about coverage and may need to switch.

Hi,
Sounds like 300 minutes a month would do you? In which case the Orange dolphin 25 tariff will give you 300 mins, unlimited texts and 500mb data. Most decent phones, eg HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy S etc are free on this tariff with various discount line rental/cashback/free gift deals.

For example
HTC Desire - 15 months half price

If you buy from one of the Carphone Warehouse companies which are
Mobiles.co.uk/e2save/onestopphoneshop you'll usually get an unbranded phone so there's no extra crap installed. Should there be a problem you can take it into a Carphone Warehouse in the High Street rather than have to send it away.

As far as redeeming your line rental discounts it's just a case of sending in bills and getting the cash back - obviously CPW is a big company so there's no danger of them going bust etc before you get your cash back.

Coverage wise the only sure way is always to check with a mate/somebody down your local etc that has an Orange phone - treat the maps as a guide only.

If you're going to be using a lot of internet (ie 500 meg isn't enough) then look at a T Mobile web tariff - they offer 3 gig on android phones.

Cheers,
Jon

Thanks, that's useful, especially the bit about no crapware on Orange phones from CPW linked shops. That's the only thing that's really putting me off Orange at the moment.

I am tempted to just buy the phone outright and stick with my PAYG SIM now too!

I will have to go and have a little think, and look at what works best on my finances.

Thanks for the advice.

I just got an X10 from orange (direct from an orange retail store) and there's no noticeable customisation from Orange.

Plenty of 'bloatware' from Sony Ericsson but that shouldn't affect you on a Desire!

Most high street stores will let you play with a 'live' model so you can go and have a look for yourself before you buy.