Time for a new Mobile Phone and I am considering the Nokia e63 or the Blackberry Curve 8520.

My needs are mostly texting and the qwerty keyboard appeals. The budget is £15 a month.

Anybody have experience of these?

I'd say the blackberry. But see if you can get the 8900 curve, which is much better than the 8520 and usually the same price.

if you don't do much email then the E63 would serve you very well. There's a cracking deal at the moment at £13/month which will give you free phone plus 300 minutes or texts to use how you like - 300 texts 0 minutes, 150 minutes 150 texts etc. This includes 500mb data. Or if you need more texts 5000 texts + 100 mins + 500 mb data for £15/month.
Nokia E63

The E63 is very good value but if email is important then it's still worth spending a little more for an 8520

Actually I will be doing mostly texting with it and leave the email to my iPod Touch when I am on the move.

Still the BlackBerry is tempting, but I understand the build quality isn't all it could be.

Due to where we live, Orange is the only viable choice of network. I think it is going to be the Nokia E63.

The E63 isn't available on an Orange contract, although of course you could get one sim free. If you're looking for a contract and Orange is the only viable network then it would have to be a Blackberry or a Nokia E72

Not sure were you've heard Blackberry build quality is lacking? I'd rate them higher than anyone on a quality product

Carphone Warehouse is selling the E63 with an Orange contract, but as you mention Orange doesn't appear to offer it at their own stores.

According to this the Blackberry 8520 doesn't have 3G http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,...9303318,00.htm

No, the 8520 does not have 3G.

You're right. Apologies for the wrong info. You can get a Blue E63 on Orange with 50 mins + unlimited texts + 250mb data. £15/month 9 months free - bit cheaper than Carphone
E63 15/month Orange

It doesn't. For 3G the new Pearl might be worth a look. It doesn't have qwerty but seems to work well for a lot of people - that said it isn't for everyone so well worth trying one out in a shop first. On Orange for £20/month with lots of discounts

The Blackberry.

The Nokia in question is a Blackberry Pretender.

Why have a pretender when you can have the real thing?

No 3G on that one though, shame really as the rest of it looks fine.

The users needs are mostly texting so 3G isn't really a massive requirement.

EDGE is good at Web Browsing. . .3G is good but EDGE is more than manageable.

The E series, I believe, has Blackberry Connect. So it's a phone that looks similar to the Blackberry, but can be used with BIS. An officially licenced "Blackberry pretender". Plus you get the quality + applications of the Symbian OS.

I don't know if the OP particularly cares about push email though.

I am not sure if I would get the E63. It is a little long in the tooth and was low-end when it came out.

He says he texts so I would genuinely go for the Blackberry over the stale Nokia and it's stale OS. It's practically a Blackberry rip off.

And the iPhone form factor is a rip-off of almost every touchscreen WinMo phone, and a couple of other phones. Everyone takes inspiration from everyone.

Could you explain why it is "stale"? While this doesn't apply to the (ancient) E63, some of the new stuff coming out from Nokia looks very nice indeed.

iPhone form factor ripped off many phones?. . .like what Winmo phone?

Also, how different can you make a phone on which the front is completely a screen.

On top of this that Nokia is stale and so is it's OS. The Blackberry is much better suited to the OP's question.

Why? All you need to text is a qwerty keyboard and an unlimited text plan. Given that the Nokia has both and is cheaper why would you suggest he pays more for features he doesn't need?

Having the option to do more isn't a bad thing. I'm not a great fan of Symbian but the Nokia does look the better phone.

Get a Blackberry you wont regret it!

While the Nokia is a bit long in the tooth, the reviews rate it higher and better built than the BlackBerry. At £225 for a 2 year contract the price is sweet too.

Thanks Jon. Order was placed today for this deal. Only hiccup was that the order will come on DHL on Monday (no doubt after we have gone to work ) rather than first class tomorrow with the Royal Mail as I chose.

Looking forward to it.

You should be thankful you don't live in NI Vallhund as it's a public holiday on the 12th and 13th so you'd have had to wait until Wednesday!

Actually I am having to wait for Tuesday now. They sent me a text while I was having dinner, asking me to send them reply with 1,2 or 3 for the day of delivery. I hurriedly texted them a 1 and then discovered that no reply meant Monday while 1 meant Tuesday. Something like Trucking Tankers came to mind.