I went in to have a feel of some new models as am due an upgrade in December and the woman there said they'd buy out my contract so I could upgrade there and then.

I'm dubious as to how good Phone4U are, and even more dubious about the buyout thing (I was quoted £51 from O2). To top it off, the phone I want (S2) is likely to be reduced in price once the iPhone5 is released, probably before December, so am I better off waiting?

Anyone had any experience with Phone4U?

Ta

I used them once and they are very pushy on selling you mobile insurence, which I am guessing they get a good comission on. I delicined as I get mobile insurence via my bank and made a point of telling them I didnt want to contacted again on this issue. I was then plagued for weeks after by 'other' companies trying to flog me insurance as well, when I ask them where they got my details from they would put me on hold ("to check the details") and then the phone would go dead. So speaking from my own personal experience I wouldnt use them again but I may just be an isolated case. You could also google for other people experiences ?

Phones4U doesn't have a good rep.

If you search DS, I think you'll probably find many people basically saying "Avoid!"

I bought my phone from a Phones 4 U implant in currys - though i didn't even realise it was Phones 4 U until I was sitting down buying it.
At the end of the day they offered the cheapest price, I think it was something to do with me having the phone for more than 6 months. Perhaps it was because it was an implant in Currys, but they didn't seem to pushy either which surprised me, as I know if you go into their actual stores they do tend to swoop in pretty quick.
Should probably point out, it was a PAYG phone, not pay monthly.

I bought my last phone from Phones4U online, went through quidco got £35 cash back, then decided I want to cancel they gave me £89 to keep it, That was a SGS2 free @ £30pm then the cashback after that.

got a phone from them a few years ago and after sales service is poor!!!

Similar here. But I went into a proper Phones4U shop and bought a HTC on PAYG. The guy asked me if I wanted insurance and I said no and that was it. He put the phone through the till, topped it up and that was that. It was also unlocked and unbranded FWIW.

I'd avoid Chavz4U unless you're happy for some 17 year old acne-ridden chav in a Burton's suit, a tie 4 inches long with the knot the size of a cricket ball and with enough gel in his hair to sink an ocean liner telling you he knows what you really want despite you telling him something else.

They're under incredible pressure to sell certain phones/plans/insurance and you'll feel that in their sales pitch.

They don't like people "just browsing" in their shop so when they approach you and you say you're just looking they don't take it in the way you intended (ie "leave me alone"), they see it as an invitation to sell you something.

four words: avoid like the plague!

Avoid unless you are playing the game where you try to stay in as long as possible without being approached by a sales assistant. Anything over 10 seconds is a very good score

Bit of a tragic story behind this one.
My Window's 2006-2010 O2XDA Mini's connection died on me two weeks ago, (Bear in mind that it HAS to be windows mobile). Wentr in on monday looking at mobiles for said platform. Tolf the sales assistant my exact specs and she told me nobody selss windows mobile phones anymore. Had a look in the O2 shop and saw a HTC windows mobile phone.

What HTC phone was that? Because I know for a fact all UK models of HTC Windows Mobile 6.5 phones have been discontinued. It's possible they had some old stock lying around, but if your phone breaks you're a bit stuffed as there is nothing left to replace it with.

As for Phones4U, as long as you know exactly what you want, and are clear about it, there's no reason not to shop there. They do push the insurance, but it's a large part of their commission. Given the low basic they're on, I'm not going to complain that they want to earn a little more. Just be clear that you don't want it and they usually give up pretty quickly.

I got my SGS2 on launch day from Phones4U in St Georges in Preston. I too was weary of its history etc but the service there was excellent , everything explained well and had no troubles. Manager called me as courtesy and all was good.

Chances are that's Windows Phone 7, which is a completely new operating system from Microsoft. It bears little relation to Windows Mobile and Windows Mobile applications are not compatible with WP7 at all.

Its like any other store, you get good stores and you get bad stores.

I work in a currys/pc world/Phones4U store part time and I dont agree with how some people sell on the Phones4U section but everyone has a job to do at the end of the day.

Depends on who you speak to and where.

OK case in point.

I went in to Chavs4U this morning to look for a cheap PAYG deal and the assistant refused to accept that a contract wasn't best for me. I explained numerous time that I didn't want a contract but he kept saying I'd get free this and free that, so-many minutes and texts etc.

I didn't tell him why I didn't want a contract - that was none of his business - but I explained I was aware of the benefits of both and for my needs, a PAYG would be better.

When I told him with all that in mind I was only interested in PAYG, he seem to shut up about it and when I was about to leave he gave me a wry smile and asked "Sure I couldn't talk you in to a deal?". That is what made me walk out of the place straight away.

I can only assume they're under extreme pressure to sign people up to contracts and if that's the case I can see why he kept on and on but it's no way to run a business, it's put me off ever going back there.