Who thinks contracts are a rip off?

Steven L Hunter · 03-05-2007, 11:29

I am on my last ever 18 month contract as i've had enough. I'm fed up of waiting 18 months to get a new phone when im spending £50 a month plus other charges for my Vodafone bill.

When my contract expires next May i'm either switching to sim only contract with vodafone or maybe Virgin Mobile.

I also recently enquired about the 500 mins and unlimited texts for £35 a month with voda and they told me if i want to change to that priceplan i need to extend my contract by 6 months making it 2 year contract with the same phone I find this ridiculous!

PAYG is still not suitable for me but i think sim only and buying a sim free or payg handset is the way forward as you end up getting more for your money with sim only anyway.

Does anyone else agree?

BT@home · 03-05-2007, 12:15

That would depend on your usage and the sim free phone that you wanted. I have generally found that the sim only contracts are not much different in cost, and the cost of a new sim free phone can be hundreds of pounds.

Steven L Hunter · 03-05-2007, 12:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by BT@home

That would depend on your usage and the sim free phone that you wanted. I have generally found that the sim only contracts are not much different in cost, and the cost of a new sim free phone can be hundreds of pounds.

But 2 deals i've looked at are:

Orange £35

18 Month contract: 600 mins and unlimited texts

Sim only contract: 900 mins and unlimited texts

Or

Virgin Mobile

500 mins and 1000 texts

£40 a month with 18 month contract.

£32 a month sim only.

Pingu · 03-05-2007, 13:31

Depends entirely on your usage, and what phone you want.

With the example 18 month Orange contract you gave, you could get a Nokia N95 for £89.99. That would make the effective cost per month £40.
If you took out the SIM free contract and went and bought an N95 at £630, you'd be paying the equivalent of £70 per month.

va1o · 03-05-2007, 23:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenGray16

I am on my last ever 18 month contract as i've had enough. I'm fed up of waiting 18 months to get a new phone when im spending £50 a month plus other charges for my Vodafone bill.

When my contract expires next May i'm either switching to sim only contract with vodafone or maybe Virgin Mobile.

I also recently enquired about the 500 mins and unlimited texts for £35 a month with voda and they told me if i want to change to that priceplan i need to extend my contract by 6 months making it 2 year contract with the same phone I find this ridiculous!

PAYG is still not suitable for me but i think sim only and buying a sim free or payg handset is the way forward as you end up getting more for your money with sim only anyway.

Does anyone else agree?

I agree 100%
At the moment I am having trouble gettin an upgrade from my nokia 3250 to an k800/n73 with o2 and even when I threatend to cancel they still would not budge.

thats not cool · 03-05-2007, 23:07

I bet you I could get that N95 for 400 quid sim free

Steven L Hunter · 04-05-2007, 09:46

It is all down to what phone you want i suppose but i just dont like being tied in it makes you less likely want to stay with the network.

If they never committed you to 18 months then i'd happily probably stay longer than that as i know im not tied in.

MsCongeniality · 04-05-2007, 10:01

I make alot of cross network calls, so being in a contract costs me alot less than pay as you go used to. It also means I get a free phone which would have cost me alot of money otherwise.

I have a free Nokia N95 right now on a £20pm contract. 500mins and 100 texts, anybody, anytime. My contract suits me just fine. It's for 18months, but I'm pretty happy with orange anyway.

04-05-2007, 10:40

My problem with contracts is getting the right mix of minutes, texts and other stuff I want at a price I can afford, with the phone I really want but all within my budget.
Texts, internet and unlimited push email are my priority for my next contract, preferably a phone with a qwerty keyboard. Most of the stuff I have seen so far are in the £40 plus and a limit on email. I know I can get unlimited internet but don't want to access the internet to read email from my work.

MsCongeniality · 04-05-2007, 14:57

T-mobile have an interesting system where you get so much credit per month instead of xminutes x texts etc. to spend as you please. I don't know what they're like as a network, never been with them, but they do have an unlimited internet option for £7.50 I'm pretty sure. I was considering going with them.

Other posters who are with them will probably be able to tell you more. I'm with Orange.

dazpot · 04-05-2007, 16:18

I get a amazing service from o2 online Iv just upgraded and got a N95 and for £35 a month I get 2600 mins 1000 texts and free wap and Iv never had a problem and Iv been with these now for 4 years and they are the only network that include all mins exept 090 etc free in you mins you can even ring 0845/0870 in your free mins.

Daz

dangermouse1986 · 06-05-2007, 10:26

At the end of the day you sign/verbally or otherwise to an 18month contract, if that does not suit, then why choose such a long comittment?

mrdeejay · 06-05-2007, 12:15

Did O2 not just change their tariffs for new customers on 1st May as 0800/0845/0870 numbers are now not included in yoiur bundle.

Now just like every other network you hav e to pay for these numbers.

thesloaneranger · 07-05-2007, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsCongeniality

T-mobile have an interesting system where you get so much credit per month instead of xminutes x texts etc. to spend as you please. I don't know what they're like as a network, never been with them, but they do have an unlimited internet option for £7.50 I'm pretty sure. I was considering going with them.

Other posters who are with them will probably be able to tell you more. I'm with Orange.

thats the contract ive got - i pay £30 a month, and get £100 of services (anytime, anybody txts and calls). my husband pays £35 and gets £200 worth of services, so its a great deal! the only disadvantage is that the credit isint rollover - you start afresh every month. but to be honest we are both permanently on our phones and have never managed to go over our allocations as the call tariff is really cheap! you get a text message every monday to tell you how much you have left to use before your next bill comes so you always know how little you have used!

03-05-2007, 11:29	#1
Steven L Hunter Guest Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 10,517	Who thinks contracts are a rip off? I am on my last ever 18 month contract as i've had enough. I'm fed up of waiting 18 months to get a new phone when im spending £50 a month plus other charges for my Vodafone bill. When my contract expires next May i'm either switching to sim only contract with vodafone or maybe Virgin Mobile. I also recently enquired about the 500 mins and unlimited texts for £35 a month with voda and they told me if i want to change to that priceplan i need to extend my contract by 6 months making it 2 year contract with the same phone I find this ridiculous! PAYG is still not suitable for me but i think sim only and buying a sim free or payg handset is the way forward as you end up getting more for your money with sim only anyway. Does anyone else agree?

03-05-2007, 12:15	#2
BT@home Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,911	That would depend on your usage and the sim free phone that you wanted. I have generally found that the sim only contracts are not much different in cost, and the cost of a new sim free phone can be hundreds of pounds.

03-05-2007, 12:19	#3
Steven L Hunter Guest Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 10,517	Quote: Originally Posted by BT@home That would depend on your usage and the sim free phone that you wanted. I have generally found that the sim only contracts are not much different in cost, and the cost of a new sim free phone can be hundreds of pounds. But 2 deals i've looked at are: Orange £35 18 Month contract: 600 mins and unlimited texts Sim only contract: 900 mins and unlimited texts Or Virgin Mobile 500 mins and 1000 texts £40 a month with 18 month contract. £32 a month sim only.

03-05-2007, 13:31	#4
Pingu Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cornwall Posts: 10,529	Depends entirely on your usage, and what phone you want. With the example 18 month Orange contract you gave, you could get a Nokia N95 for £89.99. That would make the effective cost per month £40. If you took out the SIM free contract and went and bought an N95 at £630, you'd be paying the equivalent of £70 per month.

03-05-2007, 23:01	#5
va1o Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 289	Quote: Originally Posted by StevenGray16 I am on my last ever 18 month contract as i've had enough. I'm fed up of waiting 18 months to get a new phone when im spending £50 a month plus other charges for my Vodafone bill. When my contract expires next May i'm either switching to sim only contract with vodafone or maybe Virgin Mobile. I also recently enquired about the 500 mins and unlimited texts for £35 a month with voda and they told me if i want to change to that priceplan i need to extend my contract by 6 months making it 2 year contract with the same phone I find this ridiculous! PAYG is still not suitable for me but i think sim only and buying a sim free or payg handset is the way forward as you end up getting more for your money with sim only anyway. Does anyone else agree? I agree 100% At the moment I am having trouble gettin an upgrade from my nokia 3250 to an k800/n73 with o2 and even when I threatend to cancel they still would not budge.

03-05-2007, 23:07	#6
thats not cool Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: carribean Posts: 1,497	I bet you I could get that N95 for 400 quid sim free

04-05-2007, 09:46	#7
Steven L Hunter Guest Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 10,517	It is all down to what phone you want i suppose but i just dont like being tied in it makes you less likely want to stay with the network. If they never committed you to 18 months then i'd happily probably stay longer than that as i know im not tied in.

04-05-2007, 10:01	#8
MsCongeniality Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 381	I make alot of cross network calls, so being in a contract costs me alot less than pay as you go used to. It also means I get a free phone which would have cost me alot of money otherwise. I have a free Nokia N95 right now on a £20pm contract. 500mins and 100 texts, anybody, anytime. My contract suits me just fine. It's for 18months, but I'm pretty happy with orange anyway.

04-05-2007, 10:40	#9
epsomsalts Posts: n/a	My problem with contracts is getting the right mix of minutes, texts and other stuff I want at a price I can afford, with the phone I really want but all within my budget. Texts, internet and unlimited push email are my priority for my next contract, preferably a phone with a qwerty keyboard. Most of the stuff I have seen so far are in the £40 plus and a limit on email. I know I can get unlimited internet but don't want to access the internet to read email from my work.

04-05-2007, 14:57	#10
MsCongeniality Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 381	T-mobile have an interesting system where you get so much credit per month instead of xminutes x texts etc. to spend as you please. I don't know what they're like as a network, never been with them, but they do have an unlimited internet option for £7.50 I'm pretty sure. I was considering going with them. Other posters who are with them will probably be able to tell you more. I'm with Orange.

04-05-2007, 16:18	#11
dazpot Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 428	I get a amazing service from o2 online Iv just upgraded and got a N95 and for £35 a month I get 2600 mins 1000 texts and free wap and Iv never had a problem and Iv been with these now for 4 years and they are the only network that include all mins exept 090 etc free in you mins you can even ring 0845/0870 in your free mins. Daz

06-05-2007, 10:26	#12
dangermouse1986 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,544	At the end of the day you sign/verbally or otherwise to an 18month contract, if that does not suit, then why choose such a long comittment?

06-05-2007, 12:15	#13
mrdeejay Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Scotland Posts: 568	Did O2 not just change their tariffs for new customers on 1st May as 0800/0845/0870 numbers are now not included in yoiur bundle. Now just like every other network you hav e to pay for these numbers.

07-05-2007, 10:20	#14
thesloaneranger Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: paisley, bonnie scotland Posts: 277	Quote: Originally Posted by MsCongeniality T-mobile have an interesting system where you get so much credit per month instead of xminutes x texts etc. to spend as you please. I don't know what they're like as a network, never been with them, but they do have an unlimited internet option for £7.50 I'm pretty sure. I was considering going with them. Other posters who are with them will probably be able to tell you more. I'm with Orange. thats the contract ive got - i pay £30 a month, and get £100 of services (anytime, anybody txts and calls). my husband pays £35 and gets £200 worth of services, so its a great deal! the only disadvantage is that the credit isint rollover - you start afresh every month. but to be honest we are both permanently on our phones and have never managed to go over our allocations as the call tariff is really cheap! you get a text message every monday to tell you how much you have left to use before your next bill comes so you always know how little you have used!

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Who thinks contracts are a rip off?