[r@z0r]

Right i'm new to contract phones and have only got a vague idea about them as i've always been a pay as you go man.

Anyway as you can tell i'm really only after the 360 (long story why) but happy to have a contract if i don't end up flat on my face. From what i can tell it just looks like any old conract deal that has thrown in a 360 to reel you in.

But whats the catch? Is it going to cost me more per month than a normal contract? am i going to end up with a nasty headache and wanting out and causing myself stress?

Please could i have some advice, thanks in advance.

Previous responses to this question usually advise agianst these deals because you are better off just buying the 'free' gift. As you end up paying more than what you would do by buying it from a retailer. Other complaints have been the length of time it takes for the gift to arrive. Some will tell you of good experiences but most advice I have read says don't do it.

I've noticed too it is used to shift older stock, you can buy cheaply on pay as you go and stick a month-to-month sim in it.

[Timberlands]

There isn't really a catch to it. It the same as a normal contract but rather than getting an expensive phone for free, you are getting an expensive games console for free with a low end mobile phone.

Take for example one from carphone warehouse.

Sony Ericsson T303 + PS3 for £35 on 18 months on an o2 contract. 600 min and unlimited texts. So all in you pay £630 over the 18 months.

A PS3 costs £300 and the phone costs £50. So the total cost from CPW is £350.

Another example is the Nokia N96 for £35 on 18 months. 600 min and unlimited texts. So all in you pay £630 over the 18 months.

The phone cost them about £350 so really you are getting the same deal.


Hope that helps

[Mr Cable]

Timberlands is absolutely correct - all I would say is make sure you use a fairly solid/reputable firm to do this with and not some flybynight dodgy sounding company.