Which contract?

[bindo]

I'm looking to get a new phone on contract, I'm with o2 and am paying 30 a month for 150 mins talk time and 50 free texts. Bit of a rip off!
I've been looking at their site and i can get the samsung d600 with 300 mins and 750 texts for £30 a month, on a 18 month contract. I'm happy with o2 so wouldn't mind staying with them. Are there any better deals than this, as it's for 18 months?! I usually text loads so the 750 would cover what i normally use in a month (i usually send around 500 in an average month). I've heard that orange do a really good deal on the d600 for students(which i am) anyone got any ideas on a good contract?
Thanks peeps

[MD]

phone up 02, say you want to leave and see what they offer - if they ask why you want to leave say you can get more from other networks for the same, or less money - o2 of late have been hot on customer retention figures and you might just bag yourself an even better deal than the ones they have on the net.

[bindo]

My contracts up though, will they still try and keep me if i say orange are doing 120 minutes and 1000 texts for 25. That would suit me better, if not what's orange like, i've never been with them?
Cheers for the quick reply!

[MD]

you can only really do this as your contracts up, so its the perfect time.

Orange - hmm they used to be good but of late thier customer service has suffered and the whole 'we look after current customers first' thing disappeared very quietly and very quickly - they had no interest in keeping me, a 6 year old customer.

I have a phone on Vodafone now and they have been nothing but exceptional, but they are not cheap. Don't necessarily tell o2 you have found a better tarrif, just say what can you offer me, and then when they make thier offer if its not to your tastes then suggest what you want and see what they will do for you.

The ball is totally in your court on this one to get the best deal.

Matt.

[darrensen]

Orange have some good Direct Traiffs.

I got £25 ..200 mins 100 texts. 12 month

I know there are better deals out there, but for me this is fine. best you take a look at their site to see if it suits your needs?

[MurphmanL]

Vodafone have been nothing but good for me, I've only been on contract with them a year and once I told them I was thinking of dropping the contract they quickly came up with an offer to get my attention - Nokia 6680 for £7.50 pm for 100 minutes and 50 texts

Now tho, im starting to notice i get thru more and more minutes and sometimes find myself hanging in the balance for the top up of minutes, ive found my date to be 4th of every month so I just wait until then, for example right now ive got 60 minutes left to serve me til 4th January and if i can somehow keep it at a fair figure i might just end up with around 2 hours talktime for next month.
I dont like their Text message summary of the balance tho since it's always inaccurate with the "Amount Unbilled" and it never shows as high as it does on the text, but i fear one month it may well do...
The texts tho are fine because I used online text services when poss, and dont rely on my phone too much for that.
Vodafone sure do know how to rack up the bills tho, ive been really tempted into buying their 3G stuff since it works so well

Anyway so yeah, to cut a long story short, networks will stick their neck out for you if you're planning on running off somewhere else, well... vodafone will from my experience anyway

[bindo]

I took the plunge and went for a d600e with orange, for 30 a month i get 200 mins and 1000 texts. What a deal, the only problem is that there's no coverage around my home! ahh
I've phoned up o2 asking for a pac code...to keep my old mobile number and they offered me a k750i for free, 15 a month with 500 mins (for the first 3 months) then 200 mins to anyone after that and 400 texts, now that's a really good deal. Can I cancel my oraneg contract, seeing as i've only had it 1 day and go back over to 02?

[BlackDwarf]

Now you've signed your contract, i think you're tied into it, or to pay it off completely.

I think.

[MD]

Orange has a 14 day no quibble guarantee, as long as the phone is still in excellent condition.

I am happy with my D600 on voda....not only that, but my girly hates the fact i haven't pealed off the plastic covers heh.....but I know as soon as I do it will have a mega scratch on the front lol

Matt.

[bindo]

Orange has a 14 day no quibble guarantee, as long as the phone is still in excellent condition.

Nice, so i can take it into any orange shop and get the contract stopped? That's really good, i hate not having reception in my own home!

[MD]

Depends, if you got it in store then yes, if you bought it online then no, you have to call them and they will send you a bag you can return it in.

The web and shops are separate entities at orange.

Matt

[zawer612]

i m currently on voda anytime 500 tarrif, 500mins, 100txts, 50mins video calling and 6months 1/2 price for an 18month contract. Got my w900i free with it and have stop the clock as well.
I've had the phone for 1 week now and have made over 5hours of calls so far (according to my phones counter) and they've only taken 25mins of my free air time This is thanks to the new stop the clock system
GReat serice so far, more that can be said for orange. My girlfriend lost her phone and called up orange to bar the phone and get a replacemnet sim, they wanted to charge her £25 for it + delivery. So we cut off our orange line and jumped over to voda.

[MurphmanL]

I could really use this Stop the Clock myself, i guess with me being on a last minute special deal kind of tariff at a knockdown price to keep me on the network, i guess they wont be too keen to turn it on for me
How exactly does it work anyway? I've got 100 minutes per month (which carries over) and im down to 43 til the 4th january! i wouldnt even mind paying a few extra pennies for it on the bill if it freezes my minutes!

[MD]

you would need to upgrade to a 18 month contract, stop the clock is only on thier 18 month deals - you would need to call them to see if your special tariff would qualify for the STC.

Matt

[Spud1]

Nice, so i can take it into any orange shop and get the contract stopped? That's really good, i hate not having reception in my own home!

Yes you can Or phone them up (depends where you bought it from ofc)

Think carefully before you go back to 02 though, have a look at vodafone, ring them up and see what they can do for you. I know 02 can be cheap but imho they are the worst network in the UK that I have ever used (excluding 3 and companies that dont own their own network like fresh/virgin etc)

Shocking customer service, extortionate helpline charges, poor coverage, delivery reports not working, texts taking ages to be recieved on other networks...urgh i'm not a fan of 02.

Currently with orange CH, and have had nothing but excellent service from them Back in the UK i was with vodafone for a few years, you mentioned you were a student so they might be good for you - they offer student discounts on your monthly bill (15% iirc) and a few special deals, especially if you are willing to take an 18month contract Before i moved out here I was paying an average of 13quid a month for 100 anytime xnet mins, 50 txts and 5meg of data, with a free nokia6230 was a great contract.

[Aaron]

O2 are doing some silly retention deals at the moment. I managed to haggle them down to 200 minutes/500 texts for £9.50pm, and I'm usually crap at haggling.