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| 15/05/05: Latest 12 months free mobile contracts list (3120, V220, |
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| message from Reestit Mutton on 15 May 2005 |
Hi Guys,
I just thought I'd update you all on what seems to be the latest state
of play wrt 12 months free (or what I prefer to call nil term cost)
mnobile contract deals.
PLEASE NOTE: All these contracts require the customer to pay line rental
to teh network for a minimum of 12 months and they are only free after
cashback from the retailer is taken into account. If you're unsure what
this really means then I would suggest that you read teh following
article on my website which explains everything in detail:
http://www.reestit-mutton.co.uk/MOBILES/CONTRACT/index.html
Anyway...Basically, there are currently THREE handsets available on
THREE tariffs with TWO networks from ONE retailer (it seems that
Mobileshop is the only well-known retailer offering 12 month free deals
at the moment).
Two of the handsets on offer (Motorola V220 & Nokia 3120) you will
doubtless already be aware of - however, there is a third handset that
hasn't been well advertised yet - the Sony Ericsson T630. Of the
abovementioned handsets, my vote is with the Sony Ericsson T630 as the
only handset that has inbuilt bluetooth (and a very robust bluetooth
implementation at that).
Details of all the nil term cost options currently available are listed
below, with non-affiliate links provided. If you're happy to use them, I
also have affiliate links for these deals on my website and, in each
case, I've provided a link to the relevant article on my website where
you will find these links.
HtH
Reestit Mutton
Retailer: Mobileshop
Handset: Sony Ericsson T630
Network: O2
Tariff: O2 100 + 100 texts
Line Rental: £25/month
Minimum Term: 12 months
Network Offer: double minutes (200) & texts (200) for 3 months
Retailer Offer: £300 cashback
Cashback Schedule: £150 after 6 months, £150 after 12 months
MONTHLY COST: £25 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
MINIMUM TERM COST: £300 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
Non-affiliate link:
http://www.mobileshop.com/mobile-phones/o2/pay-monthly/sony-ericsson-t630.php
Affiliate link (via my website):
http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~lauriem/latest_additions.html#1405200501
Retailer: Mobileshop
Handset: Motorola V220
Network: O2
Tariff :O2 100 + 100 texts
Line Rental: £25/month
Minimum Term: 12 months
Network Offer: double minutes (200) & texts (200) for 3 months
Retailer Offer: £300 cashback
Cashback Schedule: £150 after 6 months, £150 after 12 months
MONTHLY COST: £25 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
MINIMUM TERM COST: £300 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
Non-affiliate link:
http://www.mobileshop.com/mobile-phones/o2/pay-monthly/motorola-v220.php
Affiliate link (via my website):
http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~lauriem/latest_additions.html#0505200502
Retailer: Mobileshop
Handset: Motorola V220 on O2
Network: O2
Tariff: Leisure Time Plus + 100 texts
Line Rental: £20/month
Minimum Term: 12 months
Network Offer: double minutes (2000) & texts (200) for 3 months
Retailer Offer: £240 cashback
Cashback Schedule: £120 after 6 months, £120 after 12 months
MONTHLY COST: £20 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
MINIMUM TERM COST: £240 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
Note: this is an OFF-PEAK tariff that does NOT include x-net calls.
However, it's an ideal choice for anyone who works during the day and
wants to reduce their evening/weekend landline phone bills at home.
Non-affiliate link:
http://www.mobileshop.com/mobile-phones/o2/pay-monthly/motorola-v220.php
Affiliate link (via my website):
http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~lauriem/latest_additions.html#0505200502
Retailer: Mobileshop
Handset: Nokia 3120
Network: Orange
Tariff: OffPeak XNET 1000
Line Rental: £25/month
Network Offer: none
Retailer Offer: £300 cashback
Cashback Schedule: £150 after 6 months, £150 after 12 months
MONTHLY COST: £25 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
MINIMUM TERM COST: £300 (before cashback), NIL (after cashback)
Note: this is an OFF-PEAK tariff that includes x-net calls. However,
it's an ideal choice for anyone who works during the day and wants to
reduce their evening/weekend phone bills at home.
Non-affiliate link:
http://www.mobileshop.com/mobile-phones/orange/pay-monthly/nokia-3120.php
Affiliate link (via my website):
http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~lauriem/latest_additions.html#0505200501
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| Phil replied to Reestit Mutton on 15 May 2005 |
Thanks for your excellent and well appreciated efforts Rees !
I have not a clue how to go about it though ! ;-)
I muddle along on my PAYG !
"Reestit Mutton" <not@this.address> wrote in message
news:428698bf$0$39062$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...
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| Reestit Mutton replied to Phil on 15 May 2005 |
You know...for some people PAYG is just fine.
As they say: "if it ain't broke don't fix it".
However...if you're regularly spending, say, £25+ per month on top-ups
then it really does make sense to consider a contract, either with lots
of cashback or with a high-valued handset for free.
RM
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| --s-p-o-n-i-x-- replied to Reestit Mutton on 15 May 2005 |
<smug>
I'm still quite happy with my "Pay Up Front For Life" SIM card that I
bought about four years ago :)
</smug>
sponix
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| Reestit Mutton replied to --s-p-o-n-i-x-- on 15 May 2005 |
Yup - they were good deals. The only problem is that they pre-date
X-network inclusive minutes.
RM
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| ziL replied to --s-p-o-n-i-x-- on 15 May 2005 |
Yeah....I used to have ones like that (eg. old Genie ones where you get
UNLIMITED texts and WAP every month), but then I do something stupid like
lose my phone or have it stolen. *sighs*
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| SidKnee replied to ziL on 16 May 2005 |
"ziL" <news@purplepenguin.net> wrote >> I'm still quite happy with my "Pay
Up Front For Life" SIM card that I
Can RM or anyone here help as I am looking for a Nokia 9500 on a contract
which can work out quite cheap.
Sidkney
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| Reestit Mutton replied to SidKnee on 16 May 2005 |
Hi Sidkney,
(a) what do you class as "quite cheap" in this instance?
(b) do you have any requirements regarding the contract itself?
Without answering the above, it's a little too vague a request to be
able to answer satisfactorily.
HtH
RM
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| SidKnee replied to Reestit Mutton on 16 May 2005 |
"Reestit Mutton" <not@this.address> wrote > (a) what do you class as "quite
cheap" in this instance?
Thanks RM.
a) about £50 pounds
b) contract should have at least 200 X net minutes, I am not bothered about
off peak or landline calls.
HTH
Sidkney
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| Reestit Mutton replied to SidKnee on 16 May 2005 |
I assume this is either the handset price or the maximum line rental per
month?
How about the following as a starter for ten? - For some unknown reason,
the options outlined below currently seem to be significantly cheaper
than anywhere else on the net. While I might ordinarily flag a wealth
warning with any cashback deal that looks to be a misprice (due to the
complications involved with persuading the retailer of their error 6
months down the line when your first cashback doesn't live up to the
original billing), as these packages do not involve any cashback at all
you're home and dry once the handset lands on your doormat as any
attempt to subsequantly overcharge you for the handset can be countered
by getting your credit card provider involved in the dispute or simply
returning the handset within the cooling off period.
Anyway, here are the details of the packages in question:
Non-affiliate link:
http://www.mobileshop.com/mobile-phones/o2/pay-monthly/nokia-9500.php
Tariff: O2 200 + 50 texts
Minimum Term: 12 months
Monthly Line Rental: £30
Itemised Billing: 99p/month (optional)
Handset Price: £49.99
Year 1 cost: £409.99
Monthly Equivalent: £34.17
Tariff: O2 250 + 50 texts
Monthly Line Rental: £35
Itemised Billing: 99p/month (optional)
Handset Price: FREE
Minimum Term Cost: £420.00
Monthly Equivalent: £35
With both of the above tariffs, you will get double the advertised
minutes and texts for the first 3 months.
It is possible to get this slightly cheaper over the year by going with
O2 100 + 100 texts (£79.99 for the handset) but once the double minutes
offer expires it will no longer be sufficient for your needs unless you
then upgrade the tariff. By upgrading after 3 months (if that's
allowed), it will actually end up more expensive than if you started on
the most appropriate tariff and paid less upfront for the handset.
My gut instinct says to go with the slightly more expensive of the above
two options as it's only 83p/month more expensive than the cheaper
option and it gives you 50 minutes more per month for the money (that's
equivalent to only 1.66p per additional minute).
HtH
RM
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| SidKnee replied to Reestit Mutton on 17 May 2005 |
RM Thanks for advise, If I do order I will use your affliliate link. In
the meantime I am told that Scancom may be able to match any online
advertised price? and They are near me. .. Will post whatever deal I find.
Can anyone advise what would be involved in have the Phone Ulnocked to be
used when travelling wiht a different sim.
On another Note- Where can one pick up some good Nokia's that are offline?
or can be used with a different sim. Am looking for some good bluetooth
Nokia
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| Richard Colton replied to SidKnee on 17 May 2005 |
If it's provided locked, you won't be getting it unlocked by anyone other
than the network at the moment (I'm pretty sure the 9500 is BB5 platform
(I'll check later), so no unlock solution exists).
Which Nokias?
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| SidKnee replied to Richard Colton on 17 May 2005 |
Do the networks charge for unlocking the phone? in the fuist month?
Looking for offine Nokias
Nokia 6230i
7280
3230
6170
6230
7270
6822
6020
6610
Samsung D500
Sorry for long list but I am hopingto buy one asap.
Sidkney
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| Richard Colton replied to SidKnee on 18 May 2005 |
Most of them won't unlock it unless you pay the remainder of the contract up
front plus a consideration (around £15-£20).
If you just want a basic phone, the 6020 or 6610 will probably be the
cheapest. Both can be unlocked using Crux (available at the UselessInfo
site in my sig) and shouldn't cost you more than £60-£70 from the usual
suspects.
|
| zero replied to --s-p-o-n-i-x-- on 15 May 2005 |
sounds interesting - do tell . . .
"--s-p-o-n-i-x--" <sw14@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:l25f81hulrkn9ihd6u0uaqh3ka45kfvtf6@4ax.com...
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| Reestit Mutton replied to zero on 15 May 2005 |
About 4-5 years ago O2 (or, as it was known at the time, BTCellnet)
offered a package of Nokia 3310 on either a 50 minute anytime or 200
minute off-peak tariff (BOTH tariffs included free same network/landline
minutes only) for the grand sum of £200.
This may have seemed a little extortionate for a phone that was selling
for only £70-£80 on PAYG at the time but the reason for this was that
the line rental was absolutely free of charge forever. i.e. the customer
will continue to get free airtime every month for as long as he/she
wants. As long as the customer stays within the free package of minutes,
there is absolutely nothing further to pay.
HtH
RM
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| s--p--o--n--i--x replied to Reestit Mutton on 16 May 2005 |
I managed to get just the SIM for £50, free line rental and 200
minutes per month off peak.
As most of my calls are evenings and weekends to landlines it was
ideal for me.
It's very rare for me to get a bill for over £3 per month.
sponix
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| Reestit Mutton replied to s--p--o--n--i--x on 16 May 2005 |
Yup - forgot to mention that some places had split the pack and were
selling a SIM-only option at around £50-£60. IIRC, a company called
Simpletalk were the last known outlet for this kind of thing about 2-3
years ago.
RM
|
| Rob replied to Reestit Mutton on 15 May 2005 |
| Hi Guys,
|
| I just thought I'd update you all on what seems to be the latest state
| of play wrt 12 months free (or what I prefer to call nil term cost)
| mnobile contract deals.
|
*MESSAGE SNIPPED*
Hello,
You obviously spend a lot of time bringing us the latest info, but one thing
bothers me!
Say the contract is 12months and you only get the second £150 AFTER 12
months, that would mean you are required to stay with the network for LONGER
than 12months. If you cancel on the 365th day then you have not been
connected for longer than 1 year as required to get the money back as the
contract only runs for one year. You would need to cancel on the final
month which means you effectively lose another £25 for the month in which
the notice period runs to end the agreement. So you would be with the
company for 13months to qualify and only get £275 back in total. That is
assuming the companies don't go the same way as another one I think you were
promoting a while back called Forward Cellular. How many were left paying
expensive contracts? Cash back by redemption is OK if you like a gamble or
it's a major company as you never know when a company will go down the
drain.
If cashback offers can be given, why don't companies just slash prices and
attract many more customers!
I would rather use a well known company that has been around for a while or
go to the online sites and buy direct from the phone companies. You can't
guarantee you will get the cash back, although through sheer greed people
will not stop and think and go wild thinking it's a bargain or something for
nothing. If that is their choice then great. At least i will not be
worried about the exact minute to send bills off and face the possibility of
them becoming "lost" to avoid a payout!
Keep up the good work with the info.
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| mig replied to Rob on 15 May 2005 |
As I understand it and I'm sure Reestit will clarify, you cancel with 1
months notice i.e. in month 11 of contract and when you receive your (final)
12th bill/statement send that off to claim the last cashback payment.
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| johnydeath replied to mig on 15 May 2005 |
Make sure you ring early to confirm what date to cancel on and put it in
your diary - some charge an early cancellation admin charge, you can
also get caught by cancelling a day too late.
Do it on the nail to be sure.
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