any free (or nearly free) line rental deals out there?

herman2811

I've been on PAYG for years now, but am thinking about taking a contract out. I remember reading ages ago that you can gets contracts that allow you to claim cashback at various intervals, thus making the contract "free" in the end.

I understand how these work (having to send bills in etc, within the time frame), but I'm struggling to find any of these kinds of deals... can anyone please help? Can anyone please recommend some reputable companies that do deals like this (or similar to this).

Doesn't need to include the latest phones, but as long as there's an ok phone and some kind of minutes/texts combination included, I'm sure it would be fine.

Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

Jonni2bad

It's probably best to stick with the bigger companies for cash back deals, none are completely safe, of course, but at least they don't make you jump through hoops to claim.

I can't see any completely free deals on the big sites yet, but sometimes they have weekend offers, so worth keeping an eye out tomorrow on P4U or the CPW website (e2save etc).

mobilejunkie

More dodgy advice, albeit it well-meaning. Anyone recommending cpw/E2Save nowadays (especially because "they don't make you jump through hoops to claim") is really out of touch and leading people into a lot of probable difficulties. Again I recommmend anyone who has even a twinkle of a cashback contract in their eye to spend an awful lot of time on here reading the various and numerous threads before making a decision - or risk joining the legions of people coming back to ask for help when it may well be too late.

In particular, unless you expect and are willing to sue, avoid E2save (and therefore onestopphoneshop) like the plague. Anyone asking why should take even the minimum time to read the relevant threads. It won't just be me who should convince them.

Jonni2bad

You really need to take a chill-pill junkie.

Not content with abrupt and rude replies to straight-forward questions elsewhere, you've resorted to this...

If you really must have a go for no apparent reason, then could you at least provide the figures which show why CPW (for instance) are to be avoided at all costs?

How many cash-back deals have they arranged in the past 12 months?

How many have they failed to pay?

What percentage is that, and how does it equate to other similar organisations (or even dis-similar, if it helps you)?

How many people felt need to start a court action, and for what specific reasons?

In other words, I have seen your rants at CPW, but if you are basing them on the threads on MSE, then it's a bit lame. I have no doubt, by the way, that some people will have cause for complaint. This always happens, no matter what the industry, but surely you also realise that people COMPLAIN much more than they would ever PRAISE?

I have experienced one small problem, a couple of years back, with CPW, but have had several (and still currently have) cashback deals with them and never once not been paid. Nor my neighbour, nor my relative.

I don't suggest that our experience proves that they are great for everyone, that would be as silly as what you seem intent on doing.

Perhaps, instead of trying to trip me up to bolster your own ego, you might have simply used your own experience to highlight the SPECIFIC reasons why the user might wish to consider avoiding CPW.

Please don't tell me again that you're sick of repeating the same old advice, it just doesn't wash. If you can be bothered to write the above, you can be bothered to offer constructive, reasoned and proportionate advice to someone who, by the way, has already hinted that they have an understanding of the system...

mulerider

The deal below is probably the best deal at the moment, loads of minutes and texts, basic phone and part of the Phones4U group. Main downside is that you can't port your number. Also consider Quidco cash back of £45 so if you stick to the T&Cs, cash back claims and stay within the tariff you can in theory make money on this deal.

An option would be to sell the phone brand new for around £40/£45 on Ebay and use the Quidco cash back towards a better handset. You can get the Nokia 6500 classic for £99.99 from Play on Vodafone.

http://www.mobiles2yourdoor.co.uk/contract_offer_details.asp?ItemKey=221184&MPItemKey=228742

http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/-/1010/1255/-/6855004/Nokia-6500-Classic-Vodafone-Pre-Pay-Mobile-Phone/Product.html?searchtype=genre

icefall

I recommend Three if only because they do contract deals at £15 a month, they are cross network (300 mix and match), for home phones too, 18mths long and there is no cashback to deal with.

A lot simpler than dealing with handling forms in at a set time through the year, etc etc.

I had never had a contract phone till 18mths ago when I was tempted by Three. Because my landline bills were jumping up soo much, I realized that with inclusive minutes my bills are lower now I am on a contract and I get a posh phone to boot!

mobilejunkie

Jonni2bad:- I see you can't be bothered to read the "rantings" of an army of people on the numerous E2save threads. You're right about one thing though - I can't be bothered to answer all your rather ludicrous and pointless questions. I bow to your time and effort (all 517 posts) instead. If you are determined to swamp your own ego by giving extremely bad advice it's own your own conscience. Others can make their own mind up if they can spare their time doing the research; those who can't can, by all means, follow your recommendations and hope that other people on here can pull them pout of the fire when they get burned.

Jonni2bad

Oh, right - the number of posts argument. Mine are few compared to yours, so my point of view is diminished accordingly.

Is your Dad bigger than mine too?

You can't answer the questions I asked because you don't know the answer, not because they are "ludicrous". Why would it be strange to ask such questions junkie? Questions that would really determine if CPW were avoiding cashback claims to a very high percentage of their customers, rather than assuming that it must be because of the strength of complaints on MSE.

Why is it ludicrous to ask if you know how they compare in that respect to any other company, the ones you are' happy' with? Do you have any evidence that their policies are providing higher percentage completions?

If not, then you might just as easily be accused of the thing you suggest I am responsible for. But you do have more posts, I suppose, so you must be right.

If anyone really wants to know what the point of your first post above was then I will quote from you in another thread just over a month ago...

mobilejunkie wrote: »

... I would definitely steer people to Phones4u - they are the complete opposite. I can't praise them highly enough...

But, of course, if I mention them as the company of choice, then you ignore that and suggest that I'm steering people into some cashback abyss.

The point of your response was not to help to OP here, but to paint me as a dangerous adviser who should not be trusted. Well, it doesn't wash junkie, and I'm not the only one to notice.

herman2811

Errr.... play nice chaps! :eek:

Rather than slating/recommending certain companies (and each other!), perhaps it would be more constructive to recommend specific deals, that in your opinion, represent the best value for money with minimal risk.

I appreciate all your advice, but I don't want to add fuel to the fire.

Jonni2bad

These not free, but low cost overall....

£3.33 equiv over 18 months - 400mins 500txts

£6.66 equiv over 18 months - 400mins 500txts

Both on O2

Once you get through these contracts, there is a chance that you'll be able to negotiate a good deal without cashback directly with the service provider - i.e. a deal to stop you leaving.

Since that will be 18 months away on these examples, it's hard to know what the story might be at that time.

Three, for instance, were giving great deals to keep existing customers about 6 months ago, but many say that those good deals are few and far between now. The market place will likely change a great deal in 18 months.

£

TREVORCOLMAN

I agree totally with Mobile Junkie - avoid CPW and all its elements like the plague. They have a long history of providing misleading and contracdictory information in an attempt to stop you validly claiming cashbacks.

For instance the dates of claiming the cashbacks which I took from their web site on the date of taking out the contract where then sneakily changed at a later date to make it look as if I had applied incorrectly. However I have a printed copy of these original dates - which I will show to the Judge - it it gets that far.

I am VERY organised and have applied for my cashbacks correctly only for them to be rejected without good cause.

So I sent them a Letter Before Action which they totally ignore and then seem surprised when I apply to get my money through the courts.

If you still wish to go with them then fine - dont say you were not warned.