Phone for my mum!

Mathew

My mum has decided that should would like a new mobile for her b'day, bless! She currently has one of the 1st Nokia's every released and can just about manage to text, its a Vodafone PAYG,

She does not want any special features (camera etc) just one she can use for basic calls and texts.

I think it may be best to stick with a Nokia as she is used to this setup of program, but which one? I have seen the Nokia 1208 which may fit the bill at half price on T-mobile but cannot find an unlock code with regards to her keeping the same number?

Would be grateful for any advice:j

chuckley

if u want it unlocked go 02 or cpw... i think cpw are doin cheap paug handsets at the mo...

allthatmularky

As Chuckley says go to CPW and they'll sell you an unlocked PAYG.

I would get the number transferred from Vodafone to Asda (25p a min on Voda to 8p on Asda) - just ring Voda ask for a PAC and give ASDA the details.

rash.m2k

I think the Nokia 2630 would be a nice handset. Not very expensive, but looks very nice, and looks like it's worth more than it actually is!

SavingSteve

I just got my mum this: http://shop.carphonewarehouse.com/pay-as-you-go/nokia/1650-blue/orange/ojt/

Very happy with the price (free phone + £30 for top-up to use how she pleases).

It is on Orange though, so depends if a) you can port her Voda number across or b) if she is willing to change her number.

HappyMJ

That phone is usable on any network so use up the credit then put your other sim in it. I got a deal like that with a different phone (motorola w180) and put the orange sim into my old phone and put my o2 sim into the new phone. It's 15p/min so not the cheapest mobile network. Or 20p/min if you top up £10 and choose a free minutes or free text plan.

jackieb

I got one for my 76yo mum at Christmas from Orange. A Samsung that cost £14.50. You have to put a £10 top-up on it too. Mum has picked it up pretty fast. Her last one was a flip phone and she liked it because she didn't have to remember to lock it. This one's a slider and it doesn't need locking either. http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handset/samsung_c300_lilac/detail/pay_as_you_go

SavingSteve

HappyMJ wrote: »

That phone is usable on any network so use up the credit then put your other sim in it. I got a deal like that with a different phone (motorola w180) and put the orange sim into my old phone and put my o2 sim into the new phone. It's 15p/min so not the cheapest mobile network. Or 20p/min if you top up £10 and choose a free minutes or free text plan.

Interesting, I was doing my research and I couldn't find anyone who offered x-Net on PAYG for less than 15p? Did I miss something (I was searching on here for articles before buying and I couldn't see anything on PAYG tariffs?)

billsavings

SavingSteve wrote: »

Interesting, I was doing my research and I couldn't find anyone who offered x-Net on PAYG for less than 15p? Did I miss something (I was searching on here for articles before buying and I couldn't see anything on PAYG tariffs?)

Yes you missed

Asda Payg (On Vodafone) http://www.asda-phones.co.uk/ 8p a minute x-net

Ikea Payg (On T-Mobile) http://www.familymobile.co.uk/ 9p a minute x-net with £10 free credit,and a free gold number.

Tesco Payg. (On O2) http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/shop/?page=ourtariff 10p a minute x-net to 5 numbers plus Free Credit.

SavingSteve

Aaah, so one of these 'pretend' networks as I call them!

That's ok, depends on the situation, but still reckon the Orange phone we ended up with was our best bet.

Cheapest phone on Asda is £25, Cheapest on Ikea is £22 and Cheapest on Tesco is £15, so would take 300 minutes before they became a better deal than the 'free' phone I got.

Also - and this was the main reason for Orange rather than Voda/T-Mob etc, my understanding is that Orange's credit never expires (you just need to use the phone at least once every 6 months). For a severely low user like my Mum that is perfect, I don't think her £30 will be used up for at least a year!

jhp

SavingSteve wrote: »

Aaah, so one of these 'pretend' networks as I call them!

That's ok, depends on the situation, but still reckon the Orange phone we ended up with was our best bet.

Cheapest phone on Asda is £25, Cheapest on Ikea is £22 and Cheapest on Tesco is £15, so would take 300 minutes before they became a better deal than the 'free' phone I got.

Also - and this was the main reason for Orange rather than Voda/T-Mob etc, my understanding is that Orange's credit never expires (you just need to use the phone at least once every 6 months). For a severely low user like my Mum that is perfect, I don't think her £30 will be used up for at least a year!

The pretend networks as you describe them must be doing something right they have millions of customers.

How can the phone be free if you had to pay £30 to get it?

All networks credit does not expire if you make a call or send a text every 6 months.