Is this phone/contract suitable? Help someone who knows NOTHING about phones :O)

2005CLAIRE

Hi,

I had a look on line my pocket to see if there were any bargains available.
The phone is for my son. He won't be using it a huge amount (I know, famous last words but he really won't).
I saw this and wondered if there were any hidden catches etc as I know very little about phones/contracts etc.
Any help would be very gratefully received.

Here are the details:
The LG U880 is a milestone in 3G technology. It is world's slimmest flip-open video phone, which has got 18.2mm depth. This is a mobile phone that's thin enough and light enough to beat all the choices around. It's free on the 3 network, you get 400 any time any network minutes and 250 free texts per month on their Talk & Text 700 tariff, with 11 months free line rental on a 12 month contract. This means the deal will only cost you £35 for the whole year, as long as you don't go over your included allowances.



p.s. I know 3 get bad press but I have a 3 phone and it has never let me down once - it's huge NEC E616 but I love it. So I wouldn't be too worried about getting a 3 phone - perhaps the phone waves or whatever they are called are high around here. (I know that sounds really basic but I can't explain any other way) lol



Thanks for any help,

Claire.
xxx

oddmanout

what website was this offer on?

redux

It sounds interesting. If you are already on 3 then that doesn't seem to be an issue.

Choose a well-known dealer that will still be around to pay you their cashback, and remember to send the claims in on time. As well as that, see if any of the cashback referral sites like Quidco have arrangements with the dealer you're looking at. And some dealers like The Link and CPW will give £10 or £20 trade-in on an old phone.

Couple of nearby threads about 3, Nokia 6680 and others, etc ...

2005CLAIRE

This was the bit at the bottom of the offer on line my pocket

£14 cashback on T Mobile and Orange contract phones
£15 cashback on 3 contract phones


So would I have to claim the cashback on this every few months?
Sorry to sound thick.

redux

There are two independent cashbacks if you go via a referrer like linemypocket or quidco, etc. They pay theirs, but the main bulk of the cashback you'll get is from the dealer themselves.

The dealer gets commission from the network for the new contract, and this is what funds their cashback offer. It is a network condition that the new customer stays connected, and this seems to be why the cashback isn't available right at the start.

You can find details of the cashback somewhere on the dealer website, and they will confirm this when sending you the phone. You claim with copies of the specified bills, eg 6 and 12 months or 6, 8, 10, 12 or similar, and some send you vouchers to accompany the claim which you shouldn't lose. Some dealers send cheques, others pay into your bank account direct, and one or two to the phone account itself.

Yes, it all sounds like a rigmarole, but while the networks have this odd policy of higher commission than a year's line rental, which is why these (nearly) free deals are around, who would complain? Will it last like that - who knows?