12 months FREE Ending - Where To Now & How?

Paulee

Help Needed Please!

I have contract phones for my kids (full time students aged 17 & 19) on 3. Thanks to the knowledge gained from these Forums, these have cost them very little over the last year. However, my daughters contract is due to end on 22 April and the monthly tariff will then revert to £30/month which she cannot afford to pay. She is happy with the 3 network and I am looking for a way of obtaining a new contract as cheaply as possible. Our exisiting phone provider, Microline, has already contacted me, but they have not been able to match the deal I have seen on themobileoutlet.co.uk; an LG 8360 with 400xnet mins & 250 txts, 12 months @£35/month, FREE after cashback at month 6 & 12. They are also offering the LG u880 at £6/month after cashback. Both of these deals appear to be ideally suited to her needs.

I have several questions I'm afraid, apologies if too many.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the reliability of The Mobile Outlet and the LG phones?
Can I cancel the existing contract & take out a new cashback offer on 3? Surely 3 will pick up my details when they bill me.
Should I cancel the existing contract in writing & by recorded delivery?
If I manage to get a new 3 deal, what is the likelyhood of getting the 2nd cashback at month 12 if I try to repeat the operation when the new deal is 12 months old? At this stage, of course, I will have given a months temination notice.
I've been told that we can keep the existing phone number by porting it over to a PAYG sim card on another network. Is this correct & how does it work?

Thanks in anticipation for any replies.

Paul.

reelcrazy

I had an LG U8120 on the 3 network and it was dreadful. Several of my friends also got them and had similar experiences. It wasn't really the networks fault it was buggy software on the phones which caused the problems along with the microphone on the phone becoming faulty.

I would get a Nokia if I were to go back to "3".

the_tired_one

Phonebox direct have 2 different '3G' network contracts (12 months free line rental)

Browntoa

whats the site id bit on the end of your post ??

http://www.phoneboxdirect.co.uk/

gives me the same page ?

exel1966

Paulee wrote:

Does anyone have any knowledge of the reliability of The Mobile Outlet and the LG phones?
Can I cancel the existing contract & take out a new cashback offer on 3? Surely 3 will pick up my details when they bill me.
Should I cancel the existing contract in writing & by recorded delivery?
If I manage to get a new 3 deal, what is the likelyhood of getting the 2nd cashback at month 12 if I try to repeat the operation when the new deal is 12 months old? At this stage, of course, I will have given a months temination notice.
I've been told that we can keep the existing phone number by porting it over to a PAYG sim card on another network. Is this correct & how does it work?

Thanks in anticipation for any replies.

Paul.

1. Personally I would steer well clear of LG phones as they have a very poor reliability record. Go for Nokia or Motorola. I can't comment on the Mob outlet as I haven't used them, but there are a number of threads here about them.

2. Yes you can take out a new cashback contract (I've done it for the past 3 years), but you will not be able to keep your current number with 3 unless you obtain a PAC code and port it out to another network and then back to 3.

3. There is no need to cancel in writing or by recorded delivery, but if it's peace of mind you want, then do it. If you obtain a PAC code to transfer your current number to a new network your current contract will automatically expire when the new network connects you with that old number.

4. Don't understand the cahback Q

5. As above yes you can keep your current number and port it to a PAYG or contract with a new network. To keep your number with 3 you'll need to obtain a sim for say Virgin, port your number to them, wait a few days, then port your number back to 3 on your new contract. Clear as mud ??

Paulee

Thanks to all of you for taking the trouble to reply.

With regards to your comments exel, I have heard of the problems with earlier models of LG phones but these seem to much better according to the latest user reviews I have read, I will look more carefully at the alternatives though. Thanks for your info on new contracts and PAC codes, it's very reassuring. My query re. cashback at month 12 was just down to the new provider honouring the terms of the deal. The second stage of the cashback would be due a month or more after I had cancelled my contract with them. This being the case, I wondered whether I would actually get it. Our current provider pays in full at month 6, which is very good. The mud is clearing re. porting, looks like a cheap sim from Ebay is necessary.

Paulee

Browntoa wrote:

whats the site id bit on the end of your post ??

http://www.phoneboxdirect.co.uk/

gives me the same page ?

Sorry Browntoa but I don't understand your question about "site id".

The phone box direct offer is the same as the mobile outlet, but the cashback proceedure is much more hassle, involving a five stage claim. Much more likely for me to !!!! it up.

the_tired_one

Browntoa wrote:

whats the site id bit on the end of your post ??

http://www.phoneboxdirect.co.uk/

gives me the same page ?

Oops! I just cut and paste the link from my favourites (I think the id bit was my Quidco id)...sorry Mods

deekmcc

I got a 3 phone lg u8380 for £2.99 a month from themobs.com last week & they seem to be very good with cashback.

I wouldn't worry too much about certain makes of a phone as the phone is guaranteed for a year anyways & like me you change it every year anyways.

:j

Paulee

Thanks again for everyones comments.

I've just been reading todays postings re. cashback horror stories with E2save, OSPS & The Mob. It seems as though the single cashback claim, at month 6 from my current provider, Microline, looks by far the best available.

I have received cashback in full, for two phones, via recorded delivery, with NO hassle at all. They also have a normal landline number (as well as an 0870) and a high street store Maybe I'm being rather foolish in considering any other provider in order to save that extra £2/month.

BTW straight through on the phone, NO queueing!

CharleneUK

LG phones, I wouldn't bother after my experience with the 8120, however the mobile outlet were fine to deal with,no problems.

I'm still with three (3rd year now) and am very happy.

Good luck.