Why sign a contract you dont want??

Sid_Harper

There are lots of stupid people around - "proberly fink contract means get a cheap fone" and that's it.

They deserve what they get. I used to be in contract with T-mobile for years and got good discounts (last two years I was paying zero). No surprises they weren't interested in my business anymore so grabbed a Voda £10 SIM-Only with £120 Quidco at the time so effectively paying a fiver a month.

And bought my Nokia E51 off-line in Singapore last year. Happy days - might get another phone when I go over there in a few weeks!

rchatburn

Was going to post up a tip about this but it seems searching did the trick.

I recently got a sim only deal.

Getting a sim only deal on a 30day contract for £20 with 700mins, unlimited* texts and internet is going to cost me £360 if you factor in the phone i wanted a Tmobile G1 which cost me £240 it adds up to £600

now to get the same deal ithout paying for the phone up front the closest deal is exactly the same but with 800 mins, at £35 costing £640 so i save £40 but i actually save being tied into a 18 month contract. i technically save 120 as the same deal at the moment was reduced from £40.

i will never be signed up to a contract again after doing this :-)

Jakg

rchatburn wrote: »

Was going to post up a tip about this but it seems searching did the trick.

I recently got a sim only deal.

Getting a sim only deal on a 30day contract for £20 with 700mins, unlimited* texts and internet is going to cost me £360 if you factor in the phone i wanted a Tmobile G1 which cost me £240 it adds up to £600

now to get the same deal ithout paying for the phone up front the closest deal is exactly the same but with 800 mins, at £35 costing £640 so i save £40 but i actually save being tied into a 18 month contract. i technically save 120 as the same deal at the moment was reduced from £40.

i will never be signed up to a contract again after doing this :-)

Whereas i'm in an 18 month cashback contract on my G1, and pay £34.25pm over 18 months for a G1 with unlimited texts and internet and 700 minutes, which is £616.50. However thanks to QuidCo (£20) and cashback (8 months free) I'm paying £322.50 over the term, which is just under £17.92pm. All for less than your SIM only package is, or only £82.50 more than buying the phone outright.

eljmayes

I would happily pay a small amount for the phone- say below 100 quid (around cost price for the majority of phones) and have a 12 month contract. I really can't see why the networks at least looked at this option- it would be ideal for say if/when the Iphone comes out on a new network.

Kai

eljmayes wrote: »

I would happily pay a small amount for the phone- say below 100 quid (around cost price for the majority of phones) and have a 12 month contract. I really can't see why the networks at least looked at this option- it would be ideal for say if/when the Iphone comes out on a new network.

They did this... 4/5 years ago.

Sharon87

I've just recently bought a new phone as on PAYG it wasn't enough minutes and my phone seemed to be giving up. I decided to be realistic and not spend more than £20/month. I compared prices everywhere online and couldn't find a good deal. I was considering a Sim only package but I worked it out it was still more expensive for the same amount of minutes/texts plus the new phone for my 18 month contract.

This is my first contract phone. I just hope it goes well... So far so good.

fiish

eljmayes wrote: »

I would happily pay a small amount for the phone- say below 100 quid (around cost price for the majority of phones) and have a 12 month contract. I really can't see why the networks at least looked at this option- it would be ideal for say if/when the Iphone comes out on a new network.

They did - and then phones got more expensive with the added features. If you compare the in-shop prices (negotiation and retention deals notwithstanding), in 2005 I got a Samsung D600 for £35 a month for 12 months. Now you can get, say, a HTC Magic for £30 a month for 18.... the networks do have a leg to stand on when they argue that the longer contracts are offering better value.

That being said I still wouldn't take up a contract unless I was very sure that it would cost less than buying the phone outright and going SIM only.

love_my_2_boys

moneysavingpete wrote: »

I have used these forums for a few weeks now and realise that nearly every other post on here is "how can i cancel my contract" or "can anyone tell me how to get out of my contract".

I am all up for saving money and getting the best value for anything I buy but my question is........... Is it ethical to find anyway possible to get out of a fixed term contract? And even worse are the people who will advise people to bend the truth to get out of these.

I only sign up to 30 day contracts as I dont want a long commitment. What I dont do is sign upto a contract and then 6 months later try to use anyway possible to get out of it.

I am probably about to get shot down and abused :eek: but just wondered if I am the only one to think this way??????

When the terms of a contract you have agreed to change to your detriment then you are perfectly entitled to want to cancel.
I think someone should buy you a big wooden spoon for Christmas as you've obviously posted this thread to to a bit of stirring.
You don't work for Orange do you? lol

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Zack1

You make good points, and I agree with a lot of them, but sometimes people need a contract because it works out better value. And I guess this thread is referring to all the Orange threads. Despite not being on Orange I think every single Orange customer that's eligible (which, I'm led to believe, is all of them on contract) should cancel. Orange changed the terms, and not to the customer’s benefit, so just as Orange can enforce their parts of the contract – the customer can enforce their get out clause. A contract works both ways, not just the way of the big business with all their lawyers. If I were to breach my contract I expect o2 to cut me off, if they breach or change their agreement I’ll be terminating it, same with orange

I could afford to buy my phone upfront if I wasn't in contract, so it’s not a case of not researching or anything like that. From what I remember it costs £407 or something stupid to buy the phone upfront (that’s probably gone down by now though). On £35 a month for 18 months that's £630. One of the benefits is not having to pay it upfront as the interest (although nowadays that’s not much...) from £407 being spread over a longer term is still quite good. Another benefit being the retention deal at the end of it. There are problems now with what people are offered, but I think in a year when mine ends I'll be able to cut the cost of it in half by just saying I was unlimited/high texts and unlimited net, few calls. If they don’t play ball I’ll move. They understand that so I’m very confident they’ll accept it. For the time being, that £223 over 18 months is getting me unlimited texts and unlimited internet as well as 600 minutes. I used to spend £180 over 18 months on PAYG for 300 texts & 1mb internet a month, and ended up going over, so despite not using more than 100mins of the calls most months it’s still good because on PAYG I hardly ever called anyone

Also if you keep the phone after the minimum term, as I’ll be doing, rather than upgrading straight away, it works out even cheaper because that £407 for the phone, although paid over 18 months, can be said to have been paid for a phone for 2+ years. I think in terms to what I’ve been spending on PAYG (because I wasn’t old enough to get into a contract) compared to my expected contract spend the price per day of my current phone is going to be one of the best I’ve had…. Despite the current hefty price I have no regrets, as I feel it'll work to my advantage when it comes to renegotiating, and even if it doesn't it's still a great deal

And don't forget the credit history that mobile contracts build....that's going to be very important to me in a few years time.

rchatburn

i think the main reason why you would get a sim only deal would be if you are unsure of your long term finances, i have been made redundant in the past and it did get a bit tight i must admit.