In a contract but need a new mobile... Advice please!

MJTHFC

Hello all

I'm halfway through an 18 month contract with O2 through CPW. It's a great cashback contract which results in me paying £1.66 a month for tons of mins and texts.

Part of the deal was to keep my old mobile, a Nokia 6300, when I signed up for a further 18 months. The phone now however is getting pretty battered and it's on its last legs.

So, what's the cheapest way of getting a new phone and how do I go about doing it? I've only ever picked up phones through upgrades or new contracts - never whilst during a contract.

I've got my eye on a Nokia 6700 but it's £200 sim-free on any site I try.

Advice please!

MJ

Kai

Cheapest way is to steal one! I don't think I need to tell you how to go about doing that.

Your other (legitimate) options are:

Go buy any pay as you go O2 phone. It might be simlocked, but since you're on O2 anyway, it'll work. It'll be cheaper than a sim-free version of the same phone.

Buy a sim free phone - can be expensive from official sources. However, going through the 2nd hand market can bring some bargains from people who want to sell their unwanted upgrades. Make sure you check the network lock before you part with any cash though. Be very careful buying from eBay (or indeed anyone who's deal is too good to be true) as many can be from fraudulent insurance claims. These will be blocked by the operators rendering them useless.

Hope that helps :beer:

Littlemiss27

P4U and CPW both sell pay as you go handsets that are unlocked, so all you would need to do is put you contract sim in the new handset and away you go.

Just make sure that you explain to the salesperson that you will be using your O2 sim in the handset as 1 or 2 of the handsets they do may be locked.

HugoSP

Littlemiss27 wrote: »

P4U and CPW both sell pay as you go handsets that are unlocked, so all you would need to do is put you contract sim in the new handset and away you go.

Just make sure that you explain to the salesperson that you will be using your O2 sim in the handset as 1 or 2 of the handsets they do may be locked.

CPW did once sell me a locked phone a few years ago.

However, I would be minded to go to Dialaphone (though Quidco) and see what they've got to offer. we've bought PAYG handsets from DAP that have been unlocked before. In fact DD2 has a 6 month old Sony Ericsson T303 that is surplus to requirements that she may be tempted to part with. It was supplied with a Vodafone sim but will work with others. PM me if you like.

MJTHFC

HugoSP wrote: »

CPW did once sell me a locked phone a few years ago.

However, I would be minded to go to Dialaphone (though Quidco) and see what they've got to offer. we've bought PAYG handsets from DAP that have been unlocked before. In fact DD2 has a 6 month old Sony Ericsson T303 that is surplus to requirements that she may be tempted to part with. It was supplied with a Vodafone sim but will work with others. PM me if you like.

Thanks, but after a few bad ventures to other makes I'm going to stick with Nokia. I'm looking at picking up a PAYG Nokia 6300, same as I have now, as once I've got money for my current one from one of those sites it'll only cost me £20-£40.

Ideally after a new 6700 though, but they all cost at least £200 on PAYG. Anyone know of a cheaper source?

HugoSP

Have a look on ebay - there will be loads of ex Orange ones going on there, so you should be able to get a bargain

elfen

I think most, if not all P4U handsets are unlocked, since barely any of the phones from there come with branding