argos

buzz41

anyone else find it annoying when all you need is a replacment mobile phone they say you have to purchace it with 10 pounds off credit
when all you wont to do is put your old sim in the new phone argos
insist its to stop people buying cheap phones for crimes what a load
off tosh rant over

Cool_Username

I'd say it's more like the network require it to offset the cost of the phone itself - if you're gonna commit a crime and need a phone I doubt a tenner's worth of airtime is going to make much difference

Littlemiss27

It's not to stop criminals it's to stop box breakers. These are people who bulk buy handsets that are subsidised (all pre pay handsets in the UK are) and sell them either in their own shops or abroad to make profit.

If you are looking to use your own sim card some networks will let you do a pre pay upgrade where you dont need to buy any credit with the new handset (there are normally t's and c's such as only being able to do this once every six months). Other networks will let you transfer the credit from the new sim to your existing number.

poppy_f1

its not just argos, most shops do it

Mark_Hewitt

As said, it's because the price of the phone is subsidised by the networks, and quite often locked to them too.

You can buy unlocked phones without having to buy credit from the likes of expansys, but of course they cost more.

Littlemiss27

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

As said, it's because the price of the phone is subsidised by the networks, and quite often locked to them too.

You can buy unlocked phones without having to buy credit from the likes of expansys, but of course they cost more.

You can buy unlocked handsets from P4U and CPW, these can either be bought subsidised on pre pay (when bought with airtime) or unsubsidised handset only.

Liz3yy

All shops do it, my OH bought me a phone for my birthday last year at the Carphone Warehouse and he was told the same thing. It's to stop people buying cheap phones and flogging them on Ebay for a profit

Lehman

Exacly. I hate it that in the UK, they make you purchase a minimum of 10 quid on the mobile. In Germany and Netherlands you get 10 euros free and then when you regeister you details, you get another 5 euros. I think, it is an absolute pushy sales methods and should be banned.

Kilty_2

Lehman wrote: »

I think, it is an absolute pushy sales methods and should be banned.

:rotfl::rotfl:

OK then - basic Nokia phone that's £4.99 + £10 credit at the moment?

That'll be £50 please - with no credit.

molerat

In the case of Orange you then go to your on-line account and register the new sim against your account and number. Old number now on new sim in new phone with £10 credit added.

jb66

you can sell you code on ebay for £9