Best smartphone package for web browsing?

knuckledragger

Hi all,
A friend's after a smartphone for web browsing both on the move and at home via a wireless LAN. They also need about 500 xnet mins.

They've settled on the Qtek 9100 (or any variant).
Is the best package going to be direct from Tmobile's website:
Relax35 web'n'walk for £42.50/month + £29.99 for the MDA Vario
or perhaps
Flext25 web'n'walk for £32.50/month (£25 for the first 3 months) with the phone costing the same. I appreciate that this has a max of 400 mins but this could be supplemented by Skype...

Any thoughts?

webkami

I would go for.

"Flext25 web'n'walk for £32.50/month (£25 for the first 3 months)"

Thats best deal arround, but keep in mind T-Mob doesnt allow skype, I dont know if they block it or not but they say in T & C that you can not use the mobile internet for VOIP.

However with MDA Vario's Wireless capabilities you can use your home wireless broadband to do so.

cigar_2

The Vario is free on all web'n'walk flext tarifs (except Flext20 where it's £9.99) on the T-Mobile website so don't go paying over the odds for the phone! I think the phone price comes up differently depending how you browse the website!!!

EDIT: If your friend is also interested in Sat Nav, you can get it bundled with CoPilot for an extra £30-90 or so (depending on tarif): click here

tim_n

don't forget it also excludes all instant messaging systems (According to customer services) and also you can't connect it to your PC!

knuckledragger

Thanks to all for the information.
webkami,
I had a chat with the manager of a local phone establishment. He is running Skype on his MDA Pro and hasn't had a problem with Tmobile blocking it. Perhaps their bark is worse than their bite?

cigar,
You're right about how you get to the product affects the price. I got it for free when I re-browsed the site. I saw that you can bundle it with Co-pilot for £69.99 which gets fairly good reviews.

tim_n,
The device itself does support IM. I wonder if Tmobile just don't like people using it? As for connectivity, I thought it had a USB connection or do you mean as a conduit to access the internet using a PC?

Just a thought:
Could you pick up an MDA Vario on Ebay for say £180.
Get a Relax35 tariff on a 12 month free cashback deal.
Call up Tmobile and ask for Web'n'walk to be added for £7.50/month
Which would work out at £22.50/month.
A hefty saving of £20/month!
(Feel free to let me know if you think that I devote too much time to saving...LOL)

tim_n

The device supports IM but the terms and conditions of the webn'walk stipulate that you can only use your mobile phone to cut cheese. If you don't believe me ring up and ask 'can I use MSN, can I use it to connect to my laptop'

The phone on the otherhand has no problem connecting to your PC or doing IM, it's just t-mobile say they'll give your connection the chop if they catch you!

knuckledragger

tim_n,
"I do like a nice piece of Gorgonzola..."

LOL