Orange Upgrade & End of Contract Due - 24 Month Contracts?

blackqueen

Hi all,

In a bit of a mobile phone quandry so thought I'd ask the experts here for your advice and experiences.

So, 16 months ago I went back to Orange on an 18 month £35 dolphin contract and got a Blackberry 8900. Not a fan of Orange, had been with Virgin Mobile before and LOVED them - their customer service was excellent, but they weren't offering the Blackberry phone I wanted.

Anyway, back to my Blackberry on Orange on an 18 month plan. All well and good until about 6 months in the trackball on the Blackberry got stuck! Phone just wouldn't work. Phoned Orange, they sent me a replacement. All well and good until the keyboard on the Blackberry just stopped working about 10 days ago! Phoned Orange and they basically said that as I don't have Orange Care it would cost me £70 to get a new one but I am due for an upgrade anyway.

I had a hectic weekend ahead and didn't want to be pushed into an upgrade without doing some research into it - what I wanted, what deal etc.

But I find it incredible that a phone I have looked after and never misused has twice died on me and it's such a faff to get it replaced! A friend said I should have told Orange it had been lost as they probably would have replaced it. And no I don't have the phone insurance so maybe I need to budget for that as well? Not sure the Orange plan is a good deal when I'm with Smile bank and can get their upgraded bank account that has phone insurance offered? Never had a need for phone insurance before!!!

My 18 month contract is up mid August so I can get an upgrade now and but I think I need to change my phone plan as I am not using my full 600 minutes though I also get unlimited texts and a data plan which are important. But why are all the contracts coming up as 24 months? What worries me is that I have had a phone I've looked after carefully die on me TWICE within the 18 month contract, what will happen if I'm on a 24 month contract? Why offer these when (a) people want to upgrade to a new phone after a year and don't want to be stuck with an old phone for 2 years and (b) most of the modern phones don't seem capable of lasting a year, let alone 2 years? Am I missing something here?

I also didn't know whether to get another Blackberry or try to get an iPhone. I LOVED my Blackberry but these problems have made me wary. I like the look of the iPhone but there's so much hype about it that it seems a bit expensive and I want to try to reduce my £35+ a month dolphin plan if I can. That would seem unlikely if I went for an iPhone I guess as they seem expensive.

Virgin Mobile are offering the Blackberry 9700 on 400 mins a month (probably enough for me) and unlimited texts for £30 a month on an 18 month contract and 3 months free insurance. Or it's £25 a month for a 24 month contract.

So, I don't really know what I'm asking you guys really, lol... :rotfl: Maybe just ranting off for some advice and any other experiences and decisions others have made. :think:

daindian

well get something like the desire it has a 2 year warenty

drbesty

The trackball and the keyboard on the Blackberry handsets are well known for going wrong, which is why Blackberry swapped the trackball for a trackpad on newer models, in general though the Blackberry handsets are very solid and reliable. The reason for 24 month contracts is that people want fancy dan expensive phones, and they have to be paid for somehow

seaniboy

Take the £70 handset & upgrade/change networks - £70 for a BB is a good price...new handset & sim monthly ?