Wanting to upgrade during contract

1mag1n3

I currently own a Blackberry 8900, great phone but its not what I want/need in a phone.

I am on an 18 month contract at £30 a month bought through phones4u so its actually a subsidised £35 contract, and at the end of the month I will be 8 months through. Since I am on a contract I wondered where I stand with regard to upgrading my phone so early through the contract.

I want to upgrade to an iPhone, whether this is a 3gs or 4. I called earlier on and was told that I'd have to pay £350 to pay off the contract, then £120 for the phone (free for iPhone 3gs) meaning you only really save £30 from actually buying it straight from Apple! Is there any way of reducing this cost, for example reducing the contract size to a £10 a month tariff then paying it off, or is that not possible?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks for any help, and its great to now be a part of this society!

1mag1n3

reehsetin

it depends on the network you're on, they'll have their own rules on cancellations and early upgrades, what network is it

1mag1n3

Sorry, I was sure I had mentioned my service provider in the post but I haven't! I am on Orange!

gjchester

1mag1n3 wrote: »

I currently own a Blackberry 8900, great phone but its not what I want/need in a phone.

I am on an 18 month contract at £30 a month bought through phones4u so its actually a subsidised £35 contract, and at the end of the month I will be 8 months through. Since I am on a contract I wondered where I stand with regard to upgrading my phone so early through the contract.

I want to upgrade to an iPhone, whether this is a 3gs or 4. I called earlier on and was told that I'd have to pay £350 to pay off the contract, then £120 for the phone (free for iPhone 3gs) meaning you only really save £30 from actually buying it straight from Apple! Is there any way of reducing this cost, for example reducing the contract size to a £10 a month tariff then paying it off, or is that not possible?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks for any help, and its great to now be a part of this society!

1mag1n3

Ending a contract early usually will mean paying your monthly rental x months left. You are as you say on a contract and part of that is paying the mimimum term off. (ie 8 x 35 = £280)

You may get an upgrade phone offer but it will be far more than you would if you were past the minimum term.

You are unlikely to be able to reduce this monthly bill any further as your only half way through the contract. However call orange and see only they can tell you.

Somrthing to consider if if you bought from Apple you still have to buy a contract or go PAYG, so although expensive you could buy from Apple, put your existing sim in and use it for the rest of you contract, selling your blackberry to offset some of the cost.

1mag1n3

Ill give them another call tomorrow and see what they say.

I did consider just buying from apple, and selling my iPod and blackberry, my iPod would make £100 as would my 8900, so it would bring the cost down to £300 from the initial £500 for an iPhone 4. I reckon this is probably the best way to go looking at it. Suppose £300 isnt "too" much for an iPhone 4 really!

SpiritDawnWolf

1mag1n3 wrote: »

Ill give them another call tomorrow and see what they say.

I did consider just buying from apple, and selling my iPod and blackberry, my iPod would make £100 as would my 8900, so it would bring the cost down to £300 from the initial £500 for an iPhone 4. I reckon this is probably the best way to go looking at it. Suppose £300 isnt "too" much for an iPhone 4 really!

Morning!

Just before you call, there's a couple of things to know.
If you are getting a sim-free iPhone4 from Apple, you can't just pop your BlackBerry sim card into it, as the iPh4 is a micro-sim.

You will have to order a micro-sim from Orange, however if you are going to be using an iPhone, you'll need a £10 p/month Apple data package added onto your current monthly tariff - bear this in mind as this will obviously increase your cost.
And since you can only drop one tariff point at midway (normally £5 cheaper) you are still paying and extra £10 pm until the 12th month, then an extra £5 pm until end of contract if you drop it at midway.

SDW

Guys_Dad

And when the Iphone5 comes out, no doubt in a few months, your Iphone 4 will inevitably be old hat and the cycle will go on and on!

It defies belief. People rushing headlong into buying a mobile phone that costs a fortune, is already on its MkIV after only a couple of years, has rubbish reception, whose major benefits are tied to heavy internet use that, in turn, is capped at 500mb/1gb by the networks, racking up heavy monthly bills for the unwary.

I reckon Apple's board hired Robert Preston (the actor) to recreate his part from "the Music Man" who convinced a gullible town that they needed a brass band in order to flog them something they really didn't need!!

(I am now ducking down and awaiting the flak !)

stuartmck

Guys_Dad wrote: »

And when the Iphone5 comes out, no doubt in a few months, your Iphone 4 will inevitably be old hat and the cycle will go on and on!

It defies belief. People rushing headlong into buying a mobile phone that costs a fortune, is already on its MkIV after only a couple of years, has rubbish reception, whose major benefits are tied to heavy internet use that, in turn, is capped at 500mb/1gb by the networks, racking up heavy monthly bills for the unwary.

I reckon Apple's board hired Robert Preston (the actor) to recreate his part from "the Music Man" who convinced a gullible town that they needed a brass band in order to flog them something they really didn't need!!

(I am now ducking down and awaiting the flak !)

No flak, just a quick correction. Iphone is on it's 4th iteration in 4 years - not just a couple. Iphone 5 (or whatever they decide to call it) will more than likely be announced in June 2011 & released in July. Nokia, Samsung et al release more phone models a year than Apple, who concentrate on one.

One phone release a year doesn't seem excessive to me - it's just a shame that most of the networks won't let you have a 12 month contract with one!

MyUserNamesTaken

stuartmck wrote: »

No flak, just a quick correction. Iphone is on it's 4th iteration in 4 years - not just a couple. Iphone 5 (or whatever they decide to call it) will more than likely be announced in June 2011 & released in July. Nokia, Samsung et al release more phone models a year than Apple, who concentrate on one.

One phone release a year doesn't seem excessive to me - it's just a shame that most of the networks won't let you have a 12 month contract with one!

The difference is Apple is a one trick pony when it comes to mobile phones, whereas Nokia, Samsung, etc, make lots of different phones for lots of different types of customers, varying in price across the board. Some people want a phone that just makes phone calls - obviously, that requirement rules out the Iphone4 for those people.

KingElvis

Apple sure know how to make people want their tat though, excellent marketing.

Just looking back up the thread, £300 + a BB 8900 + an Ipod isn't "too" much for an Iphone 4? LOL

1mag1n3

Yeah, I am thinking of avoiding changing. It would be far to much money! I'd rather save some pennies, christ, I could buy a car for that money!

Its a shame I didn't initially get the iphone instead of the BB, but I suppose you live and learn!

Your right about Apple though- they do sort of brain wash people with their marketing- but it is true that they're products are very good and that's why there is demand for them. I am now leaning towards getting a HTC phone- the main alternative to the iPhone. A LOT cheaper too!

Cheers for the opinions tho guys, its been a great help!