Haggling when joining a new company?

savingmoney2011

I was reading one of the articles written by MSE on haggling when upgrading your phone but unfortunately orange.co.uk do not have the phone I want.

I looked at one of the price comparison websites listed on the article and it said carphone warehouse do the phone I want for £15 a month (I am on that tariff now with orange anyway) and the phone costs £159. However, although the plan was on Dolphin, it didn't have unlimited texts written, like I have already on the same contract, although it had more data.

Anyway so when I went to click buy to get directed to carphone warehouse, the phone was priced higher at £250+ and the plan was what I already have.

I don't want to upgrade with orange.co.uk right now (contract ends in February) because they don't have the phone I want, but I don't mind getting out a new contract.

What flexibility do companies have when joining them as a new customer to either upgrade from a contract with the same network provider or to buy a new contract and phone? I want the same plan I am on now (I wouldn't mind more data though, otherwise I prefer to go to giffgaff) but I also want the phone cheaper (not sure why that phone price comparison website listed it cheaper).

I have already called mobiles.co.uk and the lady didn't want to change the deal at all, not forgetting the long wait before the phone was picked up.

tazdevil01985

Most phone companies wont offer anything enhansed to newbies simple fact is that they dont have any information on you so its really a non starter ! Even though you already have some data as you already have been with Orange for 15 months (assume 18 month contract) you will still be classed as a newbie. They dont know how long your going to stay with them or how much a month you will spend etc. Which is why when you upgrade you can haggle as you have been with them for a min of 12 months and can see what you are spending so they know what they can recoup and what they can offer !

savingmoney2011

I rang carphone warheouse because I saw the phone priced at around £150 with the same contract (whereas on orange.co.uk they don't have that phone listed but they have the HTC Desire HD listed on upgrade at the same price) but when I called them I was on the phone for an hour (put on hold when they asked their manager) but they said the pricing is not correct and if it was written on carphone warehouse like that then they would have given it but I saw it on a 3rd party website which is why they can't.

I asked them if it would make a difference if I got it as part of my upgrade and they checked my account and said no difference.

I can still see the phone listed at £159.99 on the website shown on MSE with £15 a month but they said it's not on the carphone warehouse website so they can't change that. I ended up saying I don't want to get the contract with them (phone would cost £259.99 or something) and they gave me their direct number in case I wanted to take the contract with them but I won't at that price.