Dial-a-phone - Should I do it?

Jagg_2

I've been researching dialaphone for quite a while and found mixed reviews. I'm interested in a mobile phone contract which should be £25 per month for 24 months but works out as £14.58 a month.

The site claims they will provide 10 months free working out to a cash back redemption worth £250. Taken off the website:

10 months FREE line rental (Discount worth £250.00!)

For 10 months of your contract line rental is FREE! (Thereafter £25.00 per month). That's a saving of £250.00!

Your £250.00 saving is available by redemption in 5 stages: £50.00 at month 6, £50.00 at month 10, £50.00 at month 15, £50.00 at month 20, £50.00 at month 24

Payment by direct debit is mandatory.
Itemised billing is not included. (Can be requested at a charge of £0.99 per month)
This is a minimum 24 month contract.

It seems almost too good to be true, I can understand that they make their money off people forgetting to claim or being refused cashback through mistakes but how reliable is this company? I intend on sending the documents off each time via recorded delivery so I will have proof that they have recieved everything they need.

I went on to find their terms and conditions but the section on the cashback seems to be non-existent - perhaps due to a site error as they clearly have a section on it. As I'm a new member, it won't let me post you the link but it's simply a section with the following:

CASHBACK/DISCOUNTS BY REDEMPTION Please Click here to see more details on the terms and conditions of our cashback promotions.

But when you click the link, it simply takes you to the top of the page; perhaps this is an error.

I really can't afford a £25 per month mobile phone considering I'm a student but £15 p/m is much more affordable and is frankly the max I can pay.

So yeah, has anyone had any experiences of this company? Is it reliable?

Thanks for any help.

Regards,

Jagg

EDIT: I just found the same deal on the same website but you get £175 AUTO-cash back, is this much safer? It works out as £17.71 a month, just over my £15 a month budget but if there's no problem with the other deal where I get £250 back via redemption, it makes sense to go for that contract.

redcard

What phone are you looking to get?

Jagg_2

redcard wrote: »

What phone are you looking to get?

Blackberry Curve 9300

500mins, unlimited texts, 500mb internet.

mobilejunkie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/558661

Guys_Dad

Jagg wrote: »

I really can't afford a £25 per month mobile phone considering I'm a student but £15 p/m is much more affordable and is frankly the max I can pay.

So yeah, has anyone had any experiences of this company? Is it reliable?

Thanks for any help.

Regards,

Jagg

EDIT: I just found the same deal on the same website but you get £175 AUTO-cash back, is this much safer? It works out as £17.71 a month, just over my £15 a month budget but if there's no problem with the other deal where I get £250 back via redemption, it makes sense to go for that contract.

Dial-a-phone - Should I do it?

If things are that really tight, and given it's 2 years commitment, check out the following. You need to look at the potential downside of the consequences of you missing a claim window, the claim going missing, floating the full rate till you get your cashback, going over your bundle etc, etc.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2942238
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2876408
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2929644

It's bad enough being a student with all the fees, loans and living costs you have currently as well as a pretty bleak job market - you don't want an Experian entry on your cv as well.

Go sim-only and wait a couple of years for a 2 year contract.

Nostromo

Ive always got the cashback from Dialaphone they are one of the better cashback firms.
But you need to be organised with cashback and send in the correct bills as the make it as complicated and confusing as possible to try and trip you up.

Jagg_2

Phones4U have a similar deal I'm interested in, would it be any safer to go with them? They too offer a £250 redemption.

Also, does anyone know if dialaphone have a 'lose one, lose it all' policy where losing one of the cash redemption makes the rest invalid?

OneADay

Jagg wrote: »

Phones4U have a similar deal I'm interested in, would it be any safer to go with them? They too offer a £250 redemption.

Also, does anyone know if dialaphone have a 'lose one, lose it all' policy where losing one of the cash redemption makes the rest invalid?

Dialaphone or Phones4u - they are both part of Phones4u group so makes no matter. The offers can be different though on the two sites.

As far as I am aware there is no penalty for missing a cashback - so if you miss first claim, you can still get your second claim processed (if sent on time). If you want to make sure fully, ask them. But really if you are worried about missing claims, then cashbacks are probably not right for you.

Buying through dialaphone has an advantage as you get a logon id and can track your account details / cashbacks etc through that.

Jagg_2

OneADay wrote: »

Dialaphone or Phones4u - they are both part of Phones4u group so makes no matter. The offers can be different though on the two sites.

As far as I am aware there is no penalty for missing a cashback - so if you miss first claim, you can still get your second claim processed (if sent on time). If you want to make sure fully, ask them. But really if you are worried about missing claims, then cashbacks are probably not right for you.

Buying through dialaphone has an advantage as you get a logon id and can track your account details / cashbacks etc through that.

To be honest, I shouldn't really have a problem sending off the correct bill considering an accountant/admin friend of mine has also taken out the same deal, considering she's brilliant at this type of stuff; I can just ensure I follow whatever she does since her cashback would be due before mine. Of course, I will only do this if she is succesful (and actually sends of the correct documentation herself!)

I've done quite a bit of research and if I'm honest, it seems simple enough and generally I've came to the conclusion that if you stick to the dates, double check that you're sending off the correct bill within the valid dates and send via recorded delivery and you should be fine.

I'm assuming you've been with DAP and had no problems?

spondon30

The 'lose one, lose it all' policy was stopped by ofcom over a year ago. Ive tried nearly all the cashback companies and would recommend Phones4u/Dialaphone as the best for payment but not usually the best for deals. Dont forget £50 (£65 vodafone) quidco and to cancel insurance after one month.

mobilejunkie

Rule number ONE; have a clear, written and unequivocal set of t&c for your contract at the point of sale. At present, the t&c are NOT clear at all - e.g. what is their definition of "month 6", how long do you have to make your claim (almost certainly 60 days but you need everything IN WRITING beforehand). I regard this dealer as relatively safe BUT unless you CAN follow the groundrules (and right now you cannot!) do not take out any deal where you rely on the cashback to meet your needs.