MSE News: Mobile operators forced to offer 12-month contracts

chattychappy

More unwanted EU fiddling - with all the associated "consultation" and paper-shuffling costs.

Funny how they go on about environmental legislation and then introduce a measure which will encourage people to throw away their phones every year.

If they want to intervene, they could look at non-EU roaming rates for a start.

[Deleted User]

People badmouth 36-month contracts, but do remember that with Orange's ones, at least, you get a new phone after 18 months.

Also, they might not be for you, but for people who have had "old faithful" Nokia for 7 or 8 years without an upgrade, but still been paying £15 a month for Core Plan 30 or whatever (30 minutes, no texts), a £5 a month bundle of 50 minutes and 50 texts is a huge boon.

split_second

Lynsey wrote: »

Are people still using Quidco??

i left about 7 months ago

mobilejunkie

I drastically reduced my use of them over the last couple of years as they grew worse and worse, until I stopped using them a short while back. Doesn't seem to bother them when people leave, they just pay lip service in the hope that'll make a difference. It shouldn't! Thought I was a lone voice when I joined Guy's Dad in blasting them, but it's obvious I am merely one of many.

Gorgeous_George

What a load of rubbish.

The last time I looked there was an 18 month contract that cost nothing (via cashback). A phone, 100 anytme minutes and unlimited texts - all free (via cashback). My own contract is only £4.44 pr month with the cashback. I even recommended myself and they gave me £20 and I sold the phone (I only wanted the Sim) for £117 on eBay.

I bet it wouldn't be free if they were forced to be on 12 months contracts.

This increases the cost to the supplier and guess what, it will increase the cost to the consumer.

GG

Guys_Dad

That's what I love about the British. We moaned the loss of the 12 month contract and moaned about 18-24 month contracts.

Now when the networks are being made to re-offer the 12 month contracts, more moan, moan moan.

1. No one is going to make you take 12 month contracts if you don't want one.
2. Handset junkies with more money than sense will go wild about the idea of being able to change their old 2011 handset for the latest 2012 one.
3. People with handsets that fail to last 24 months will be tempted to go down this route rather than buy the damned things and go sim-free.
4. There will be even more new handsets coming out to meet the 12 month churn demand.

Me? Still prefer sim-free and middle of the road reliable handset with "normal" keys.

tifo

what's ridiculous is that even 1 month SIM only contracts have a credit check and you pay in advance anyway !

there are many people who cannot get a fixed term contract for whatever reason and a 1 month SIM only contract provides a better option than PAYG. Yet the networks make it very hard to get one (I know, i used to have problems getting one).

i had a SIM only tariff with t-mobile and changed to O2, who i'm happy with. I am after a cheaper second contract (£5 pm) with CPW/Vodafone but cannot get it. Why? I have no bad marks on my credit file (anymore). I've checked this month. But they want a £100 deposit! That's equal to 20 months at £5 pm.

on the point of long term contracts, a 18 or 24 month contract does get tend to get in the way of better offers that come along, plus you're stuck with an older phone (which have a 6 month max 12 month life these days).

iphone and other high end smartphone contracts are just ridiculous in how much they charge.

Guys_Dad

tifo wrote: »

what's ridiculous is that even 1 month SIM only contracts have a credit check and you pay in advance anyway !

The point you overlook is you can rack up well over £400 call charges in a single day, so the fact that it is only a 1 month sim-only at £10 per month would not preclude anyone making lots of overseas calls in a short period.

That is demonstrated whenever a phone is stolen.

That is why there is a credit check - not the worry of losing £10..

tifo

Guys_Dad wrote: »

The point you overlook is you can rack up well over £400 call charges in a single day, so the fact that it is only a 1 month sim-only at £10 per month would not preclude anyone making lots of overseas calls in a short period.

That is demonstrated whenever a phone is stolen.

That is why there is a credit check - not the worry of losing £10..

You can have a cap put on at your monthly limit ....

Gorgeous_George

tifo wrote: »

..., plus you're stuck with an older phone (which have a 6 month max 12 month life these days).

iphone and other high end smartphone contracts are just ridiculous in how much they charge.

My Nokia N95 8GB is like new and in its third year. The original battery works well. My next phone is likely to be an HTC for less than £20 per month with 300 minutes and unlimited texts on a 24 months contract. £450 over 2 years for that is hardly ridiculous IMHO.

GG