Orange San Francisco on PAYG

Jonesy127

I am currently on a £15 contract with O2, which is due for renewal end of April.

I fancy new phone, and a new freedom (i.e. Pay As You Go). The Orange San Francisco seems a good, cheap Android phone, and I could PAYG.

Unfortunately it seems I'd be committed to topping up £20 a month, which is more than I pay now, and I'm not that heavy a user. If Orange are insisting a top-up of that amount a month, for how long?

I assume buying the phone from Orange means it's sim-locked to them, so they can dictate what PAYG package I choose. So I couldn't go for a £10 package later on with them?

diamonds

Unlockable free, Orange insist a top up at handset sale only not monthly, on the Orange payg Dolphin plan you can buy a 30 day unlimted text bundle for £5, 100 mins a week for £5 or 100 mins for 30 days for £5

Jonesy127

Okay so just so I'm clear: I can buy the phone for £99 on say Dolphin PAYG, have to initially top with £20, but could thereafter top up with £10 a month?

grumbler

You can buy it for £99.97 at Tesco Direct. This includes £10 topup.

£89.99 at Argos. Am not sure if £10 is included or added on the top.

my_definition

Jonesy127 wrote: »

Okay so just so I'm clear: I can buy the phone for £99 on say Dolphin PAYG, have to initially top with £20, but could thereafter top up with £10 a month?

what i would do is use the £20 credit then unlock it for free then use a sim only monthly plan which you can change with 30 days notice and gives you the freedom to move if you like

ive the OSF and im on tesco sim only but ive heard giff gaffs good to

mavisangelica

I have 2 OSF. The first I started with Orange PAYG - bought from Orange and only used the mandatory £20 top up. Passed that phone to son who was already on Orange PAYG and then bought a new one online from CPW (paid £79 I think). I didn't even put the sim in. Went straight onto GiffGaff after unlocking and debranding (dead easy). Whole family are now Giffgaffed and when I am feeling a bit more confident I will upgrade the software on both phones.

Im_just_careful

Consider what you will be doing with it.

Orange are not good value for PAYG data.

The phone is good and works OK on other networks, I've had mine on Orange, Vodafone and T-Mobile in the last 4 months (!). Online free unlocking is available

http://www.nextgenserver.com/calculator/

For PAYG data only the T-Mobile £20 for 6 months of data (quite a lot but difficult to tell exactly how much) is the best I found.

I never make calls as I use the device for web and e-mail so I've not looked at call prices.

There are some WiFi issues but I've been pleased with it.

rwalton159

Buy the SF for £90 - £100

Unlock it for free

Get Giffgaff - £10 a mth buys you 250mins / unlimited internet / unlimited texts

Get free apps c/o Market and/or Applanet.net

Job sorted

KillerWatt

Buy the handset on PAYG
Unlock it (Free)
Flash it with the latest Android to remove all the Orange cr8p and restrictions (Free)
Root it (Free)

Job done!

MrsGSR

KillerWatt wrote: »

Buy the handset on PAYG
Unlock it (Free)
Flash it with the latest Android to remove all the Orange cr8p and restrictions (Free)
Root it (Free)

Job done!

Yep just what I have done apart from the unlocking as I am still tied into a contract with Orange but I will be joining giffgaff once my contract ends.

anewman

There's a £10 off tesco direct voucher, and quidco etc available, plus clubcard points. Only white one in stock at moment.