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Free phone with Tesco contract - what's the catch?

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My mobile phone contract's up for renewal, and I've decided I want an android phone with a keyboard. It's not offered free from any network, but Tesco seem to be offering a special online only deal. I can't post links, but google for [Tesco Free HTC Desire Z 32 O2] (without the brackets) and it's the first result.

I can handle the £32.00 per month, 300 mins/unlimited texts, 500Mb Data and 24 month contract.

I'm just wondering: What's the catch? It's with O2, which is good, but will I have any disadvantage compared to a normal O2 customer? e.g. no free O2 support number (general or tech support), no free voicemail, higher charges if I go over my limits, anything else I haven't thought of?

Thanks
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Comments

  • jenniewb
    jenniewb Posts: 12,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Seems about average for what its offering IMO, via other contracts or stores you could get better, why do you feel your missing negative something out?
  • random__2
    random__2 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    jenniewb wrote: »
    Seems about average for what its offering IMO, via other contracts or stores you could get better, why do you feel your missing negative something out?

    It seems a little too good to be true, because none of the networks seem to offer the HTC Desire Z with a contract or otherwise. I think it's a £250 value phone. Maybe the long 24 month contract is what compensates Tesco for the phone.
  • kremmen
    kremmen Posts: 746 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    random_ wrote: »
    It seems a little too good to be true, because none of the networks seem to offer the HTC Desire Z with a contract or otherwise. I think it's a £250 value phone. Maybe the long 24 month contract is what compensates Tesco for the phone.

    The catch is that you will pay £768 for a 2 year contract you ( presumably) can't get out of.
    If the phone is indeed £250 and you took a monthly cotract with Tesco ( used to be £15 sim only) then you would only pay £610 and be able to cancell at 1 months notice.

    Paul
  • random__2
    random__2 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    kremmen wrote: »
    If the phone is indeed £250 and you took a monthly cotract with Tesco ( used to be £15 sim only) then you would only pay £610 and be able to cancell at 1 months notice.

    But are Tesco accounts with O2 the same as regular O2 accounts?
  • Nile
    Nile Posts: 14,845 Forumite
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    Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].
    10 Dec 2007 - Led Zeppelin - I was there. :j [/COLOR]:cool2: I wear my 50 (gold/red/white) blood donations pin badge with pride. [/SIZE][/COLOR]Give blood, save a life. [/B]
  • kremmen
    kremmen Posts: 746 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Sorry, This deal is on the Tesco network. I am not an expert but I believe they "piggback" the O2 network.

    See the Tesco site...eg

    http://phone-shop.tesco.com/tesco-mobile/simonly/IPhoneSimCard

    Paul
  • Yolina
    Yolina Posts: 2,262 Forumite
    random_ wrote: »
    none of the networks seem to offer the HTC Desire Z with a contract or otherwise.

    That's because it's an "old" model (all relative of course - I think it came out maybe a year ago) and the other networks simply aren't stocking it anymore.
    Now free from the incompetence of vodafail
  • OldGreyFox
    OldGreyFox Posts: 1,403 Forumite
    kremmen wrote: »
    Sorry, This deal is on the Tesco network. I am not an expert but I believe they "piggback" the O2 network.

    See the Tesco site...eg

    http://phone-shop.tesco.com/tesco-mobile/simonly/IPhoneSimCard

    Paul

    Nonsense the deal is clearly on O2 proper,as the op correctly says.

    See: http://phone-shop.tesco.com/mobile-phones-and-sim-cards/pay-monthly-phones/HTC-Desire-Z-Metallic-grey-67c3f561-5b8f-4b0a-9ad5-3584457b3ae5
  • kremmen
    kremmen Posts: 746 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    OldGreyFox wrote: »

    Thanks,

    Sorry for posting nonsense but I was trying to offer alternatives at a lower cost. :doh:

    Paul
  • Hammyman
    Hammyman Posts: 9,913 Forumite
    edited 18 August 2011 at 8:21PM
    random_ wrote: »
    My mobile phone contract's up for renewal, and I've decided I want an android phone with a keyboard. It's not offered free from any network, but Tesco seem to be offering a special online only deal. I can't post links, but google for [Tesco Free HTC Desire Z 32 O2] (without the brackets) and it's the first result.

    I can handle the £32.00 per month, 300 mins/unlimited texts, 500Mb Data and 24 month contract.

    I'm just wondering: What's the catch?

    I am paying £15 a month for 600 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB Data on a Three SIM only plan on a 12 month contract.

    I bought a SIM free HTC Desire Z from CPW 2 months ago for £200 delivered. Over 2 years you'll pay £400 more than I will for half the minutes and half the data. You are in effect paying twice as much as I did for my phone and thats the catch.
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