Should I get a new phone & tariff with cashback eg via moneysupermarket?

derb

My three contract is about to expire and I am thinking of upgrading my phone. The best offer I can get from customer retention is plenty of minutes, texts and broadband for £23 a month with my preferred HTC Desire S but if I look for the same phone via http://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/ I can get it from O2 via buymobilephones.net for about half that when you factor in the cashback (for the first 24 months). But is it safe to do that or will they hedge it around with too many conditions? What if they go bust - is my contract or phone at risk or just the cashback if I hadn't claimed it in time?

grumbler

Do some research and make your mind:
Cheapest Mobiles article >> Step 3
Mobile cashback help
Cashback Guide for Dummies
BuyMobilePhones.net (merged)

osps/e2save/mobiles.co.uk are believed to be more reliable that any other companies.

MarkBargain

£23-a-month for 24-months is £552.

If you look at the 3 retentions thread, you'll see they often often customers a SIM only deal with plenty of minutes texts and internet for £5-a-month. You can buy a SIM-free Desire S from Amazon for £311. 5x24 + 311= £431.

grumbler

MarkBargain wrote: »

5x24 + 311= £431.

For 12 months it is 5*12+311=...

http://www.e2save.com/mobile-phone/contract/htc/HTC-Desire-S.html?tariffcode=EK252FEB11&affiliate=aw47868

12x£25+£14.99=£315 on talkmobile without any cashback.
£285 after £30 from TCB and this includes 12x(300+1000+1G).

With a redemption deal the same phone with 12x(400+1000+1G) is available for 12x£22.50-£30=£240

derb

Hm - might try to get the £5 Three deal then shop around for a phone. I am guessing that once the iPhone 5 comes out everyone else's phones will get cheaper... Thanks for the thoughts!

esuhl

derb wrote: »

What if they go bust - is my contract or phone at risk or just the cashback if I hadn't claimed it in time?

When the shop I bought a phone from went bust in the late 90s it was just the cashback I lost... and I even got about 50% of that back from the liquidators.