smartphone advice for dummies?

claire07

I've taken the plunge and now got my Samsung Galaxy Ace on Virgin 24 months contract 75 mins +500MB +250 texts for £7.99 a month. As I've previously only been an Orange PAYG customer with a very basic Sagem phone I am keen to learn what to do and what to avoid.

I've read some of the threads on here where people have ended up with huge bills due to not doing something correctly so can anyone suggest any links to such basic advice to ensure I don't do anything stupid while I'm getting used to it.

spiro

Go onto the Apps Market and download a 'Data counter' (the one I have is called that) which you can set up with your billing date and it counts the amount of data you use. This avoids going over the 500mb limit.

If going abroad, especially outside the EU, turn off data roaming.

davetrousers

Huge bills usually come form people going abroad and carrying on using their phones for the internet, either directly browsing or various apps using data.

Simply install 3G watchdog so you know how much data you use each month. If you go abroad disable data roaming so that it won't download any data while you're away.

hellyhelix

claire07 wrote: »

I've taken the plunge and now got my Samsung Galaxy Ace on Virgin 24 months contract 75 mins +500MB +250 texts for £7.99 a month.

That seems a really good deal to me as I am currently considering getting the Galaxy Ace on an O2 24 month contract for £13.50 per month!! (50 mins + 250 texts + 100MB)

I am on a £10.21 Simplicity SIM only rolling contract at the moment and get 100 mins + unlimited texts but never use all that tbh and would like some data but that comes in the form of a £3 Bolt On bundle taking the monthly deal from £10.50 to the £13.50 I have been offered.

I had a look on the Virgin website but can only see the Ace at £10.99 (24 months) giving you 50 mins + 250MB +25 texts. Do you have a link to the deal you got please?

grumbler

Buy T-Mobile Vivacity for £90+£10-£20 (PAYG Android phone £100-£150 recommendations?) that is better than ACE:

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone2=4347

It is just £80/24=£3.33 p.m. for the phone in terms of 24 months contract.

Use it on t-mobile 12x£10.21 sim-only contract with £70.70 TCB cashback. 300+300+Unltd+free booster will cost you just £4.32 p.m.

(Alt: chitter-chatter sim-only £6 tariff with free internet booster - 100+100+Unltd)

claire07

Thanks to spiro and davetrousers for advice which I'll definitely download. Won't be going abroad so that should remove one area of potential problems.

Hellyhelix - I was sent the deal on a personalised letter from VM as we have broadband/phone on the XL inclusive package. When I first phoned on 0800 952 2258 they only offered the £10.99 price until I said their leaflet offered £7.99. I'd been tempted before but at the price I couldn't resist!