24 month contract feels like a ball and chain

gjchester

grumbler wrote: »

I think it does at some network. Was it Vodafone who automatically extended the warranty if it was shorter then the min term?

Not really, They cover the phone for a 24 month contract if the warranty is 24 months, which basically means they do nothing over and above what the network offers. For anything with a 12 month warranty (black berry/Iphone) they only offer the 12 months the maker offers.

grumbler

Well, I may have misinterpreted numerous posts like these:

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

...
If however the handset is faulty, it is covered under warranty for the full term of the contract.

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

...Ann S is exactly right, you are covered under warranty on the handset for the full term of your contract.

...
...
If you are right, such statements are very misleading to say the least.

Guys_Dad

Stuart_W wrote: »

Not all the time. It isn't just iphones that work out more expensive on contract....................
........................I have no idea what my phone use will look like in 18 months time. Mobile internet usage is predicted to overtake desktop internet usage by 2014, which shows how fast moving the communications industry is. Where does a 24 month contract belong in such a fast moving industry?

Very good post - talks a lot of common sense.

NFH

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Try telling that to many of the MSE members who have subsequently lost their jobs and are redundant/unemployed.

This is why it would be more transparent if consumers paid the full cost of the handset upfront and paid the true price of the service separately. This is the model used in some other countries, where SIM-locking and goods/service cross-subsidy is unheard of. If consumers paid the full price of the handset upfront, then they might understand the true value of it and would take more care of it, particularly when it's a £500 iPhone. They might also think twice before buying a phone they can't really afford.

Crocswearer

I have looked at the option of buying upfront and getting a sim-only deal. It doesn't work out best for me:

I am looking at an iPhone 4, £429 from Apple.
Giff gaff £20 per month (the next one down, £15 for 400 minutes, wouldn't be enough for my work) = £480 over 24 months
429 + 480 = £909 over 24 months

Getting it on 3 The One plan = £69 up front
and £31 per month x 24 = £744
744 + 69 = £813 over 24 months

That's assuming my need for minutes doesn't go down...

However, if my need for minutes suddenly reduces after a year:
£429 for iPhone
£20 sim x 12 = £240
£15 sim x 12 = £180
Total £849 - still more expensive than the 3 contract

I would have to drop to a £10/month sim to make it worth it, that's only 250 minutes. Ok for me personally, but not for my current work needs.

Curr946

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Try telling that to many of the MSE members who have subsequently lost their jobs and are redundant/unemployed.

and how would that differ if they were only 6 months into an 18 month contract?

grumbler

Who said that it would differ?

However, it certainly would differ if they were on PAYG or a 1-month rolling contract.

N9eav

1 day to go..

gjchester

grumbler wrote: »

Well, I may have misinterpreted numerous posts like these: ...
...
If you are right, such statements are very misleading to say the least.

The policy is as below but they have applied it to Blackberrys according to other posts here.

When I buy something from Vodafone, how long is the warranty?

Except for Apple's iPhone, all devices have our standard warranty as below.
Pay monthly
Your device warranty will be the same as your contract period.
If there is no term contract (the Vodafone Sure Signal or 30-day Mobile Broadband for example), then the device warranty is 12 months from date of purchase.
Pay as you go
The warranty on all pay as you go devices is 12 months from date of purchase.
Business
All phones purchased after April 2005 have a 2 year warranty.
Apple iPhone
Apple's limited hardware warranty on iPhone is 12 months from date of purchase. The only way to extend this is to buy the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPhone.


http://help.vodafone.co.uk/system/selfservice.controller?CONFIGURATION=1000&PARTITION_ID=1&CMD=BROWSE_TOPIC&USERTYPE=1&LANGUAGE=en&COUNTRY=us&TOPIC_ID=1194&PARENT_TOPIC_ID=1173&SOURCE_FORM=TOPIC_TREE&DISPLAY=SUBTOPICARTICLES

grumbler

gjchester wrote: »

The policy is as below but they have applied it to Blackberrys according to other posts here.

When I buy something from Vodafone, how long is the warranty?

Except for Apple's iPhone, all devices have our standard warranty as below.
Pay monthly
Your device warranty will be the same as your contract period.

Well, AFAIK, Mororola'a and LG's manufacturer's warranty is 12 months too, not only Apple's and RIM's.

I read this as Voda extend warranty for all phones except Apple.