MSE News: Three to raise mobile prices

grumbler

aldredd wrote: »

As I've said, paying for a contract phone can very easily cost you much less that taking a SIM Free Phone and paying for a rolling service.

It can, but pretty often it is not the case, especially for iPhone. I think iPhone owners make the majority of those complaining about high monthly costs and desperate for terminating their contracts early.

But to consider it a 'loan' isn't really accurate though.

I have to disagree. Many times I even calculated APR for such contracts=loans that pretty often was 20%+. Just search the board for 'apr'.

aldredd

grumbler wrote: »

It can, but pretty often it is not the case, especially for iPhone. I think iPhone owners make the majority of those complaining about high monthly costs and desperate for terminating their contracts early.I have to disagree. Many times I even calculated APR for such contracts=loans that pretty often was 20%+. Just search the board for 'apr'.

Again, that's not always the case.

I just had a quick look at the iPhone 4S 16GB on Carphone Warehouse

Contract:
Handset: 0
Monthly Cost: 31
31 * 24
= 744 over 2 years

Sim Only:
Handset: 490
Monthly Cost: 13.50 (with hardly any data)
(15 * 24) + 490
= 814 over 2 years


So again, if you pick correctly, and you're confident you can afford it, contract can work out much cheaper than Sim Only

Edit to add:
For a bit of balance, I recently just bought myself a new phone, and happens to be Sim Free, as it best suited my requirements, but would still have been marginally cheaper to go on contract.

KTF

aldredd wrote: »

Contract:
Handset: 0
Monthly Cost: 31
31 * 24
= 744 over 2 years

Sim Only:
Handset: 490
Monthly Cost: 13.50 (with hardly any data)
(15 * 24) + 490
= 814 over 2 years

Better example:

Sim Only:
Handset: 490
Monthly Cost: 10 (250m/unlimited txt, unlimited data on giffgaff))
(10 * 24) + 490
= 730 over 2 years

grumbler

aldredd wrote: »

.. that's not always the case.

I know. Haven't I said 'pretty often'? And if it is the case, almost never people understand how much the loan actually costs them.

The first months after a new iPhone is released (sim-only) + (sim - free) is always the best option.

aldredd

KTF wrote: »

Better example:

Sim Only:
Handset: 490
Monthly Cost: 10 (250m/unlimited txt, unlimited data on giffgaff))
(10 * 24) + 490
= 730 over 2 years

Of course - shop around and you'll find a better deal - you could almost certainly negociate a better contract that the above if you were a returning customer, but even your example is only marginally cheaper - what, 50/60p per month?
And, had you paid for the phone on your credit card, your interest charge will be more than that! (which of course goes back to the affordability argument)

aldredd

grumbler wrote: »

I know. Haven't I said 'pretty often'? And if it is the case, almost never people understand how much the loan actually costs them.

The first months after a new iPhone is released (sim-only) + (sim - free) is always the best option.

Of course. If you[STRIKE]'re stupid enough[/STRIKE] decide to go and get spend 4 weeks queuing up for a phone to be the first person to get their hands on the latest gizmo and go in with a 'don't care what it costs I must have it cos very soon so will everyone else' attitude - they're going to take you to town.

But, if you work out a) What you can afford b) What you want to spend, then take your time, look around, take a bit more time, read some reviews, decide, give it a week or so, then go and get your new toy safe in the knowledge that it's without a doubt the phone you want, and getting it in the cheapest possible way - you'll be happy, the retailer will be happyish - everyone is happy. Until they put their prices up

System

just worked it out, if I don't cancel, I will be paying an extra £25 to three. really, three, was it worth it? you treated me like garbage, ensuring that I will never deal with you again and will tell at least ten other people never to deal with you. you've lost out on so much potential business, over just £25.
hell, that is less than one months bill fro me. if you had treated me right, you might have gotten a lifetime customer. that is £35 over another 12 months at least, at least £400 and probably higher. instead you get your measly £25 if that. and if I do cancel, you actually LOSE £700.

wavyframe

Well here we are a few weeks or so down the line and this thread has already descended into petty squabbling/bickering

EG it is a contract, no it isnt, they cant do this, yes they can, i wont pay, yes you will etc etc.....

Meanwhile 3 mobile sit back and laugh at all of us while taking our money and they WILL get away with it because we let them.

So come on guys/girls stop bashing the keyboard and start pounding the pavement any 3 shop any day
DO something

or nothing will happen.

matrix999

Final bill received from Three with no ETC.. In fact my final bill says I'm 73p in credit, they can keep it!!

System

matrix999 wrote: »

Final bill received from Three with no ETC.. In fact my final bill says I'm 73p in credit, they can keep it!!

thanks!
this is great.
I have been holding off with my cancellation. was starting to think I might just accept it and never deal with them again after the two years.
but this gives me strength to write a letter tomorrow afternoon and send it off special delivery.
well this plus the tv advert i saw today.
all you can eat data, a htc smartphone on three, from £13 a month. this is a blatant insult after they told so many of us that they have no choice but to increase their cost because of incurred network costs?
If I was considering staying with them, I certainly am not now.
even if they do slam me with an ETC, I am telling them to go screw themselves, I'm not giving them any more money than I have to.