Getting out of a contract.

scottornp

Hi
I've been reading on the site how to get a great upgrade on one's mobile phone package. I am a Vodafone customer (anytime 200 + 50 texts - £30 per month, having received a full cash refund from forward cellular before thy went bust), and am contracted until August 2005. I'd like to get an upgraded phone and better talk time for the same money of course - wouldn't we all. The only problem is I am due to move overseas in August, so if I upgrade now I will need to get out of my contract. Does anyone have experience of, or advice on, getting out of a contract early. Vodafone have told me that if I downgraded my current contract now to pay as you go they would charge me £58, which I didn't think was bad considering there are over 4 months left on it. So - do I give them the story that 3 will over me 500 mins and 100 textes per month for the same money, and take a risk on getting out of the contract down the line? All advice greatly appreciated!

andy88_2

If you are moving abroad in August, I'd say you hardly need a new contract, even if it is possible. Any new contract would have 8 months of non-use, so then you'd be wanting to get out of that one too.

scottornp

Thats my point exactly - I want to know what the score is with getting out of contracts, so that I can decide whether its worth pushing for an upgrade now. Its a balancing act - the value of a new phone and possible better talk time etc for 4 months compared to contract pull out charges.

andy88_2

I'd rather pay to use the phone than not to use it. You'll end up paying 4 extra months now and another 8 in August. That adds about £200 to the cost of the phone.

How long are you going abroad? Will you be returning occasionally and using the new contract?

scottornp

I don't know how this all works - hence the post. I thought, maybe mistakenly, that if i upgraded with Voda now then I wouldn't have to pay off the contract for the next four months, but I'd get a shiny new phone. Then in August I'd have to ease my way out of the new contract. Given that it is only £58 to cancel the next 4 months - I'd guess on it being about £100 then. ie 8 months about double £58. Also I hoped to get an increased number of minutes at the same price, through negotiating, thereby reducing my overall telephony costs. So what I am asking is how does breaking a contract which has been only running for four months work? What are the cost implications to me? Also to be considered is are there any extra costs to me if I upgrade my current contract when I still have 4 of the 12 months to run. Finally if the answer to both of these looks costly for me, do you reckon there is any chance of voda increasing my minutes part way through the contract. I get 200 mins + 50 texts yet for the same money 3 offer 500 mins + 100 texts!

scottornp

In answer to your questions I will be overseas for at least 3 years. During this time I will visit the UK for holidays but for about a month at a time max, hence I want to reduce my contract to pay as you go when I leave in order to keep the same number.

Woby_Tide

I'm not entirely sure but I'm guessing that the £58 is partly because you said you wish to remain as PAYG, I'd guess they are willing to reduce your contract to minimum amount possible for you to pay off i.e. c.£15 a month(Anytime 30) as you are past the downgrade limit(6 months), with a new contract in 4 months time you won't be past your 6 months minimum on your tarriff so I'm guessing the buyout won't be c.£100 but closer to £240 i.e. remaining 8 months x £30

you'd probably be better off selling current phone and not bothering with new contract and getting the phone you want on PAYG or find a decent contract deal with cashback(OSPS or E2Save type company) for the phone you do want i.e. so the contract cost is less than PAYG, that way you would also have some free minutes/texts when you are back in the country

gk172

scottornp wrote:

In answer to your questions I will be overseas for at least 3 years. During this time I will visit the UK for holidays but for about a month at a time max, hence I want to reduce my contract to pay as you go when I leave in order to keep the same number.

Not sure if this is right technically or morally but, if you were to increase you mins for the next 4 month to a higher tariff, the network can or may offer you a better upgrade deal (they look at last 3 months spend) and then when negotiating new phone and price plan tell them you want to cut down to minimum or lower tariff as you will be in and out of the country ie 30 mins which will rollover if used and leave enough in your bank account to cover the 12 @ £15 keeping the number and a new phone and also some uk mins for when you come over here.

andy88_2

If you can upgrade now (which I very much doubt, as usually the handset cost is spread over a year or more), you'll still be stuck for 2*£30 + 6*£15 = £150 to cancel in August. If you cancel now that adds the £58 you mentioned.

You're also unlikely to spontaneously negotiate extra minutes before the end of the contract.

There is very little point in paying £180 a year in future when you'll only be in the country a few weeks.

If you really must do something, cut the existing deal to £15 a month. Then entirely separately look around for a new deal involving a phone you like with good cashback terms. Use both phones until August, then cancel the first, or switch it to payg. At 6 months on the second (Oct ?) drop to the lowest tariff; at 12, cancel or payg.