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Want to buy a cheap contract smartphone

Hey all

I'm wanting a cheap smartphone, I'd use it for general texting/calling/facebook, the GPS, for sports logging, and a decent selection of apps.

I use little phone internet, relying mostly on wifi, and a small amount of calls and texts.

Was thinking of either http://!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/o2-samsung-galaxy-ace-refurbished.html?tid=SM38MMAR12#/?sb=mc

or http://!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/talk-mobile-samsung-galaxy-y-pink-refurbished.html?tid=MK75TJUL12

Both are available on cheap (£7.50/month) contracts, and have cashback options to reduce price further.

Have never bought a refurb phone, but they have 1 year warranty and have heard reasonable things.

Grateful for advice/other suggestions/stuff I might have not thought of.

Cheers

Comments

  • MillicentBystander
    MillicentBystander Posts: 3,518 Forumite
    edited 11 September 2012 at 7:12AM
    At the risk of looking like a salesman for it, I would advise you to look at buying the Huawei G300 outright for a crazy £65 from Tesco. It will be locked to Vodafone but that means talkmobile sims will work in it as they piggy back onto Vodafone (it also has a full 2 year warranty). To unlock the phone to all networks (giving you a much bigger choice of sim deal) costs just £5 from ebay. There are some truly excellent SIM only deals out there and the best thing is you won't be tied to a very long 24 month contract on any of them. For instance, talkmobile do a 6 month SIM only deal for £8/mth that gives 300 mins/1000texts and 500mb data and topcashback are currently offering £35.35 cashback on this deal, making the net monthly price just a shade over £2/mth over the 6 months. There are of course loads of other SIM only deals with other networks which also offer good cashback which may be more suitable to your anticipated usage. Just a thought.
  • JethroUK
    JethroUK Posts: 1,959 Forumite
    edited 11 September 2012 at 8:37AM
    At the risk of looking like a salesman for it, I would advise you to look at buying the Huawei G300 outright for a crazy £65 from Tesco. It will be locked to Vodafone but that means talkmobile sims will work in it as they piggy back onto Vodafone (it also has a full 2 year warranty). To unlock the phone to all networks (giving you a much bigger choice of sim deal) costs just £5 from ebay. There are some truly excellent SIM only deals out there and the best thing is you won't be tied to a very long 24 month contract on any of them. For instance, talkmobile do a 6 month SIM only deal for £8/mth that gives 300 mins/1000texts and 500mb data and topcashback are currently offering £35.35 cashback on this deal, making the net monthly price just a shade over £2/mth over the 6 months. There are of course loads of other SIM only deals with other networks which also offer good cashback which may be more suitable to your anticipated usage. Just a thought.


    I agree 100% - to pass this deal over you would need a very serious mobile agenda (shares in Apple maybe) - just wish i'd also got the cheap sim deal too
    When will the "Edit" and "Quote" button get fixed on the mobile web interface?
  • JethroUK
    JethroUK Posts: 1,959 Forumite
    edited 11 September 2012 at 7:30AM
    Duplicate post
    When will the "Edit" and "Quote" button get fixed on the mobile web interface?
  • fishy1ta wrote: »
    Hey all

    I'm wanting a cheap smartphone, I'd use it for general texting/calling/facebook, the GPS, for sports logging, and a decent selection of apps.

    I use little phone internet, relying mostly on wifi, and a small amount of calls and texts.

    Was thinking of either http://!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/o2-samsung-galaxy-ace-refurbished.html?tid=SM38MMAR12#/?sb=mc

    or http://!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/talk-mobile-samsung-galaxy-y-pink-refurbished.html?tid=MK75TJUL12

    Both are available on cheap (£7.50/month) contracts, and have cashback options to reduce price further.

    Have never bought a refurb phone, but they have 1 year warranty and have heard reasonable things.

    Grateful for advice/other suggestions/stuff I might have not thought of.

    Cheers

    is there any particular reason why the word "M0BILES", the name of the website, has disappeared from the url?
    weird, normally it's only swearwords.
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    is there any particular reason why the word "M0BILES", the name of the website, has disappeared from the url?
    weird, normally it's only swearwords.
    Mobiles.co.uk links are banned on here thats why
    It's not just about the money
  • Silk wrote: »
    Mobiles.co.uk links are banned on here thats why
    Out of curiosity ,why is that?
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    AndysDad wrote: »
    Out of curiosity ,why is that?
    I like to think it's because of the reputation they have :rotfl:

    However it's probably more to do with marketing :(
    It's not just about the money
  • Kite2010
    Kite2010 Posts: 4,308 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Home Insurance Hacker! Car Insurance Carver!
    As previous posters have said a Huawei G300 will be your best bet over those 2 Samsungs. Buy it outright and save money on a Sim-Only Deal.
  • Silk wrote: »
    I like to think it's because of the reputation they have :rotfl:

    However it's probably more to do with marketing :(

    well, whatever the reason, not much of a loss from the sound of it.

    MSE know they are being watched, so I hope it's not because of 'marketing', although I would not be surprised if they are owed money themselves, with the many times they have been recommended in the past they must have had quite a few affiliate purchases.
    As long as they are honest about their motives, it's fine if they block sites that owe them money.
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