No contract, 12 mth, or 24... with Phone or not?

Edelman

Ok here's a dilemma. If this is a straight forward cash answer: it's easy. But it's not, so have a read of this.

I am using an Blackberry 8520. I pay £15 to top up and get free calls/text to O2, but pay for anything else. Oh and it deducts £5 from that each month for BB usage.

I'm looking at changing to a Blackberry Bold 9900. If bought sim-free without the Network logos, it would be £392.95.

If bought out right WITH the above, from O2, it would be £323.95.

O2 do a £20 a month deal on 12 month contract that gives unlim calls/texts to any network and unlim calls to landlines, plus 1gb web.

So if I did the above with the "non-network" phone, over two years it would be £872.95. £632.95 in the first year.

But, O2 also do a contract deal over two years (not a fan of 24 mth deals).

£26 per month.
Phone: £229.99 up front.
In first year: £542.04.
Two years: £854.09.

And finally, they do a deal where you pay less for phone, but more per month:
£31 per month.
Phone: £100.00 up front.
In first year: £471.95 (just approx £70 more than the non-network phone cost!!)
Two years: £843.90.

I don't like two year deals, but I have been with O2 forever, so would I just stick with it? Should I go for the £31 deal anyway, to get the phone, and the deal, and just be paying £70 more in the first year to get that?

Or should I get the phone from O2 at £323 with the branding, stick with £15 topup until I feel I really want to go to a contract of any kind?

I'm sure others have been thru this decision, and procrastinated as much as me. So any thoughts, advice etc would be great.

Simon

grumbler

How many minutes and Mb do you actually need?

How about £0+24*£21.5=£516? It's 200 minutes. I am not sure that it includes BBS though, but if not, it would be £120 more, i.e. £736 in total. £70 qudico/TCB.

There are other £26-£29 deals with no upfront costs and with quidco/tcb + redemption cashback available.

Edelman

I don't use many MBs as I tend to use it a lot from home on wi-fi. But I do want to at least not worry about the calls to my O2 friends and colleagues, which can be over an hour a day at times.

I don't text a lot, but the freedom to text non-O2 would be nice.

grumbler

Re an unbranded phone and a sim-only contract that will cost you extra, it's entirely up to you.

Re two contract deals that you consider, I don't see any reasons for £230+24*£26=£854 to be better than £100+24*£31=£843. You save £130 on upfront fees that is more than enough to cover extra 24*£5=£120 in monthly payments. I.e. they lend you £130 and they pay you for borrowing this money.
Unless I am missing something O2 have failed their maths exams.

Edelman

So the £843 is better (maths wise - YES).
Or is it better to get the phone outright for £393, and then when ready, go on the £20 a month deal?

Right now I top up £15. And often is lasts me a good 2 months. So the maths there says go for the phone, and don't change tariff. Tho I do feel I wish i could text or call non-O2 occasionally. But enough to change and spend that extra money? (which is a considerably higher sum than I pay now).

smithers1981

blackberry bold 9900 sim free £349.99 from amazon

Edelman

Where did you find it for £349 from Amazon?

I've seen that price, but it is not from Amazon or fullfilled by them.
So if you have a problem, you aren't assured the same "returns" services as you are with Amazon.

I've had returns with them before, and they are excellent. So not sure I like the risk of something with such a high value.

smithers1981

fair comment but company selling has over 3000 feedback mostly positive, i assume if there were any probs Amazon would help to sort it, also if you pay by credit card you would have added protection under section 75.

Personally i would go on uswitch, compare and find cheapest deal then check out topcashback and quidco to see if you could get cashback on top.

Then sell your old phone on ebay start at 0.99p no reserve much better return than mazumavironphone etc.

Edelman

Part of the issue is - I've had a coffee grinder, and a bluplayer from Amazon in the past, both of which had to go back.

Heavy items, and the return was paid for via alabel. Excellent returns.

I don't know if they are as good. But yes, you are right, 3000 + is good.

Edelman

Ok here's a new twist on this thread.

Amazon have this product for £381.99 unlocked sim free. "Fulfilled by Amazon", so you have that safety net of a year if there are problems.

On Ebay another seller has it same new status and unlocked, for £305 + £5 postage.

So do you go for £70+ extra, and have the safety.
OR save that and get it from the Ebay seller, but knowing after 3 months if there is a problem, you'll have to really work hard to get it replaced or refunded.