New Phone - Advice Wanted

pollocmc

Hi,

I currently have a Talk 60 contract with Orange (don't laugh - it started off as talk 15) for about 10 years now

I think all this gives me is 60 min Orange->Orange talk time and landline.

Wifey actually has the phone as she's self employed now and I got a PAYG for myself - (nobody ever phones me )

It's a motorola v60 I think. The charger is just about knackered so we thought we'd look about changing handset and seeing what better deals we could get.

At present I pay £18.50 ish a month. Very few texts and most months the inclusive minutes are enough.

The criteria for the handset are as follows:
1. Small enough to fit inside a small handbag (not my own of course)
2. Probably not motorola as we both find the navigation cumbersome compared to the nokias we're used to.
3. "Cool" looking - but must still be usable I've seen that nokia one that looks like a small black packet of sweets - never was good a describing things. It meets 1 and 2 but not sure about being usable for my technophobe wife.

I've said to wife that we'd get the best deal if we move network but could I just threaten to move network. She would rather stay with orange for some reason. What about the PAYG switch then switch back - how does that work?

We don't want to pay much more for the contract, £25 tops but appreciate that limits the free handsets. So we'd be willing to cough up some cash for the handset for a lower tarriff. That might not work out to be the most cost effective route though?

So basically, what do you guys think the best deals are available to me.

Thanks,

mark
sorry for the long post.

fatboyonadiet

Jeex you're paying a lot for not a lot, should be able to get a V3 which is swish and small and not too techie but still good enough, try aiming for a 100 xnet which should be about £25, ring orange and see what they say if you're not happy ask for a PAC and you might get a better deal.

Worth checking out www.e2save.com and www.onestopphoneshop.co.uk and quoting the deals to them while on the phone, worked for me with Singlepoint. Use a lot of cheek, if they don't match and say OK we'll give you the phone for free, try saying what about some line rental, keep asking for more until they won't budge! if it's been a lot more than 12 months since your last upgrade this should do you favours as well as thet you've been with them for 10 years!

Also think you're referring to the 6230 don't get it as the 6230i is out soon and people are pretty much giving these away, the D500 is a class phone.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

malolo

What about the Samsung D500?

Porting your number to another network and then back again could take about three months so unless you can wait that long isn't really a viable option.

fatboyonadiet

malolo wrote:

What about the Samsung D500?

Porting your number to another network and then back again could take about three months so unless you can wait that long isn't really a viable option.

3 months?!?! I took my number to Voda PAYG and back to contract, took me 10 working days altogether. D500 is very good, had the V3 but now got the D500 and prefer that much more.

pollocmc

The nokia one I was thinking of was the 7280 but it has no keypad so that won't pass the usability test, I think.

Just been out to the shops and the samsung d500 does look best and I see this deal:

http://www.onestopphoneshop.co.uk/ourdeals.php?PROV=OR&OFF=D500&TAR=V150

That seems unbelievable 10 months a 4.99 + 2 months at 15 = 80 for the new phone and 200 minutes a month! I might ditch the PAYG and get that myself. Is there a catch? I heard vodaphone contracts are 18 months which this appears to be orange matching theres. I also see it mentions £30 a month after the halfprice deal is up so it is all a bit confusing.

So should my pitch be "I need a new handset what can you do" or "I've seen that so and so are offering a package for X which includes new handset and extra minutes."

Thanks everyone for there help so far.

jf2404

If it's an 18 month contract you will be paying £30 per month for 5 months.

It doesn't mention that it's 18 month or 12.

The best pitch would be to say you saw a deal and ask them to either match it or beat it.

good luck.

fatboyonadiet

also the other catch is that you pay the £30 and reclaim the line rental via cashback.

pollocmc

!!!!!!!

I now have a text message with my PAC code

Why does everyone else get these good deals "no problems" and I end up getting bumped off.

Once again - !!!!!!.

Mark

fatboyonadiet

you're not obliged to use your PAC will expire after 30 days, the problem with Orangie is that they text you your code where as others ask for it in writing and will call back with a good offer once you write in, would they not give you a good offer? A friend has the same problem with Orange too.

pollocmc

They basically wouldn't make me any offer. They said there were no upgrades showing for my account. She did ask if I needed to keep my number. presumably she was going to advise me to cancel and come back as a new customer - we'd like to keep the number as it's on business cards etc. that have been handed out. I got the option of thinking about it or getting my PAC right now. I thought this was a "is he really serious" approach and decided to call their bluff. More fool me!

I reckon it's because of our relatively low usage i.e. bill including texts very rarely goes above £22. I've now got no bargaining stance with Orange and will basically have to go elsewhere for a better deal. Will I be able to bargain with any of the other mobs to get my business?

I half expected a phone call from a "retention" dept to tell me they'd really like me to stay. Given I've been with them from the Hutchison Telecom days, I thought they might have rewarded my loyalty.

M

jf2404

If you really want to stay with Orange, then just put your number on orange PAYG , then port back onto contract, then you get a new customer deal (sadly which are more important to them).

If you don't mind who the network is, then just ring each one up and say you have your pac code ready to transfer, but tell me what you can offer me.

Make a list of what you are offered then pick whichever suits you.

good luck.