Could I get a better deal?

indiegirl_2

I'm in my final month of my discounted o2 contract (online 200 - 200mins, 500txts @ £15 a month). Rang o2 earlier and got the poor offerings from the Retentions team (trying again at the weekend).

Have realised that I need to up my budget to max £25 a month.

I'm not willing to risk cashback deals as I'm moving in a few months and know I'll mislay a bill or have more important things to think about. I think my options are currently as follows:

I need minimum of 150mins and 300 texts per month. I'm not fussed about a new phone (have a perfectly adequate one but currently locked to o2), one would be nice if possible...

1mth contract:
o2 - online SIM only - 100mins, 500 texts (slightly under mins) - £20/mth

Two 18mth contracts:
Orange - Dolphin 25 - 150 mins, 300 texts, unlimited weekend texts - £25. £100 immediate cashback on Orange site, bringing the total cost pm to £19.44. Possible free k800i

Three - Direct Text 950 - 150mins, 750 texts - £25. Free Nokia E65 amongst others.



Is there anything that I should consider when weighing up Three against Orange? Most of my minutes are used during the day (redirecting my mobile to work), all texts are used 90% of the time in the evenings and at weekends.

Without cashback, is there anything else cheaper that I should be able to get? I'm so used to paying the £15/mth on o2 that £25 is stretching it a bit..........


Thanks in advance

diamonds

1) o2 - them slight 50 mins will cost how much per minute? careful you dont end up with a £30+ bill for the extra 50 mins &

2)are you in contract with your broadband ?

I'd go £30 with orange to get the £5 on thier 8MB unlimited broadband/ unlimited landline calls to 100 countries ( these go over your BT line not the broadband & are crystal clear, all 01/02 orange mobiles are free calls 24/7 )

i'd go with quidco to orange site pick up a discount there, 100 credit too

leave a voicemail on mobie saying call this ( live box ) number - divert all Livebox calls to a 01/02 landline or any orange mobile for FREE ( and use your minutes for what thiey really are for.........calling out ! ) diverts easily changed via online access to your B/B account


£35 for mobile, broadband and unlimited call diverts

have you no signal @ work ?


go 3 if and only if you use internet on phone, saying that Orange has unlimited off peak internet usage for £5 bundle if your at work allday


100 credit is for 18 month plans only so if you spend £30 a month £5 more gets you the unlimited benefits - broadband, free 01/02/orange mobile calls
( including call diverting )


get the best deal on a good handset to ebay to offset any cost ie, £30 plan + £5 broadband = £10 a month overspend x 18 = £180 overspend, so try and get a good phone

remember livebox 01/02 calls have no connection fee like 18185 and as someone pointed out to me 0870 are cheaper than BT daytime with Orange livebox!, getting rid of your existing broadband and 01/02 18185 calls you could save that £180 easily and keep the phone and flog your 02 mobile, look at it from every angle - I did, going Orange halved my " communication " costs by more than 50%

do you call landlines mainly from your mobile mins ? or mobiles ? or a mix ?
texts are 300 approx a month usage ? could you use less texts with free landline minutes from an orange mobile and your Orange livebox ?

remember you maybe need less mins if you are not diverting your mobile to work !

Canary - £30 a month 350 anytime minutes 200 texts
evening and weekend calls to Orange mobiles

Racoon - £30 a month 400 anytime minutes 100 texts evening and weekend calls to landlines

Dolphin - £30 a month 200 anytime minutes anytime texts


think about it, calculate BT calls, 18185 or other providers calls ( including connection fees per call ) broadband, how many calls from your mobile are to landlines ? how many mins are diverts to work, will Dolphin be any good - can i text mobiles more than call? or are most my calls diverts to the office landline/other landlines etc, etc....

worked for me - saved a packet !

diamonds

maybe brave a 24 month Orange contract for more benefits?

check out thier website.......

HugoSP

Have a look at https://www.Dialaphone.co.uk/youatwork

I understand what you say about cashback deals but:

1) Order via the You at Work site (link above) and you'll automatically get £45 casback
2) They also do automatic cashback deals where you don't have to remember to claim. If their performance on claimed cashbacks is anything to go by then I would say that you should have no problem with these. You won't get as much as the deals you claim yourself but it would be better than nothing.
3) You have the option of going for a free gift such as the one offered with this contract.

http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/youatwork/offer/8O235X508/

In this case it would be a 19 inch LCD TV. This is despatched 28 days after connection. In other words you pay the going rate for line rental but you get some serious stuff given to you. Better than going via the networks, paying the same and getting no freebies.
4) If you know someone who is a current Dialaphone customer you can enter their number as a referrer, earning them £20 into the bargain at no cost to you.

indiegirl_2

Blimey, what a lot to think about.

@ work - no, there's no signal (they block mobiles), hence diverting my mobile to work.

Broadband - I'm locked into my contract unfortunately so that's not an option.

The Dialaphone website looks good... but I couldn't see any autocashback deals (perhaps I'm blind and it's too early) - will look again later.

Thanks for your replies so far... it's a minefield to trudge through!

HugoSP

indiegirl wrote: »

...........The Dialaphone website looks good... but I couldn't see any autocashback deals (perhaps I'm blind and it's too early) - will look again later........

I just had a quick look and couldn't see any either.

However I did spot a few when I ordered my phones a few weeks ago, so they may still be in there.

If you just search by the phone that you want and see what comes up, or give them a call 0870 3336061. But don't order over the phone, go via the link I pasted aboveto get the automatic £45.

Oh, and by the way, if you want more than one phone split them up into separate orders to get £45 extra PER PHONE. If you order 2 phones at the same time or on the same order you only get the £45 once.

mughal

diamonds wrote: »

1) o2 - them slight 50 mins will cost how much per minute? careful you dont end up with a £30+ bill for the extra 50 mins &

2)are you in contract with your broadband ?

I'd go £30 with orange to get the £5 on thier 8MB unlimited broadband/ unlimited landline calls to 100 countries ( these go over your BT line not the broadband & are crystal clear, all 01/02 orange mobiles are free calls 24/7 )

!

Its really wonderful, shame to me as i have two £40 each contracts with orange with £5 broadband and wasting lots of minutes to call landlines.
ate you mean that i can use BT to call landlines for free or i need different VOIP phone for making calls.

Will you please enlighten it little more

Many thanks