Advice needed on changing mobile provider

november

Could anyone help with some advice on the following? I think I will need to get another business contract in order to have an operational phone but I've had my first and current contract so long I haven't got a clue! Background story is at the end in italics for those who may find it helpful.

Advice needed on:

1. I need a new affordable mobile/mobile provider - contract will need to be in the name of my company I presume (tax reasons). I make one or two calls a day, send a max of 10 texts a day and occasionally reply to emails with very limited internet usage.

2. I believe I can take my number to a new provider? How do you do this? Would I need to end my contract with Orange first?

Alternative suggestions also welcome

Many thanks for any advice given.


Background
I've had a contract with Orange for donkey's years. For the past several years this has been a Business Solo 15 plan (I work through my own company).

I currently have a problem with my Blackberry as the battery doesn't even last a day unused. And in fact with one thing and another I now loathe my phone as its now barely functional for various reasons.

However my contract with Orange runs until September this year.

I phoned Orange, who before they became EE I have always found very helpful. Something similar happened once before when a phone broke and they offered me a great discount to buy another phone.

Unfortunately this time they said I was stuck with everything as it was until June at the earliest when I could upgrade the phone. Or I could buy out the contract £98.00. Her best suggestion was for me to buy a new phone on ebay!

I also asked about the issue of any new contract with Orange having to be 4GEE as that would be more than twice the price of my current £15 month so has been a concern for me since they informed me of the future changes. I was advised I can stay with Orange for another couple of years but then 4GEE will be the only option.

SteveHenshaw

"I believe I can take my number to a new provider? How do you do this? Would I need to end my contract with Orange first"

Yes, you request a PAC code and then provide that to your new provider who ports your number across. At the end of your contract its usually free to do, and the request of a PAC code is treated as a cancellation of the contract.

To be honest it doesn't sound like you need a contract going forward, just buy a handset outright and then use a SIM Only plan or look at giffgaff. Far better for light usage.

november

Thanks for the info on PAC codes.

To be honest it doesn't sound like you need a contract going forward, just buy a handset outright and then use a SIM Only plan or look at giffgaff. Far better for light usage.

Buying the handset outright actually sounds like a great idea thank you. Presumably I could do that with a company card and the phone would therefore belong to my company.

Most of the Sim only plans I've looked into can only be taken out in my name which is a bit of a problem. I will take a look at giffgaff as I don't know how that works.

Many thanks again

Nodding_Donkey

read this thread for a possible way out of the Orange contract

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4888862

november

Thanks - am reading my way through it now

Im_just_careful

You seem the perfect candidate for the "3" 3 2 1 Pay As You Go offer.


Fund the SIM from a payment card in the name of your company but register it in your name. I see no issues with that in terms of it being a business expense.


If you were really picky, pay your company for any personal use by a personal cheque once a year.


Buy your own smartphone as needed. Look at a cheap Nokia Lumia or a carefully selected Android (for example the Google Nexus devices or mid range Sony).

tyllwyd

I'm confused - you say you have a contract with Orange which runs until September? Wouldn't the most cost effective thing be to buy a SIM free handset and use your Orange SIM until the contract ends, and then look at changing providers to something cheaper?

prowla

The Orange contract will stand (ie. til September), but they allow you to upgrade early (ie. June).

You could try getting a new battery for your BB; I don't think they have the best life in the world, in all honesty.

If you just want phone and text then you could get a Nokia (eg. 6700, which is a great phone) for under £20, or alternatively if you want a smart phone there are iPhone 4 or 4S available to buy in the £100-150 range, and you could get a smaller replacement SIM to fit it.

You should be able to get a phone/SIM in your name and charge it to your company as a business expense. but of course if you buy a phone on the company and are VAT registered then you would deduct its VAT from your next quarter's bill, and also depreciate it over 3 years deducting 1/3rd per year from the company accounts.

macman

Getting a business contract for that level of usage is absurd. Get a SIM only or PAYG deal.
As pointed out above, the 3 321 PAYG seems to fit your requirements perfectly-however you will require a 3G handset to use that.

Herongull

Go for Ovivo (PAYG) - it would be completely free (after an initial payment of £20) with your level of usage. Each month you get 250 free minutes, 300 free texts and 500mb.

Just go out and buy whatever phone you want outright.

If you are currently paying £15 per month, this is £180 per year:eek:
Even if it is tax deductible, it is still way too much.

But wait until the minimum period of your orange contract is up.

november

tyllwyd wrote: »

I'm confused - you say you have a contract with Orange which runs until September? Wouldn't the most cost effective thing be to buy a SIM free handset and use your Orange SIM until the contract ends, and then look at changing providers to something cheaper?

I think I was more confused :rotfl: A SIM free handset had never occurred to me - I haven't shopped for mobile phones since .... well a very long time ago.

prowla wrote: »

You should be able to get a phone/SIM in your name and charge it to your company as a business expense.

Unfortunately according to HMRC if I do this then I have to add the phone as a benefit and run both that an reimbursing myself through payroll ... and fill in a P9D http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payerti/exb/a-z/t/telephones-mobile.htm#5. It's always seemed easier to just do everything in my company name!

Many thanks to everyone for their advice. It is MUCH appreciated.
I'm currently leaning towards a SIM free phone rather then payg and have seen some reasonable Androids for around £100 or less (I would like an Android with Jelly Bean at least as I'm used to that on my tablet). Am also looking into all the bundle and payg deals mentioned. Giff gaff and Ovivo look interesting (although I'm not sure about the ads on Ovivo).

Thanks again