Cracked Screen

cloudy-day

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help.

I have a sony xperia m4 aqua but have dropped it and the screen is now cracked. Usable but hard to watch videos.

I rang EE and my options are:
Cancel the contract for £225
Upgrade for £199
Get a sharing contract for a new phone for £16 per month + £20 for the new phone. Contract runs till Feb next year so thats £196

Screen repair (not EE) is £120

Second hand unlocked phone from Amazon is about £75. Can I just swap the SIM over? That just seems to simple - I'm not a mobile phone expert so I assume this has pitfalls?

Any advice greatly appreciated - I will be taking out insurance from now on!

d123

cloudy-day wrote: »

Second hand unlocked phone from Amazon is about £75. Can I just swap the SIM over? That just seems to simple - I'm not a mobile phone expert so I assume this has pitfalls?

Any phone locked to EE or unlocked would do, and yes, you'd just put your sim in the replacement and carry on.

wongataa

You can always buy another phone and as long as it is unlocked or locked to your network you can use your current SIM in it.

Your contract is tied to your SIM not your phone.

DCFC79

Easier to buy an unlocked phone and put your sim in.

cloudy-day

Many thanks for the replies.


I did think an unlocked phone would be fine but with EE asking for £200+ it just seemed too simple!

toshi

You should not get a phone with contract, then you will be much more flexible. You can get a sim only (unlocked) phone, including a decent second hand one.

You will take a full responsibility of your hardware, then get a cheap generic 9H tempered LCD protection ( less than 1 pound at eBay) and get a decent protector. That will be far more cost effective in the end.

software obsolescence

I am using OnePlus One (you can get at 100 -150 pound), and as you are able to install the latest Android OS by yourself, there will be no software obsolescence.

If you want to use your mobile phone longer (saving money as well as planet) you might consider community Android OS supported devices. (i.e. you will be able to install the latest Android OS after OEM support end)

https://download.lineageos.org/

If interested, please feel to ask me.

d123

toshi wrote: »

You will take a full responsibility of your hardware, then get a cheap generic 9H tempered LCD protection ( less than 1 pound at eBay) and get a decent protector. That will be far more cost effective in the end.

software obsolescence

I am using OnePlus One (you can get at 100 -150 pound), and as you are able to install the latest Android OS by yourself, there will be no software obsolescence.

I suppose it's just a pity your phone was obsolete for full UK/European use the day you bought it as it was built with an obsolete radio chip that doesn't support all the frequencies in use today.

If you'd said a more modern version like the onePlus Two or Three you may have had a point.

Mrs_Ryan

Yep you definitely can just get another phone. Even EE know I'm not using the phone the contract came with (I'm not sure how but they do!) but they're not bothered one iota about it. I'm out of contract now but I bought a PAYG iPhone SE in November as my 5S was broken due to being dropped repeatedly when I fall over. Just swapped the SIM no problem.

toshi

d123 wrote: »

I suppose it's just a pity your phone was obsolete for full UK/European use the day you bought it as it was built with an obsolete radio chip that doesn't support all the frequencies in use today.

If you'd said a more modern version like the onePlus Two or Three you may have had a point.

If you are saying OnePlus One does not support all 4G frequencies in this country, you are right, probably I should have mentioned about this. Thank you for the clarification.

However, OnePlus One support current EE 4G frequencies perfectly. (Edit : This is incorrect see the below) I myself am using Giffgaff O2 without 4G support happily (and it turned out Oneplus One offers more or less same speed and more stable than cheap Lenovo 4G Mobile phone in terms of connectivity. )

As far as I know, Snapdragon 801 chipset is very stable and capable chipset to meet today's demand, and far better cost/performance than current mid range chipset.

I would use OnePlus One for another couple of years (?). At the moment, I have used Android 6.0 with 12.2016 security patch, as some of application is not compatible with Android 7.0 yet.

As you have an option to upgrade your Operation System by yourself, you will be free from Android 2 years disposable "Eco System". Mobile handset running cost would be less than £5 per month? even I would replace with a new battery.

This would be very cost saving and environmentally friendly solution as well (unless you need 5G speed and/or VR stuff?)

J_B

Can't you get the screen fixed?

Stevie_Palimo

J_B wrote: »

Can't you get the screen fixed?

If you read the OP properly it lists the options and they are looking at the cheapest due to being a money saving website.