Advice on O2 PAYGO mobile

russetred

My broadband contract is ending with Orange,thank goodness,and also my vodaphone contract so I'm thinking it might be a good idea to combine both opportunities and get the cheap O2 broadband if you have a O2 phone.Now to be honest I'm fairly new to using a mobile and I dont know much about the handsets.I dont use bluetooth or download anything but I found the camera quite useful.Can anyone suggest a suitable,low priced phone? Cheers.

nell2

Sony k800i is about £69.95. It is an old model hence not too expensive but has a really good camera and good battery life. It's what I use and am not remotely tempted by anything else.

Browntoa

you can get your existing phone Unlocked by a shop or market stall for about £5-10 and just get an O2 sim card , unless of course you really fancy a new phone !!

Leopard

Browntoa wrote: »

you can get your existing phone Unlocked by a shop or market stall for about £5-10 and just get an O2 sim card , unless of course you really fancy a new phone !!

This is NOT necessarily true. Some 'phones can only be unlocked by a specialist or by the network to which it is locked. Before buying any 'phone it's best to check that it is either unlocked or that it is a 'phone that your local shop or market stall can indeed unlock (check with them before buying).

You can discover whether a 'phone is unlocked by trying try two SIMS from different networks in it - if they both let the 'phone on to their respective networks, it's unlocked!

Nell, as always, is spot on :A . The K800i is a great little 'phone.

By the way, Bluetooth is simple to use and very useful. (The K800i has it.) It enables you to beam your photographs directly into your computer without a wired connection. It also enables you to use a Bluetooth cordless headset with the 'phone, which is extremely handy: you can leave the 'phone charging on your desk, or anywhere in the same room, or in your car and then listen to music and/or receive calls without having the 'phone within reach.

The O2 Broadband is great if your local telephone exchange has been "unbundled" and you can therefore obtain the dedicated LLU broadband service. If it hasn't, you'll still be receiving the same - fundamentally BT - signal: but at least the Customer Service will be a whole lot bettter!

Good luck.

Browntoa

Leopard wrote: »

This is NOT necessarily true. Some 'phones can only be unlocked by a specialist or by the network to which it is locked. Before buying any 'phone it's best to check that it is either unlocked or that it is a 'phone that you local shop or market stall can indeed unlock (check with them before buying).

the shop or the market stall IS the specialist unlocker ( and normally cheaper than the network unless you are with Voda or Virgin) and the point I WAS making is that the original poster does NOT need to buy a new phone , simply reuse their existing phone

russetred

Thanks for the replies everyone.I do have the code to unlock my phone but the phone is a nightmare.I have a LG shine which I got free with a contract but I can hardly use it.The reception is abysmal and calls break up or fade away.I'm sick of running from room to room or performing yoga moves in order to get reception.I had a great motorola and OH had a nokia which gave us no problems whatsoever.I will look at the K800i because reliabilty comes first for me

russetred

Browntoa I'm not sure about the unbundled LLU broadband but real customer service what a treat!I'm sure it was the same asian gentleman who answered the technical helpline everytime I rang to gleefully tell me it was the wrong dept and to ring the same number but different option.After the 10th time if I had got my hands on him he would have been singing falsetto for the rest of his life.

Browntoa

yes , I'm with BT and "outsourced" tech support in a far off country can be a nightmare , although Microsofts is spot on , guy there was the most helpful chap I've ever dealt with , staying online when transferring me between people to make sure that everything went smoothly

TeaBoy_2

russetred wrote: »

My broadband contract is ending with Orange,thank goodness,and also my vodaphone contract so I'm thinking it might be a good idea to combine both opportunities and get the cheap O2 broadband if you have a O2 phone..

i'm in exactly the same position, looking at a broadband/mobile package but calling round I dont seem to get anything near the retention deals that are offered. would be interested to know how you get on with 02.

liverpoolcarl

I have been with o2 for years now. I am on pay & go, I put £15 a month on and get 500 texts. Never had any problems.
I have just got a new phone, Nokia 6300, for £69.99, o2 gave me £25.00 in credit as well, excellent phone, had a Sony before which broke.
Work pay for my broadband (BE there) but two guys in work got the cheap deal with o2 for broadband as they have pay & go mobiles with them and so far so good they haven't had any problems with the broadband.

Leopard

russetred wrote: »

My broadband contract is ending with Orange,thank goodness,and also my vodaphone contract so I'm thinking it might be a good idea to combine both opportunities and get the cheap O2 broadband if you have a O2 phone.Now to be honest I'm fairly new to using a mobile and I dont know much about the handsets.I dont use bluetooth or download anything but I found the camera quite useful.Can anyone suggest a suitable,low priced phone? Cheers.

If the 'phone was supplied under a Vodafone contract it will normally be locked to Vodafone.

Browntoa wrote: »

you can get your existing phone Unlocked by a shop or market stall for about £5-10 and just get an O2 sim card , unless of course you really fancy a new phone !!

Leopard wrote: »

This is NOT necessarily true. Some 'phones can only be unlocked by a specialist or by the network to which it is locked. Before buying any 'phone it's best to check that it is either unlocked or that it is a 'phone that you local shop or market stall can indeed unlock (check with them before buying).

Browntoa wrote: »

the shop or the market stall IS the specialist unlocker ( and normally cheaper than the network unless you are with Voda or Virgin) and the point I WAS making is that the original poster does NOT need to buy a new phone , simply reuse their existing phone

OK, Mastermind. If the original poster's 'phone is locked to Vodafone and it is one of the types (typically a Sony Ericsson) that cannot be unlocked from Vodafone by the original poster's local market stall or shop (however "specialist"), please would you explain to us lesser mortals just how the original poster will, nonetheless, be able to "simply reuse their existing phone" with an O2 SIM.

It would be helpful if you could answer this question instead of simply (again) abusing your abiltiy to delete it to cover up the fact that you got it wrong and can't.