Mobile phones: most cost effective?

triffidfood

My partner's mobile is seriously on the blink (since I dropped it in the sea @ Borth :rolleyes: ), and she needs a new one for work.

However we don't have much money & I don't like mobiles (I 've never actually owned one), so I feel as if I'm wading through a sea of treacle trying to understand - let alone decide on - the various options, tariffs, etc.

Her existing (very sandy ) phone is pay as you go, but she's seen various pay monthly deals offering unlimited texts (which she uses a lot) etc, but where you still, obviously, pay for all calls.

Anyway I'm seriously stuck trying to wade through all the various deals & tariffs & need some help.

Some specifics if it helps ... my partner uses texts much more than calls, however it's still important she can make calls when she needs without worrying too much about cost; I'd rather *not* commit ourselves to paying xx amount every single month for the next 12/ 18 months when we don't even know what our financial situation will be in xx months, but she feels this would still be cheaper (??); in addition, we live in mid Wales so reception is also an issue with some providers.

Anyway, thanks for any help or pointers (sorry this is such a broad question).

irrelevant

Firstly, don't be tempted to go for any particular deal just because it has a phone you want attached.

Most of the networks offer pay-as-you-go deals whereby you gets lots of texts or calls if you top up so much a month. e.g. both O2 and orange offer 300 free texts over the next month if you top up by £10 (and then you have the tenner to spend on calls.) or more deals for more topup.. Either ask the current network to change his tariff, or move across and port the number over. Then just use the sim card in a new phone.

If you don't mind having a low-spec phone, you can pick them up from the supermarkets from under £10, or find a second hand phone online or ask friends - it's amazing how many people have old phones tucked away!

triffidfood

irrelevant wrote: »

Firstly, don't be tempted to go for any particular deal just because it has a phone you want attached.

Most of the networks offer pay-as-you-go deals whereby you gets lots of texts or calls if you top up so much a month. e.g. both O2 and orange offer 300 free texts over the next month if you top up by £10 (and then you have the tenner to spend on calls.) or more deals for more topup.. Either ask the current network to change his tariff, or move across and port the number over. Then just use the sim card in a new phone.

If you don't mind having a low-spec phone, you can pick them up from the supermarkets from under £10, or find a second hand phone online or ask friends - it's amazing how many people have old phones tucked away!

Thanks for that, the 300 free texts on £10 topup sounds exactly what we'd be able to use, given that my partner uses texts a lot (but not quite averaging 10 times a day, so we should just about be covered each month I hope :rolleyes:).

She's currently on Orange, who call their 300 free texts plan "Dolphin", so anyway we'll likely stick with them (I think it's easier to transfer the number if you stick to the same provider, apart from anything?) Also, I'm much happier with the idea of pay-as-you-go, rather than pay monthly.

Anyway thanks, that was very helpful (once you know what you're looking for, it's always much easier to find... )