It's that time again....

[Guest]

..and my mobile phone contract is up for renewal. But which phone to get?

My heart says an iPhone (£26 a month) but my head says a cheaper option such as an Orange San Francisco 2 (£10.50 a month).

Bit of a deja vu moment as I went through the same angst when I got the secondhand iPad but at least that had a specific use for a specific timeframe. And after I played around with it, I found it ended up unused under a pile of papers. I fear the sophistication of the iPhone will go the same way. But I'd still like one!

[John Wright]

Well, instead of getting a new phone I went simple. A sim-only account with Mrs W's old Nokia 6680. £15 a month (O2) and I only use half my calls and texts.

Internet access is limited, but I can do quick googles, and sending images costs a little bit, but, as you are suggesting, you want a phone that does what you need and the 6680 still does what I need (all other communications/internet for me are done sitting here).

[Resurrection Man]

There is a lot to be said for that approach, John.

[Jonathan]

You could do what I did and threaten to leave your current contract and look on the internet for a cheaper option then tell them that...
Good luck!

[Dave2002]

I bought a phone with Bluetooth nearly 5 years ago for over £80 from Tesco. I wanted Bluetooth, so I can connect it through my car. I use it on Pay as you Go. I don't think I've topped it up too many times - probably only spent about £100 in total. Occasionally I may want to make more calls. Since 2009 Tesco give you a month's worth of free calls if you select for the triple top up feature.

I know the iPhones are much nicer, but I'd have spent a lot more if I'd gone for one on a contract.

[Resurrection Man]

Again, very true. At the end of the day it depends on what one uses ones phone for. I had my wife's phone as Pay Monthly on my account for ages. Thought little of it. Never really bothered to see how many calls she was making. Then one day, chance conversation and the lightbulb moment I realised that she rarely used it. So stuck the phone on PAYG and it has cost me about £8 for the year. Compared to well over £100 on a monthly plan

What is really bugging me though at the moment is the number of calls pestering me and saying that they are 'calling on behalf of Orange' to talk about my upgrade (aka renewal to you and me). I complained to Orange and asked them by what authority had they given my details out to these third parties. They denied all knowledge and referred me to the TPS. However I have been registered with the TPS for years. So someone at Orange leaks these sort of details out. I wouldn't mind so much if these wretched cold-callers offered any added value but the simple answer is that they don't.

I did see a £8 SIM only deal with T-mobile with 300 anytime minutes and can be used with my old battered phone. Commonsense says to take that deal. But then I won't get a new Boys Toy.

[Dave2002]

But then I won't get a new Boys Toy.

Just think about how many beers or CDs or DVDs you can buy with the money! You could even take your wife out!

OTOH, if you do stick with your provider, you can either negotiate for a really good toy, or else ask how much they'll knock off your bill (a) if you don't have a new goodie, or (b) don't move to another provider. I've heard you can get quite a lot off by these tactics. I don't go this way because I can't really justify an iPhone and the subscription, though I do have an iPad and there's no way I'm giving that up - at least at the present time. I do find it very helpful, and can use it at work, though I wasn't smart enough to get work to pay for it. - being an early adopter.

[Old Grumpy]

What you need is one of these. Just put in your SIM card and away you go. I spend less than £10 per month on mine PAYG.

My daughter tells all her mates that I've bought a phone for old people (makes them laugh apparently), but I don't care - it suits me fine, it's switched off most of the time anyway!

OG

[Word]

If you do go for an iPhone it would be worth waiting until 12th September, when the new one is expected to be announced.

[Northender]

What you need is one of these. Just put in your SIM card and away you go. I spend less than £10 per month on mine PAYG.

My daughter tells all her mates that I've bought a phone for old people (makes them laugh apparently), but I don't care - it suits me fine, it's switched off most of the time anyway!

OG

I've got a similar phone. A £20 top-up lasts me for ages. I read somewhere that most people who sign up for an expensive deal that offers X free texts and Y free calls a month rarely use more than a small proportion of either.

[Petrushka]

The mobile phone thing is a minefield. It doesn't matter what you go for you always seem to find something about it that disappoints. I bought an Orange Stockholm a few weeks ago but it wasn't until I got home that I found that the screen is too small and the touch screen keyboard almost impossible to use unless you have a child's fingers even when held longways. My instinct was to throw it away but I've sort of adapted. Be warned though.

[Ariosto]

What you need is one of these. Just put in your SIM card and away you go. I spend less than £10 per month on mine PAYG.

My daughter tells all her mates that I've bought a phone for old people (makes them laugh apparently), but I don't care - it suits me fine, it's switched off most of the time anyway!

OG

Most phone deals are a rip off. With iPhones you are locked into a 24 month contract.

You can get a phone like that one and similar to mine on a pay as you go deal with offers of a phone for less than £5 but you have to have a £10 call voucher added. Use up the calls, throw away the sim card and get a free sim card from a company that gives you the best deal (I use Lebara). You can get these deals from many newsagents - free sim with £5 of calls. I only spend an average of £2 a month but also making use of free calls to the same network which lasts up to 30 days from the purchase of a £5 top up voucher. (My wife has the same phone with the same network).

[Dave2002]

I read somewhere that most people who sign up for an expensive deal that offers X free texts and Y free calls a month rarely use more than a small proportion of either.

It wouldn't surprise me if some of the promotions included more free minutes per month than there are in a year! There are virtually no depths to which some of these racketeers won't sink.

FYI there are 44640 or fewer minutes in a month, and 527040 or fewer minutes in a year.

OK, I'm probably exaggerating, slightly, but buyers should beware. It helps to be able to divide by 60!

I find with the Tesco PAYG triple minutes after a top up that it's almost impossble to use up the free minutes, so generally the £10 top ups work out better than the £15 ones. That's why I only top ups when I anticipate making a lot of calls - typically buying/selling properly or family emergencies.

[Old Grumpy]

I've got a similar phone. A £20 top-up lasts me for ages. I read somewhere that most people who sign up for an expensive deal that offers X free texts and Y free calls a month rarely use more than a small proportion of either.

[Resurrection Man]

Just think about how many beers or CDs or DVDs you can buy with the money! You could even take your wife out!

OTOH, if you do stick with your provider, you can either negotiate for a really good toy, or else ask how much they'll knock off your bill (a) if you don't have a new goodie, or (b) don't move to another provider. I've heard you can get quite a lot off by these tactics. I don't go this way because I can't really justify an iPhone and the subscription, though I do have an iPad and there's no way I'm giving that up - at least at the present time. I do find it very helpful, and can use it at work, though I wasn't smart enough to get work to pay for it. - being an early adopter.

I'd thought of that but so far they aren't playing ball. It is possible that when i call them for my PAC code then they may offer a better deal. At the moment though, their (orange) deals are pretty poor value.