Never had an iphone - please advise

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

I have a birthday coming up. I pay for mobile phone through an integrated package which would make it easier to stay with that company, but want to have an iphone, so that I can take photos, use the diary, google, send emails, etc, while away from my internet access at home or work.

I would have to pay the monthly bills but would get the handset as a present, so I need a deal where I buy the handset and then go back to my phone company for a deal with 5 hours talk, unlimited texts and 250 mb data for £10 a month. I wouldn't want to download movies or anything - just some games for dd which she could mainly play offline. and maybe educational stuff!

Does this sound like a good idea? Where would be the best place to get a reliable but not-crazy-expensive handset?

[PedroYoniLikesCrisps]

Couple of things. You don't need an iPhone for those features, especially as they are overpriced for what they do. There are tons of Android handsets available which allows you to pick one which covers your needs without being too expensive.

Secondly, you probably won't get a great deal if you buy the handset separately. The contract offers where you get cheap or free phones are done with the contract covering the rest of the price of the phone. If the handset is bought separately, you'll likely end up paying twice for it.

If you already have a contract, are you eligible for upgrade? If so, then the cost of a new handset can be very, very cheap.

[ItsAllTLAsToMe]

I love my iPhone.

Compare the cost of buying outright + £10 / month giffgaff goody bag to contract only deals over the length of the whole contract - the former is slightly cheaper.

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

No, I don't have a contract (I assume). I have a cheap handset (£20) which I bought at Argos and pay £12+ a month for calls. The company has told me that I am on a very expensive old tarif so that I could get all the above for £10. But I read that monthly contracts for iphone etc are £25 to £35 a month if they include the handset.

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

Goodness that giffgaff deal looks cheap! But then I would no longer have my mobile with my present provider and because I have 4 services with them I get free landline calls, for which I would then pay. So really hard to price! I would would have to change provider/number??

[ItsAllTLAsToMe]

It is cheap, and the service is very good - giffgaff use O2's network, which seems to be good for me.

[LittleBearPad]

You can keep your number if you move networks.

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

In the middle of nowhere here, so only Orange v successful atm, but things are slowly improving.

Have decided on a Samsung Ace Somethingorother, looking at something like giffgaff as signal improves.

thought I really needed to get on and choose - birthday tomorrow!

Thanks for the advice!

[NetworkGuy]

If you are currently with Orange and using that as a way for getting a bundle deal on internet, home phone, etc, then I would suggest NOT switching to GiffGaff at this stage.

Please also, avoid the Samsung Galaxy Ace (and I'm not even sure of the Ace 2) because I and others can tell you now that with just a relatively small number of Apps it will complain about lack of storage.

Had to jump in before you spend 75-150 quid on a Galaxy Ace and then complain that Android is rubbish in 3 months when Android isn't but older mobiles (which are now very easily affordable) are the real problem... I own the Ace, Europa and Mini from Samsung and can spot shortcomings with them in different ways (but then I try to have 5 windows open in the browser, something that not all phones support!)

[NetworkGuy]

Just going to have a quick look on HotUKdeals.com to see if there's a SIM Only deal on Orange that might save you cash and give you what you want... and perhaps Orange site in case there's a better Android mobile you could consider.

Can understand if there are some Apps for the iPhone you want that you may prefer that - and while I would generally agree that Apple has a 'price premium' that makes it less attractive (to me), my sister and BiL have iPhones, as does their son, and one of my other sisters has an iPad (but also a Samsung S3 mobile, so not sucked into Apple entirely!).

If you really prefer an iPhone I'd not stand in your way - it's a personal thing but rather than rush into this because of birthday tomorrow (Happy Birthday in advance) would it not be better to spend a bit of time choosing by making a special trip to play with phones in the store - even if that's 3-4 hours of your weekend? It's a device you want to be able to use for a year or two, so surely better to try some out...

It's what I'd say to someone choosing a laptop because the keyboards can be great or rotten depending on personal choice...

[NetworkGuy]

Also, before I go looking, there are some deals on e2save.com and mobiles.co.uk (both owned by Carphone Warehouse) so worth visiting CW, as well, to try different phones (but don't get tied into buying on the day, deal may be better with cash redemption via one of their websites, even if you choose to do an upgrade deal with Orange via CW, and get a phone Orange itself doesn't offer at the moment)...

[NetworkGuy]

Right... (had brunch after earlier post and) been looking (and still have many leads to follow!) but in brief:

ORANGE Panther SIM Only 12 month deal currently on...

Via the Orange web site, the Panther 300 minutes + 500 MB normally 15.50 a month is 10.50, and with a cashback deal you can get about 80 quid back (so the year's cost would be roughly 40 quid). Cashback deal is valid for next 2-3 days. NB Orange charges different prices for different customers (ie iPhone, Blackberry and non-iPhone users) so the 80 quid and 10.50 deal is for a standard (not nano) SIM and not for iPhone (the cashback is less as Apple is most expensive and won't give same discounts to mobile networks).

nano size SIM needed for the latest iPhone so if you decided to get the deal on the SIM package it wouldn't fit anyway... Just felt it important to point out in case you still feel iPhone worth considering.

[NetworkGuy]

Also, the cashback would be for a "new" customer contract rather than as an upgrade, so it would need a bit of fiddling to keep your number - but worth it...

Way I'd recommend you approaching this is to

(1) join the cashback website,

(2) get order placed for Panther SIM only deal,

(3) change package deal so your home broadband and calls is linked to the new Panther SIM contract,

(4) ask for PAC (porting your number away from Orange) which may mean Orange tries to keep you - sorry, you have to be tough and ignore their offers, and take the number away to (say) Asda (when out at Carphone Warehouse visit an Asda and get their SIM pack, then buy a 5 quid top-up voucher...

You'll need some credit for the week or two your current number is on Asda, before you transfer it back to Orange onto your new Panther SIM... so do you have a spare (Vodafone or unlocked) mobile, or do you want to borrow one?

(I have some spares, and certainly can lend you one which would work for an Asda SIM... you just need to be able to ask Asda Mobile for your PAC [to move your current number from Asda to Orange], when you've used up the fiver in calls and texts !)

[NetworkGuy]

Next to find a mobile phone for you...

[NetworkGuy]

sorry - must run some errands before I forget - have a bill I must pay today...

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

Networkguy, you are quite right that it would have been far better nt to have rushed into buying because of imminent birthday ... but was unable to convince an excited 6-year old and her father. Think I will be getting a Samsung Somethingorother. Waiting to see when it arrives.

[NetworkGuy]

I really hope it's a nice model rather than one of the ones previously mentioned...

Also, remember the distance selling rules, if you decided to return it.

[NetworkGuy]

It's not that the ones previously mentioned don't look nice, and perform mostly very well, but the lack of storage is a pain. NannyNick also has the Ace and was recommending someone avoid it for exactly the same reason not many weeks ago.

Obviously there are pros and cons to most phones, and while the Galaxy Ace has a 5 Mp camera, and the Sony Tipo only a 3.2 Mp camera, the fact the latter doesn't cough and splutter if I try to install something means it's a nicer experience, even if I really want an 8, 10 or 12+ Mp camera for my next mobile :)

[NetworkGuy]

Here we are *> NN's post

[NetworkGuy]

PS Dod you have a nice birthday ?

Sorry, almost forgot that, been so much going on this weekend.
(OK, not that much, but Snooker was on so I was diverted from gadgets.)

[NetworkGuy]

s/Dod/ Did

even my keyboard use is distracted

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

very nice birthday, thank you and was given a Samsung Galaxy. Will see how it goes. Have decided to buy it a good strong case before taking it out and about, so not moved SIM yet to try it.

[NetworkGuy]

Aaargh... Samsung Galaxy (I have a Galaxy Mini, Galaxy Europa, Galaxy Ace, and would recommend avoiding them all, if one has a chance at getting the Ace 2, or some 2012/2013 release model, or one with 2+ GB of internal storage and a minimum of 500 MB of RAM).


Sorry, just hate the worst possibilities (finding it not to your liking in 6 months as it complains every time you want to install {or update} any Apps) that might come true and keeping fingers crossed it wasn't the Ace (which has a pretty big screen and 5 Mp camera, but my Sony Tipo knocks spots off it in terms of features {and only the camera is poorer}).