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Dilemma on choosing to upgrade contract after 12 months |
Frubin
Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London, England, UK
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Here is the story. I was on Orange PAYG for a long while and found it expensive sometimes spending over £70+ a month! So i decided still to stick with Orange but to go on contract to try to reduce the cost of my spending. After checking the deals out on Orange i had a choice of the following deals:
Orange Shop: Standard plan with double calls/texts promotion: 240 minutes to any network, anytime and 240 text messages (120 minutes and 120 text messages after six months) - £25 per month.
Orange Direct (Online): Exclusive tariff with 18 months promotion: 120 any time, any network minutes free minutes plus 30 free texts per month. - £15 per month. (Reverts back to 120 minutes any time, any network - £25 per month after 18 months).
I was a full-time student and was also not working so was only living on the Student Loan. After deductions, what i had left was used to pay for my PAYG which was not much. As result i still decided to go for the contract and finally went for lower end tariff (exclusive). I added Orange insurance and 60 text messaging bundle, making my contract £24 per month.
I found i used the inclusive calls and text messages too quickly paying for any additional calls/texts but also i was using GPRS on PAYG adding even more charges on my bill. So over time i made changes to my contact changing my text bundles to 120 and adding Orange World 4MB GPRS bundle to benefit myself and help to to reduce my bill down on the text messges and GPRS aspects. This made my current contract at £32 per month.
So far i have been on contact for 10 and bit months. Even i am still not working and also studying part-time, i have some savings still and small income coming in to enable me to pay for my bills. I am happy on the amount i spending on my contact at the moment (it varies from £29+ - 60+ a month). I use all the bundles effectively still sometimes going over them (expecially on calls and text as usual!). I also calculated the amount i spent on calls and text messages is much less then i did on my PAYG. I'm now trying to keep my bills to less than £40 per month by keeping on eye my minutes and text that i use.
With the handset, i got a SE T610 free with the contract. Despite it having some bad points like camera and poor ring volume, i had no problems it and as it does everything i need it to do and very happy with it.
My contact will be finishing in August 2005 but my contact promotion will not end till Feburary 2006. I have been offered by Orange to upgrade from August, but i not sure what i should do. There is a temptation of upgrading to a better handset but also i'm also worried that there could something else tied to it like upgrading the contract as well. So i dont want to end up losing the contract i am currently on as i still have 7 and half months left of the promotion left.
I need to understand upgrading after 12 months mean and if there is anything else involved in it. Also what do you think of my current contract and think i should stick to it till Feburary and then may be decide to upgrade then?
All your views, comments and advice are welcomed.
Regards,
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[ This Message was edited by: Frubin on 2005-06-06 17:05 ] | |
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goldenface
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Liverpool City Centre
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Your current contract isn't not a bad one. However, put simply, if you renew your contract with Orange then you should automatically recieve a better deal AND a new phone FREE. They should at least match your current promotion. If you tell then you will leave otherwise then they should cave in.
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Cycovision
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: England
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You shouldn't have any probs upgrading with Orange, but I'd go the shop route rather than online. I upgraded from a T610 to a P910 last year, I was on a similar contract to yours. Orange wanted either £220 for the P910 and I stay on my current contract, or I could have the P910 for £150 but have to upgrade to a more expensive contract.
Since I didn't really need any more inclusive minutes or texts, the guy in the shop worked out a deal for me. Basically, I took out a new contract (at £30 per month) with the P910 for £150, then immediately cancelled my existing contract with the T610. The only downside to this was that I couldn't keep my existing number, but that really wasn't too much of a problem to me.
So I'd go the shop route for the simple reason that, in my case at least, the guy in the shop was pretty good.
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Frubin
Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London, England, UK
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@ goldenface: Yeah, i have been told that my current contract isn't bad all regarding what i am paying for. I've basically made my own plan which fits my usage as well. I did have the look at next exclusive contact which gave me 120 minutes any time, any network with 250 texts for £25 but i honestly dont think i would able to use all the text, hence spending extra for something i wont make use of.
I know some handsets are available as free but it depends on the type of tariff you go for.
@ Cycovision: I been told by Orange if i decide to upgrade now it would have costed me £75. I'm not sure if that included upgrading the contact as well.
Orange Direct is doing a promotion for exisiting customers at the moment where i can get double calls and text starting from 120 minutes anytime, any network tariff, but i been told if i do upgrade to that in August i would lose the current contract and promotion i am on which i dont wanna do.
I know some handsets are available as free but they are mostly on the more expensive tariff. I also dont wanna end up going on another contract paying a more expensive rate just for a free phone and not making full use of the inclusive items and vice versa. Nor do i want to go on a tariff where i have to pay for the handset either, so i cant win really.
Both the Orange Shop and Direct are doing different deals at the moment regarding contracts but i've been told that thier promotions can change any time.
So lets say if i decided to not upgrade in August and stick to the contact the handset i got, do you think they would offer me a better deal on another contract and handset when i ready and decide to upgrade?
Regards,
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[ This Message was edited by: Frubin on 2005-06-06 16:31 ] |
Cycovision
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: England
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Well, the reason that it'll cost you £75 to upgrade is most likely because it's not August yet! Orange know that, after August arrives, you're free to cancel the contract and go with a new provider like O2 or Voda and, as a new customer, you'll get offered a good deal. New customers always get a better deal when entering a new contract than existing customers do when upgrading and renewing their contract.
This is where you will (in August) have Orange over a bit of a barrel. And it's also why it's better to deal with a real person in a shop. At the end of the day, it's in the sales persons' interests to get you to buy / sign up from them and if you deal with a real person face to face, it's easier to bargain with them. Here's my tips for upgrading your phone at the end of a contract:
1. Use a mobile phone shop that offers phones and contracts on more than one network. Don't go to a Network specific shop, since this will limit your options and bargaining power.
2. Decide on one or two handsets that you would definately like BEFORE you go to the shop. If you go in there and say 'Hello, I want a phone on a contract for about £40 per month' who knows what pile of s**t handset they might talk you into buying. If, on the other hand, you walk in and say 'Hello, I'd like a SE K750 on contract for about £40 per month, how much will the handset be?' they'll rush around like idiots trying to sort out the nearest package to what you want!
3. If they don't rush around like idiots trying to get you a good deal on the phone you want, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! There are a lot of crappy phone shops out there with poorly trained, underpaid and consequently unenthusiastic staff who will try to tell you all sorts of stuff. If you can, set aside a good few hours to try a number of different shops and see what different offers you get. You'd be surprised at the diversity of offers you get, even when the handsets are on the same networks!
4. Research your phones! As I said, decide on a couple of handsets that you'd like to have and LEARN THEIR FEATURES! This way, you'll know immediately when a sales person is trying to bulls**t you and you can walk out there and then without wasting any more of your time!
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Frubin
Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London, England, UK
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Yeah, it is also due to the amount that i currently spending on my contact as well which is currently £30 - 60 a month.
I know that i can do anything i like with my contract once my 12 months is up, like you said leaving Orange and changing network providers in-order to find a better deal, staying with Orange and changing my tarrif ect. I have noticed that when i joined as a new user on a contract, i was offered a good deal. But as you also know the 4 major UK networks are also competing with each other in order to attract new customers to thier network with the contract deals.
Different networks offer so many different contract deals and also that Orange deals they have on their direct are different to thier shop. I dont wanna really leave the Orange network as i am very happy with them, and thier customer support has been fanstasic from being on PAYG to contact. But i guess if i found a good deal lets say from another Network or Orange Direct, they could match it on the OVP (Orange Value Promise). Also i would check which handsets which come free with a contact first and research the handsets features them to see which one i feel that would suit my needs. I remember when i first got my contract, i had a choice of a SE T610, Samsung E700, Motorola 500 and SPV 200. After a lot of research listing the good and bad points of the features in each handset, i decided to go for the SE T610 and havent looked back since.
I have heard, seen and come across those kind of people before where they try to sell you in to a contact which you know is not right for you also because there are freebies that come with the contract like the free handset, accessories etc.
Anyways enough of me wittering on, thanks for your advice as it willl come in use when i finally decide to upgrade my contact being a newbie on it!
This topic is still open to further discussion and other members are welcomed to post up thier views, comments, advice and experiences regarding upgrading.
Regards,
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[ This Message was edited by: Frubin on 2005-06-06 23:46 ] |
yumyum33
Joined: Jul 01, 2004
Posts: 3
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I was in a similar situation last year when I was contemplating upgrading. In the end I asked for my PAC code, to move my number to another network (I was thinking about 3), as the upgrade deals were not very good, but alot better for new customers.
As soon as I was asked for this, I was put through to the cancellations department for my PAC code. The person at the end of the phone asked why I was leaving, and I explained about the better deals elsewhere, and the chepaer handset prices. He immediately reduced the cost of the handset from £80 to £10, and offered me a new customer offer (120 mins and 30 texts for £15). I took them up on this offer, and had my new phone under 12 month contract, nearly a month before my contract was due to end. This is because I was in my final 30 days, and orange have a 30 day cancellation period.
I am going to try the same again this year, as again I am torn between Orange and 3, so I will see what orange can do for me in the next coupke of weeks.
The only other option is to move your number to a Virgin sim card using your PAC code, take out a new orange contract, and then tfr your old number from Virgin to Orange via a new PAC code. I have never tried this, but have had this suggested elsewhere.
Good luck in your search, and let us know how you get on.
Ricky |
Residentevil
Joined: Feb 29, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Raccoon City, USA
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Don't let Orange talk you in a more expensive contract. Try to put the thumb screws on them.
Tough times don't last, tough people do!
Free Tibet |
Frubin
Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London, England, UK
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@ yumyum: I dont really want 2 leave Orange & move 2 another network nor go on another contract & lose my mobile either.
@ Residentevil: Yeah, i wont as i'm payin then enuff already with the contract tat i'm on.
I'm happy bin with Orange, its just waitin 2 c wot they would offer me when its time 2 upgrade then take it from there.
But i'm still thinkin 2 stick 2 my current contract till Feb when the promotion on it runs out then upgrade then.
This message was posted from a T610
[ This Message was edited by: Frubin on 2005-06-21 22:19 ] | |
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Posted: 2005-06-06 15:28
