I'm looking to get a contract, but there are too many offers going on that sound great but turn out to be a bit of a scam
I need lots of minutes, off peak would be fine, and quite a few texts would be nice too.
All I've found is '6 months half price at £25 with 50 texts' or '200 minutes and texts (reverts to 100 mins and texts after 3 months)'...i want a contract that is ALWAYS good...
anyone got any recommendations?
company is not an issue..

If you could give a specific idea of how many minutes/text messages etc you want every month, I can help.

Generally, you will get a slightly better offer if you order direct from the website. However, I would strongly recommend that you order direct from the network's website (not from some company you've seen in a magazine/website/television advert). If you don't have access to the internet, check the deals out at your mate's house then ring the network and you can bet they will match their online deal anyway. ;) We do anyway and generally, as networks, we're all pretty much the same.

Something to think about is that if you sign up for an online (website) deal, you usually are charged if you ring their Customer Services. This is normally quite a hefty rate per minute, so only sign up if you've got reliable access to the net.

O2 online are excellent and you can get loads of free mins and loads of text messages and a pretty new phone. I was with them a while ago but I'm banned now cuz I failed to pay up :o

well Slinky,
i have seen one with 1000 minutes off peak and 250 messages, but I couldnt find out if the minutes were cross network (vodafone were of no use!)
but really I'm looking for anything from 500 to 750 minutes, corss network (off peak is fine) and about 250/300 texts.
willl pay between £30 and £40 for it...but need one where the offers dont expire after 3 months (where, for some reason, you end up paying more money for less minutes...go figure)..
do you work for a phone company?

I went to on the Orange website and got a sony ericsson k750i with 120 cross network minutes and 100 texts for £25 a month.Also come with a free bluetooth headset.

For more minutes,I think it goes up in fivers.

I wouldn't recommend O2 online. I had no end of problems where they couldn't get their bills right, then kept cutting me off (for their error) and because it was an online contract I had to phone their 50p a minute line (to be kept on hold) to help them put THEIR mistakes right. Total con. Avoid any provider who charges you to ring them, purely for this reason. So simple for them to make a mistake and then make you pay for it.

I tried to complain to Oftel about this, but they don't govern mobile phone companies so this is unregulated.

Have a look round www.justphonedeals.co.uk to see if something suits.

I'm on a 3 contract, with free line rental and 500 free anytime any network minutes and 100 free texts each month.
I've never had a better reception from any netwrok I have ever had, and that's the truth.

HTH :D

Originally posted by Classic Rock
I wouldn't recommend O2 online. I had no end of problems where they couldn't get their bills right, then kept cutting me off (for their error) and because it was an online contract I had to phone their 50p a minute line (to be kept on hold) to help them put THEIR mistakes right. Total con. Avoid any provider who charges you to ring them, purely for this reason. So simple for them to make a mistake and then make you pay for it.

I tried to complain to Oftel about this, but they don't govern mobile phone companies so this is unregulated.

Exactly the same as me. Great deal but rubbish everything else and you WILL have problems with billing. Atleast everyone I know has.

not the first bad reports I have heard about O2.

I have been with orange for years(contract and PAYG),and never had any problems.

I'm with o2 online and haven't had any problems (yet) but I have been with Orange and they was a total nightmare and I only managed to get them resolved by going to the obundsman.

Bonjour - Jacque ici ! Have read this thread with interest as I'm looking to change my network (currently BT Mobile !) & also move to PAYG. Orange & 02 seem to be the main players in the market place but reading your posts I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Have any of you had experience of Orange or 02 PAYG deals ? How do the basic packages compare ? What about the reward schemes they run - do they actually make a real difference to the monthly bill ?
I've had a look at the web sites for these companies but it's very difficult to get a real idea of the benefits, or a direct comparison between the 2 companies.

All submissions gratefully received !

Merci beacoup - Jacque.

For PAYG I would always recommend going with the one with the cheapest calls and text. Most of the deals never really save you much money. At the minute Virgin and easyMobile are the cheapest I think. The coverage on both is fine as they use the same network as one of the main bunch. (Vodafone for Virgin and T-Mobile for easyMobile, I believe)

Originally posted by march
For PAYG I would always recommend going with the one with the cheapest calls and text. Most of the deals never really save you much money. At the minute Virgin and easyMobile are the cheapest I think. The coverage on both is fine as they use the same network as one of the main bunch. (Vodafone for Virgin and T-Mobile for easyMobile, I believe)

I was one of EasyMobile's first customers, and IMO it's not quite as cheap as it's cracked up to be, cos a £10 top up on EasyMobile only lasted me 3 weeks if that, whereas I've been on Virgin for like 3 months and I'm only on my third top up.

How would that work though? If you are using calls and text then you can directly compare the prices of Virgin and those of easyMobile. Whichever is lower would be the cheapest option. Not sure of the prices at the minute but easyMobile were lower. Virgin may have put their's down again.

orange are doing a good student deal. £25 a month and you get 1000 mins after 7pm to any network plus 1000 text messages to any network, any time.

Originally posted by jacque
Have any of you had experience of Orange or 02 PAYG deals? How do the basic packages compare ? What about the reward schemes they run - do they actually make a real difference to the monthly bill ?

Merci beacoup - Jacque.

I'd be very wary of Orange reward schemes (http://www.orange.co.uk/service_plans/payasyougo/bonus_topup_overview.html) if I were you. Their latest promotion which claims to offer "up to 50% of your top-ups back" is riddled with clauses in the small print.

For example, the top-up bonus is limited to £25 per month and can only be used on their '24/7' tariff. The top-up has to be used within 30 days or it expires, is limited to standard UK calls/messages & Orangeworld access and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers and once your're on the '24/7' tariff you're stuck with it.

I've just signed up to O2's Talkalotmore Tariff (http://www.o2.co.uk/productsservices/tariffs/pay_go_talkalotmore/0,,112,00.html) and registered for their O2 Rewards (http://www.o2.co.uk/o2rewards?ref=hpmod345txtLink1) scheme. I can then claim 10% back of all my top-ups every three months that I can use for calls, wap/gprs and other stuff.
(Again Orange has restrictions on call time and content.)

Victor.

Bonjour mes amis - thanks for the replies - much appreciated. So most of you think I should not be swayed by 'fringe' benefits like the 02 rewards, or the Orange 'Bonus Top-up scheme, it all comes down to the basic cost of calls & texts ? 'Oldvic28' has dug up some dirt on the Orange rewards scheme and in his eyes, 02 comes up smelling of roses - I'm still undecided - I think I'll sleep on it.

Bon Nuit - a bientot - Jacque.

Have had my phone for years and always stuck with orange they will MATCH any other tariffs on other networks so you just cant lose. They will not match 3 tariffs but they are not a real network they rent their airtime from other networks like o2 and from direct experience with my partners contract phone (suckered into what sounded like a good deal) their service is DIABOLICAL and customer service is only slightly better. Avoid or pay the price. Visit www.orange.co.uk and check out their offers they do some good packages with off peak minutes.

Hi 'Nucad' - merci beacoup for the info - so even though I'm not already with Orange, if I go to them and say that I'm going to sign up with 02 on PAYG unless they come up with a better offer, Orange will conjure up a special deal just for me ?

'Zut Alor' - That sounds to good to be true but very tempting ! But can Orange really beat the 02 rewards stuff, on a long-term basis ?

Bonjour - Jacque

* Time-Expired *

If you decide to go with O2 you can also sign up for their Blueroom Alerts (http://blueroom.o2.co.uk/alerts/download_flash.aspx).

Once you download the free desktop tool the blurb says you'll get:

"...the inside scoop on events, competitions, giveaways and more great offers. You can also tailor alerts to suit your interests, whether it's the latest news on sports, entertainment or music."

Maybe worth looking at?

Victor.

Thanks for that 'OldVic' - the 'blueroom' thing from 02 looks good but I'm still undecided. I'm going to check out the other competitors (other than orange) a bit more. Companies like Vodaphone, T-Mobile, Tesco etc. They all have PAYG tariffs on offer but I haven't found out if there are catches like there are with the Orange 'bonus top-up'.

I'll let you know if I come up with anything useful.

Has anyone else got experience of these other networks & their current PAYG deals ?

A bientot - Jacque.