Mobile Phones

great thanks. I think I can get it on a PAYG on Virgin just not from them directly, I presume this would cause me the least hassle?

if u buy payg virgin then yeah... or get a cheep one from ebay and get it unlocked for like a fiver!

great thanks. I think I can get it on a PAYG on Virgin just not from them directly, I presume this would cause me the least hassle?

Oh thats what you said....

Current best network for data transfer on contract, anybody? Am thinking t-mobile but perhaps there's somebody else cheaper/better that I've missed. Am looking to spend around 25 squids a month (including tentacles).

I will not be using the phone for making calls and am unlikely to send very many texts so it's only really the data allowance I care about.

Off contract GiffGaff (o2 sub-brand) £10/month goody bag with unlimited data sounds good for you. I've got it and it's great.

Off contract GiffGaff (o2 sub-brand) £10/month goody bag with unlimited data sounds good for you. I've got it and it's great.

Ooh, looks perfect!

According to their site "All giffgaff members have their own SIM order page which you can share with facebook, twitter or link from a banner" and if a SIM is registered via it you get £5 credit to your account. So, you know, you could dig your SIM order page url out for me and then you get a free fiver. Win win!

^ here you go

http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/dubtap

Nice one, ta - now to get my shiny new smartphone unlocked and then I can join the 21st century with everybody else!

So.... what's the catch with unlimited data on the £10 a month GiffGaff 'goodybag'? Is the signal / data rate the same as O2?

I think i might cancel my O2 contract this week...

^ Anyone? before i cancel my contract...

looks pretty good, my contract is up now, not sure what to do...

^^ http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Help-Ask-the-community-got-stuck/Whats-the-catch-What-to-know-before-ordering-a-sim-Basically-a/td-p/386061

Thanks! The review is a little confusing as (from what i've read) there was a period where all internet was free on GiffGaff and now it's dependent on the goodybag you buy.

Do you have any experience of the mobile internet with GiffGaff? Does it drop in and out or is it consistent?

So.... what's the catch with unlimited data on the £10 a month GiffGaff 'goodybag'? Is the signal / data rate the same as O2?

I think i might cancel my O2 contract this week...

Never had any issues with it at all, and [shh!] I use it to tether my laptop quite a bit whilst working. Really can't recommend them highly enough

Never had any issues with it at all, and [shh!] I use it to tether my laptop quite a bit whilst working. Really can't recommend them highly enough

Excellent news... pretty much a done deal then. Bye Bye O2!

Nokia Lumia 800.

Ok, I'll admit I was hasty in rubbishing Nokia's tie-up with Microsoft. I thought it was a ruinous alliance, that could only benefit Microsoft, and possibly send Nokia to the graveyard.

I have since had a look and a little try out with an in-store Nokia Lumia 800, and I can honestly say that it is a very promising device. Its smooth and fast, though I didn't run multiple apps at the same time. Its light and feels comfortable in the hand. I would have liked a bigger screen, but it does the job I suppose. Now, because it has a Windows OS, it may not be popular, but the whole design premise of making lots of Windows connected devices work seemlessly together, seems ideal for business.

Here's a review that is particularly glowing. True, the phone doesn't have a forward facing camera, and video recording isn't up to the latest standards, and the screen is a tad smaller than I like, but its still a top effort. I especially liked the tiles-system of apps placement. Its very intuitive.

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Is there any particular reason why phone providers don't seem to do unlimited data any more? Or is it just on certain handsets?

My dad has asked me to order him an iPhone 4S (16GB is more than enough) on Vodafone (a cousin works for them and will provide him a substantial discount on monthly line rental).

He's not a big internet user anyway but was always annoyed on past phones by mashing keys and triggering internet charges which he didn't realise he'd activated. However with an iPhone I suspect he'll look at youtube or something* (but won't send emails) but I've got no idea how much data to get for him. Presumably streaming videos on a phone uses less data than it would on a desktop as you're getting a far more compressed encoding?

How quickly do people get through 500MB/750MB packages?

If the 3G logo is on, are you being charged for it if it's just sitting there in your pocket, presumably not, but what about making calls? Do calls go through the 3g network?

They're pretty basic questions I suspect so I'm being a bit dim, but I got mine a couple of years ago on an unlimited data plan and have never even considered it.

Ta very much.

*youporn

Cheapest way to do it is to buy the phone sim free and use GiffGaff who do an unlimited data package for £10 a month...

If you have to go with Vodafone, I get through about 550 meg of data a month, tops.

Doesn't HAVE to be with Vodafone but I think the discount through my cousin is pretty substantial and that's what he's got in his mind that it's the best way to do it.

Very useful though to know that you only use 550mb, cheers. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll use less than you :)

Is there any particular reason why phone providers don't seem to do unlimited data any more? Or is it just on certain handsets?

What they offer hasn't changed, usage has. Before they could call it unlimited, when it was in fact usally based on a 512mb allowance, because people didn't go over that. But now with people using the youtubes, and tethering, they are having to state their limits.

I ahve Wi-Fi at home, but use the web out and about a lot, and I still only really get through 6-700 mb a month, so he should be alright

The buggers. I understood there was a fair usage policy when I signed up for mine, but I've never heard from them to say that I go over it.

Cool. All booked and done online and he should receive it Monday.

Ta, folks.

16MP Windows cameraphone. Will this be enough to kick start the interest in Windows phones again?

http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_titan_2_lte_now_official_launches_for_at_t_first_half_of_2012-news-3643.php

Some mobile phone advice please. I'm kinda drowning in all the choices.

I'm on 02 and I'd like to stay with them.

Apparently my average usage is:
75min
185 texts
220MB internet (which I'm amazed with as I thought I caned it)

^ but this is me single, trying to avoid using the phone too much.

I know everyone says giffgaff with an unlocked handset. But realistically I can't outlay the +£200 for a smart phone.

I'm thinking of trying to get a BlackBerry Bold 9900 through work (this deal). I'd like a BB from a work POV, but for personal use I'm a bit wary of how easy and smooth the internet will be compared to an iphone, and using music etc .

Fundamentally I like the iphone. I don't really use apps. All my contacts are backed up on itunes, so it just seems simpler than switching to an Android...which I think of as the same as an iphone.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

02 have offered me a 24m contract for 200mins with an iphone 4 for £50 or a 4s for £120.

Thoughts? Even just firing some questions back would be helpful... I just don't even know where to start.

At the moment o2 will need to overcome the really serious security problem they have, where users of the o2 networks, phone numbers are being harvested when users go onto the internet. I suggest bringing this security issues first, THEN ask for a much better deal than you expected to get. They will definitely lose customers over this, so they will want stop churn and try desperately to hang onto you.

I also suggest talking to Carphonewarehouse. They would honestly guide you to the best deal. I'm not an iPhone fan, but on a two year deal, you should be able to get that for free. Worth a punt.

Cheers.

The security thing sounds seriously sketchy! Will investigate.