O2 Contract or PAYG?

[Scutch]

I'm currently on an O2 Genie Pay as you Go Sim Card (top up £10 a month and get 300 texts free/300 WAP minutes free etc).
I have a Sony Ericsson W900i mobile, which is a great phone, but a bit too bulky and its annoying me when it unlocks itself in tight places
I'm thinking about getting a SE W850i (the new slider phone which has been getting rave reviews) but I dont know whether to buy one outright for around £250 from Ebay - unlocked - or just get one for cheap and get a contract with it. My girlfriend has just got one with 500 texts a month free and 90 mins free calls for £25 p/m. My mate at work has one with 400 texts free and 90 mins for £18 p/m.
I send a lot of texts, rather than phone calls, and was wondering if anyone has any links to good deals and cheap contracts with O2. Dont want to go on any other network either. Not really up to spec on all this contract stuff, as I've been PAYG for ages now.

Any help and information would be very much appreciated

 

[Scutch]

I've been looking at previous threads and people are spending £35 a month on contract phones. Is this the norm, considering I've just mentioned about £18p/m - £25p/m?

 

[Scutch]

Ahem!! Where's the best place for contracts and viewing details? O2 are offering 100 mins and 500 texts a month for £25 for 12 months.

 

[StevieP]

I nipped into the O2 shop today. £35 got you 400 mins x-network anytime mins, 500 texts, and the long weekend thing, if you sign up for an 18month contract, you get free x-network calls anytime from fri to mon. That sounds too good to be true and I think they only offer that instore. Am looking at the O2 website now to compare their online offers with the instore brochure thing I picked up. Free voicemail too.

Was looking at that Samsung slide phone because I've always fancied 'one of them', I got pointed towards the Nokia N80 or N73 as they were good for t'internet. Not sure how 'buggy' those Nokia's are though. I am one of those religious Nokia users however, and every Sony Ericsson phone I've had I have hated after a while because I find the menus slow and generally akward. That SE W850i looks pretty spinkee thou!

 

[Scutch]

Cheers dude. The w850i is fantastic.

Been looking on o2 website too, I'm a texter rather than caller, and would prefer 12 month contract. Found the 100mins and 500texts a month offer pretty decent. £25 p/m including free 850i handset/1gig memory card etc.

Might take it up tomorrow if I can get no more info and offers

 

[Revels]

I love my W850i, all the good deals are 18month now tho!

Orange Dolphin is unlimited texts and 550mins for £35.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=220038351032&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=012

Make me an offer Scutchio, easily unlocked!

 

[Scutch]

I love my W850i, all the good deals are 18month now tho!

Orange Dolphin is unlimited texts and 550mins for £35.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=220038351032&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=012

Make me an offer Scutchio, easily unlocked!

Why are you selling Dan?
Gemma has just got one, W850i, on O2. Its class. Video's for ringtones, genius! What you think of it in summary?

 

[Revels]

Im really impressed with it, thats not mine for sale.

Mines not going anywhere!

Message storage is huge, mp3 player is good, didnt know about the video ringtones! lol

 

[Scutch]

Im really impressed with it, thats not mine for sale.

Mines not going anywhere!

Message storage is huge, mp3 player is good, didnt know about the video ringtones! lol

Yeah she trimmed down that Postman Pat video using the Video DJ and used the bit where he falls over the cat at the start to play when I rang. Was pretty cool

If I could afford to splash out on that phone I would, hence considering the 12 month contract options. Just need to find a deal that will suit.

 

[gsb]

If you pay 250 quid and 10 quid a month for 18 months, will cost you £430. But will prob top up more than £10 a month.

If you go on contract for 18 months at £25pm will cost you £450

So you'll prob get more with a contract if my maths is right

 

[Scutch]

Yeah, I tried to do all the maths, too. Worked all that out. But then the lingering thought that I have a perfectly good W900i with a 300 texts a month free Genie Sim Card in my pocket hits home.

EDIT : The f*cker has just unlocked itself again and accessed the internet. I need a new phone!! :evil:

 

[StevieP]

I guess with a contract you have freedom of usage, thats what is luring me towards getting a contract phone. No running out of minutes or texts at crucial moments. Also, if the phone is good (that W850i does look good, think I may go into the O2 shop tomorrow to go and have a good play with that and one of the N series Nokia's just to compare them) then I don't mind an 18 month contract. Plus at the end of the contract you can offload your phone on eBay and upgrade to a better one of course (for free usually)

Free calls all weekend on O2. Gotta love that.

 

[NB 02 HOT]

i just brougth one of the 'sim only packs' that both o2 and vodaphone are doing now.

vodaphone: 1000 texts, 250 (minutes any network any time)- £25

the contract only lasts 30 days and has 30 days notice to cancel it.

whilst you dont get a free phone with it it means im not locked into any contract for too long & i cant find a contract that actually offers anywere near those many minutes and texts