[getti]

I now have the funds to purchase a Sim Free 6680 and use Vodafone PAYG on it.

This will be instead of being on Orange with a branded 6680. Is the unbranded one much better than the Orange one?

If so how?. Vodafone are getting 3G closer and closer to me every day. The map still says im not anywhere nere coverage yet i get it at work JUST about 10mins away and 5mins away at the shops i get full 3G. Wont be long now til i get it at home.

[Ben]

I'd not have a branded 6680, and at least with a generic-firmware & unlocked one you can do as you please, but I'm not sure if the difference will be your monies worth. You'd basically be escaping the Orange homescreen and branding. All the basic functionality is the same.

[getti]

id also be escaping the £55 a month Orange plan im on so i can top up when i want.

Offtopic...... still no call from my gf :p :D (you know who im on about Ben!)

[miffed]

Has no-one come up with a Hardware reset for the 66X0 yet ?

[getti]

Only way is to flash with new firmware (sim free firmware) at a Nokia centre or Carphone Warehouse.

However they will NOT... i repeat NOT! flash a Orange 6680 with generic firmware

[Ben]

Yeah... i'd imagine you'd need to find an independent that'd do it - like an individual or small shop. None of the biggies would risk peeving off Orange I'd imagine.

Still, you want rid of Premier too don't you?

You may wish to hold out for the N70.

[getti]

Nah i need a phone now. Problem will be the 14days to stop Orange. I have 2 left so cant wait.

I just found the 6680 £20 cheaper Online and Expansys will match it which is even better.

Voda PAYG with STC and being able to top up when i want it too good to miss when im not a very heavy user.

AT LAST!!! NO MORE HOMESCREEN

I can use themes now and have the active standby without having to suffer from crap wallpapers.

NA NA NA NA...... NA NA NA NA......WEHEYYYYYYYY. GOODBYE
NA NA NA NA...... NA NA NA NA......WEHEYYYYYYYY. GOODBYE :p

[Jon3G]

Wait for the N series Getti.

:D

[getti]

Too late lol.

Ordered a Sim Free 6680 at 2pm. My 3pm it had been packaged and shipped for me to recieve tomorrow morning.

Im sure by Jan 2006 i will get a N series phone Sim Free but to be honsets im gonna wait. They have only just fixed some of the 6680 bugs so im sure knowing Nokia the early models will have buggy software.

I think il stick to Sim Free phones from now on and use PAYG. Its so cheap to use PAYG now and having the option to top up when you want and change networks when you want is great.

Next Feb when i go 3GSM there is nothing stopping me from buying a cheap PAYG Sim in Spain and pop it in the phone for cheper call rates.

[Hands0n]

So what was the price of the 6680 that you bought SIM free? You've got me thinking about PAYG and a SIM free rather than upgrade to Orange Premier come October '05. I'm gonna dig out my spreadsheet and see how that all pans out .........

Mobilefun.co.uk are knocking out the 6680 for £379.95
Expansys for £364.95
DirectMobileAccesories £359.89
Livetelecom £354.99

So there's a £25 stretch between the cheapest and most expensive that I've found (I've seen some very silly [high] prices on eBay but ignored that forum completely).

[Ben]

"too good to miss when im not a very heavy user."

Says the man who bought Orange Premier! You're insane, matey! ;)

"You've got me thinking about PAYG and a SIM free rather than upgrade to Orange Premier come October '05."

Mhmmmmmmmmmm personally I can't stand PAYG. Giving over my money to a network *before* I can use it? No paper usage summary? A lower standard (generally) of customer service, rubbish data rates and confusing 'reward' offers *cough O2 cough Orange*. Call me a snob, but prepay just isn't all that.

My ideal is going to be SIM-Free handsets with an out-of-contract pay-monthly SIM. What I want to do is leverage my power to leave at any time, yet enjoy all the benefits of post-pay. My next on-net upgrade will likely only happen if I need some Orange or Vodafone-specific equipment, like how you have to upgrade on Orange in order to receive a USIM.

[getti]

PAYG used to be so much more expencive until latley. Now it's just as cheap to use PAYG but you can control it more.

Im not a very heavy user yet. About 200mins a month, 400 texts, some vid calls and some browsing. I joined Orange Premier becuse at the time i didnt have a debit card so the only way i can get a phone was if it was free. Even with pushing my usage to the max i was only using 350mins and thats REALLY pushing it.

The 6680 i bought is £365 + £5 next day delivery and i was more than happy to pay that for a totally brand free 3G phone of this quality. I can stick a Voda PAYG Sim in it with Stop The Clock and will save LOADS as most of my calls are in the evening.

Also this Vodafone Passport is GREAT value when it comes out. A 60min evening call from Spain to UK (Spain only an example) will only cost £1.35 for a whole 60mins.

You pay 75p connection no matter what, but the rest of the call is at a local UK rate so with STC you will only pay for 3mins.

Im pretty sure il get a Nokia N70 but not for a while. I will wait for the price to drop a little and for more stable software to come out.

Until that time i will be more than happy with a unbranded 6680 where i pay when i want

[Hands0n]

I'm really in two minds now about what to do about the Orange upgrade ....

I quite like the notion of not being beholden to the mobile operator but I really do want 3G on the handset and there's no point (imho) having the 6680/1 unless I can get to use the 3G network.

So, at the moment that elminates all but Vodafone and O2 - and I'm not a particular fan of either. Orange have served me quite well since I went across several years back. I'd like to stay with them but don't fancy the parting with a routine £50 a month for Premier (that's £600 a year) when I could [maybe] do it as effectively (minus all that goes with Premier) with SIM-free handsets and a PAYG USIM.

Decisions, decisions ........ I need to dig out some old bills and get that analysis done!

[davidlove]

My 2 pence worth on the PAYG debate. On Voda (don't know how the other operators compare), data is £2.35/Mb on contract and £7.35/Mb on PAYG. That's worth going contract IMHO.

SIM free phones not only give you total freedom, but you should be able to negotiate lower line rental on renewal if the phone upgrade is waived. Worked for me.

[Hands0n]

Hmmmm, maybe I go Premier after all then, get an Orange 3G USIM and "free" 6680, give that to the wife and get a SIM-free 6680 to keep my options open for subseqeuent changes.

Oh crud! More for the thought pool ......... getting a headache now :) I think I can wait for October now ..........!

[Jon3G]

and dont forget the free Kodak printer too

[Hands0n]

Errrr, what Kodak printer? What did I miss?

[KingMatt2511]

You get a free kodak printer worth £199.99!

[Jon3G]

https://talk3g.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1053

just in case you missed it. Only online and you can port your number if needed
:)

[Talkingabout3G]

Its worth getting one just for that

[Jon3G]

Dont always be drawn in by offers.

Remember handsets will be coming out soon

[Ben]

"Remember handsets will be coming out soon"

But also, that's always the case - there's never a particularly good time to buy a handset. Roll on the offers!

[Jon3G]

"Remember handsets will be coming out soon"

But also, that's always the case - there's never a particularly good time to buy a handset. Roll on the offers!


Lol

I know what you mean, but Getti could not wait and had to have one