Ben
14th November 2005, 03:22 PM
Could it be time to go SIM-Free?
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPayMonthlySims
With double minutes, 1000 texts and a 30-day contract it was clear from the start that Vodafone's SIM-Only Pay Monthly deal was a good buy. Just £25 per month is enough to bag this deal with 250 xnet minutes.
It was never crystal clear, however, just what 1000 texts actually means. Vodafone provide all of their texts, MMS and data add-ons as extras-packs, meaning 1000 texts should, theoretically, equate to Vodafone's top-end extras pack (£40 value) that buys £120 of services.
While this had been verbally confirmed to me, it's always nice to get written confirmation. Today, on my first bill since switching to the new priceplan, I can confirm that it is indeed that massive £40 extras pack that you will receive if you give the SIM-Only option a whirl. From my bill: "At the start of November, you had 120.00 from your extras pack."
Ok, so you're used to paying ~£25 a month and getting a free phone. Just think about it for a moment though. That £40 extras pack is worth £480 over the course of a year, which more than justifies buying your very own generic, unlocked, unbranded handset. So, while you wont necessarily be paying Vodafone any less than you might pay now, you'll be getting the money you spent on your own phone back as a monthly credit for texting, MMS and web browsing to your hearts content.
Remember, Vodafone SIM cards can be 3G-enabled, meaning you can slot one of these SIMs into your 3G phone, like I did with my 6680, and access everything you should be able to. On my generic phone I can watch Vodafone TV, download music tracks and do everything else a branded-customer can.
So, next time you want a new phone, consider Vodafone's SIM-Only Pay Monthly deal and maybe, just maybe, buy your handset SIM-Free.
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPayMonthlySims
With double minutes, 1000 texts and a 30-day contract it was clear from the start that Vodafone's SIM-Only Pay Monthly deal was a good buy. Just £25 per month is enough to bag this deal with 250 xnet minutes.
It was never crystal clear, however, just what 1000 texts actually means. Vodafone provide all of their texts, MMS and data add-ons as extras-packs, meaning 1000 texts should, theoretically, equate to Vodafone's top-end extras pack (£40 value) that buys £120 of services.
While this had been verbally confirmed to me, it's always nice to get written confirmation. Today, on my first bill since switching to the new priceplan, I can confirm that it is indeed that massive £40 extras pack that you will receive if you give the SIM-Only option a whirl. From my bill: "At the start of November, you had 120.00 from your extras pack."
Ok, so you're used to paying ~£25 a month and getting a free phone. Just think about it for a moment though. That £40 extras pack is worth £480 over the course of a year, which more than justifies buying your very own generic, unlocked, unbranded handset. So, while you wont necessarily be paying Vodafone any less than you might pay now, you'll be getting the money you spent on your own phone back as a monthly credit for texting, MMS and web browsing to your hearts content.
Remember, Vodafone SIM cards can be 3G-enabled, meaning you can slot one of these SIMs into your 3G phone, like I did with my 6680, and access everything you should be able to. On my generic phone I can watch Vodafone TV, download music tracks and do everything else a branded-customer can.
So, next time you want a new phone, consider Vodafone's SIM-Only Pay Monthly deal and maybe, just maybe, buy your handset SIM-Free.