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3GScottishUser
29th May 2006, 09:17 PM
I went into a Phones4U branch on Saturday just browsing really (the N80 on the poster in the window got me interested).

When in the store it was their usual pressure sales technique - lots of questions and when I said I had 6 months still to run on my current contract the salesman said he could probably do a deal and pay off my remaining commitment (to Vodafone) if I entered into a new 18 month deal with them that day. I would have to pay £49.99 for the phone and take out a £40 a month contract to get an N80 though.

I said I'd think about it... as it's £15 a month more than I pay now with my on-line deal and it had no texts included. I did the maths and even with them paying off my current contract I would have to commit to paying £15 a month more for 18 months which is £280 and £49.99 for the handset = £329.99. I think I would be better paying £379,99 (£50 more) to buy the handset SIM free and keep my options open with my current deal. I could also sell on my Vodafone Samsung Z500 to help finance that.

Not sure what to do, have a SonyEricsson V600i just now and really quite like it. It's not the best 3G phone on the market but its got a very good camera and has loads of features and great battery life.

Love the look of the N80 but with holidays coming up I suspect i could use £400 for more enjoyment than the fleeting novelty of Wi-Fi on a mobile, which is the real big benefit. Perhaps Vodafone will rethink their 3G data rates in light of Web'N'Walk, and if they do that might solve the issue for a while.

Hands0n
29th May 2006, 11:22 PM
Phones4U ...... don't get me started, I'll only start swearing :) It goes to show how you have to watch their offers and do the detailed caluclations carefully. Anyone offering to buy out your contract has to be looked at suspiciously and with great care. I can't say I've ever seen P4U listed at the Charities Commission.

The N80 is a tantalising handset alright, and it will be interesting to see what/who tries to outdo it. Maybe the wait of 12 and 16 months (Vodafone and T-Mobile respectively) will see out a N81 or more!! Gosh, what more could Nokia add to the N80 to improve it?

I can see your dilemma - I'd probably pay sub-£300 for one SIM-free but that is my own psychological upper limit.

Data charges are moving in the right direction, although it is a slow process so far. T-Mobile's Web N Walk certainly threw the cat in amongst the pigeons. But the anticipated response has been rather muted, surprisingly. There remains another 7 months of 2006 though, and as that old song goes .... "Things can only get better" :D