[3GScottishUser]

3 UK are desparate to offload the aging ZTE F866 and the Motorola c975 on 'WePay'.

They are now offering both of the above at £9.99 on their Website with a £10 top-up (Package Price £19.99). Read the small print..... handsets are reconditoned although not marked with the usual 'r' after the model number, details in the small print, The Motorola c975 comes with 3000 free texts (500 a month for 6 months) conditional on regular top-ups.

No doubt these offers will shortly find their way into Superdrug and Savers stores on the High Street as they are owned by Hutchison Whampoa who are the owners of 3 UK.

Lower prices are always better but I'm not sure that these (with glued in SIM's etc) are products that will improve customer consfidence in 3G services or 3G in general.

[Hands0n]

Handsets come pre-loaded with top-up which may be used on any 3's services. This top-up is valid for 60 days after activation. Service limitations apply. Handset not available separately. ^Fully guaranteed refurbished product.

The usual stuff, I suppose ......... but the "refurbished" bit is tucked away right at the bottom of the web page. I don't know about others, but I really do feel it a bit disengenious to tuck such essential information away from immediately obvious sight. The "it is there on the page to be read" simply does not do it for me. The phones should be headlined "Refurbished, Guaranteed" if there truly is nothing to hide!

Snake Oil sales methods!

[crowfield99]

I've never had a refurbished phone before. What are the Pro's and Con's of buying one of these phones rather than new? Guess its something to do with the Warranty?

[Hands0n]

3 will warranty the phones for 12 months, exactly as if they were new. However, you will most likely only get the handset, charger and manual - the other components such as headset and suchlike will often be missing. IIRC the 3 website does make mention of such things, but it is buried away in the small print.

[crowfield99]

Seems a good idea! So you could get a handset of maybe 6 months old or a limit to that also?

[Hands0n]

Its more likely going to be a handset that was returned within the initial 14 days of a contract! Remember, beyond that, 3 will not accept a return - unless, of course, its been back three times for repair and you've negotiated a replacement. 3 had a load of Nokia 6280s like that a few months ago .....

Like you say, it is a good idea, certainly from 3's point of view. They get to sell off stock they've bought and can do now't else with. These should have the latest firmwares so should be relatively bug-free. Should!! :D

[E616Vboy123]

Its more likely going to be a handset that was returned within the initial 14 days of a contract! Remember, beyond that, 3 will not accept a return - unless, of course, its been back three times for repair and you've negotiated a replacement. 3 had a load of Nokia 6280s like that a few months ago .....

Like you say, it is a good idea, certainly from 3's point of view. They get to sell off stock they've bought and can do now't else with. These should have the latest firmwares so should be relatively bug-free. Should!! :D

6280 - Bug free?? You must be having a laugh! I didn't realise such a thing existed!

[Hands0n]

6280 - Bug free?? You must be having a laugh! I didn't realise such a thing existed!

..... the keyword is "relatively" LOL. I have a 6280 on T-Mobile and it is solid as a nearly solid thing - only very occasionally does it restart if I use the media player to watch vids for any length of time. I'm guessing a memory leak is the problem.

But as you rightly suggest, the notion of a truly bug-free handset is a tad laughable :D