[3GScottishUser]

Quite a few of my contacts in work have new handsets after christmas and a few are sporting Vodafone 3G models like the Samsung Z140 and the SonyEricsson V630 on Vodafone PAYG.

Vodafone appear to be the network pushing 3G to the mass market now with decent handets and tariffs to match. Young folks are buying into Stop The Clock and the free weekend texts and calls for topping up with a set amount each week and they appear to be using their new phones for storing songs and exchanging pictures etc.

The 3G migraton is happening and for PAYG cutsomers it appeas to be happening on Vodafone faster.

[Hands0n]

It looks like Vodafone's strategy of downplaying 3G may well work - especially when 3G/2G handsets are readily available.

I'm not seeing that myself yet but .... re the Samsung Z140, it has been reduced price significantly to the point where it is quite attractive. I'd rather the Z500 with its memory expansion etc, but that is quite a bit more.

The key is to get cheap and quality handsets out there and Vodafone with the Sammy Z140 and SE V630 are doing just that. These may not be state of the art anymore, but they more than fit the bill.

Vodafone's Family, STC and Free Weekend Calls and Texts is a superb offering, if you can make use of it. I have my youngest on it, and it works really well. On Family we can keep in bilateral contact for the fixed price of £5. With Free Texts he qualifies routinely. It works for us, but I am aware not for everyone.

I am amazed at the resistance to these schemes though. I am promoting Vodafone's offers among friends and family and they are all, to a man, saying that they'd rather stick with their existing setups. One has a handset that has been on contract for over five years and never upgraded. "I didn't know you could do that ..... but I'm happy with this one" - the fear of change prevents him from even considering that there could be something even more suited to his use! That, I believe, will be the big sticky for all the companies.