[chagle]

Hello.

I'm in month 17 of my T-Mobile contract so I can upgrade.

I'm on Flext 25 (with W'nW Plus)...

Got two options on the upgrade: (in 'My T-Mobile upgrades area):-

£5 off monthly line rental (12 month contract)

or new phone.

Look at upgrading to a N95 -- I can upgrade now @£299!!

But if I were a new customer, I could get the N95 for £119.99!

The upgrade is only again a 12 month contract, can't see anywhere to get into an 18 month contract - I guess if there was that option, I'd perhaps would get a little more.

Not sure what to do now.. I could always get a new phone elsewhere anyway..

Any thoughts?

Glen. :-)

[Ben]

Call up. You should be able to get at least the same deal new customers get. From my experience with Orange upgrading online doesn't offer any benefits. Vodafone don't even provide upgrades online, you have to call and see what you can squeeze out of them.

[Hands0n]

Wait the extra month until you are out of contract. Everything changes then. I got my N95 on T-Mobile upgrade the day I went out of contract for £20 and I retained my superb 25% discount for life on my Flext35 + Web N Walk Plus. A month earlier I had been quoted ridiculous figures like you have.

I did my deal in store at Bluewater. Don't bother over the phone/web - the Manager at the store has flexibilty. Oh and I was a grade T2 customer apparently, 2nd best in the land, apparently :D

[gorilla]

Dare I say ask for your PAC and go to www.three.co.uk were you will get a good deal (..of grief) but a superb 3g network.

Just to clarify, I don't get any grief from three! Just who are T-mobile anyway?:D

[Ben]

Hell, you could even consider going to www.vodafone.co.uk and snagging yourself a splendid Nokia N95 8GB (https://talk3g.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4644). :D

[getti]

T-Mobile are supposed to be a nightmare when it comes to upgrades. Charging you a fortune for an upgrade?... uhhhhhh yeh ok then.

When your contract is up on 3 you get a free upgrade 99.99% of the time unless you want something stupid like a £15 deal with a N95.

[chagle]

Hello.

Well I can't expect too much, I'm on a F&F deal, i.e. 50% discount each month.

I'll probably buy a N95 8GB when available offline. Or can you get them now? Unlocked / Unbranded?

[Hands0n]

Try expansys, but be sure you're sitting down before you hit the enter key! :D

[Ben]

TheOrder often have the best prices, though mobilefun are good too. http://www.theorder.co.uk/simfree/offline/deals/Nokia/N95%208GB

[chagle]

TheOrder often have the best prices, though mobilefun are good too. http://www.theorder.co.uk/simfree/offline/deals/Nokia/N95%208GB

Checked them out Ben and in the *For more information click here bit it states:

Video calling and 3G Services

This handset will not work with 3G services


Huh? What's that all about. It's a very good price though.

[Ben]

I assume that's an error but you'd have to call/email and check. I can't see it being true!

[chagle]

I assume that's an error but you'd have to call/email and check. I can't see it being true!

eBuyer are doing them for just under £500 - God I want one! I just love the black styling..! I don't think I can hold out much longer - before the weekend, I'm sure I would have hit the submit button @ eBuyer! LOL

[Ben]

Well, the N95 8GB comes absolutely recommended from me. If you've been playing with iPhones then the interface is going to disappoint, as is the web browsing (though it's Nokia's best effort on a smartphone of this style). What'll blow you away is the camera, the gigantic screen and the speed of HSDPA on a handset. The GPS isn't too shabby either.

[chagle]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for the feedback.

Popped into the Apple Store today @ Lakeside. Yes, I like the iPhone.. used Safari - but a little slow for accessing websites. I love the way the thing works.. but unless I won a few 100 quid at this moment in time I won't be buying one.

It's the N95 8GB for me..!

I used Tom Tom on my N73 - it's great! How does the GPS thingy compare on the N95? (if you've every used Tom Tom?)

[Ben]

I've not used Tom Tom I'm afraid, but I did try the voice navigation and it seemed fine! You have to pay a subscription after the 3 day trial of voice navigation, I'm not sure how much that is but I'm sure it's reasonable. Otherwise, you can use GPS to find where you are. Handy if your sense of direction is as bad as mine is ;)

[miffed]

You should note that , unless there has been some kind of Hack / breakthrough since I had my N95's a few months back , Tomtom is not able to use the N95's internal GPS
If that is not a problem then I suspect it will be fine

[chagle]

Yeah, I remember someone telling me this - But I could always install Tom Tom and use my current GPS receiver if I don't like the built in one.

I must admit, Tom Tom is pretty good and I love having everything on a handset rather than having to carry 2 devices.

[gorilla]

I have Tom Tom on my N95 and pair it with a bluetooth GPS device which works well.
I grant you that it would be simpler if Tom Tom used the inbuilt GPS, but it's no big deal, and the external GPS is probably better at picking up Sats.

[Ben]

Does the provided Nokia software not make a decent GPS by itself, then? Or is it just a case of once a Tom Tom always a Tom Tom? ;)

[gorilla]

Oh I don't really have a clue about GPS stuff, althogh I do believe that Nokia Maps is very good software, but the inbuilt GPS is a bit slower than my external GPS, although AGPS helps.

I don't use either a great deal, but the lack of voice navigation on the nokia maps means I plump for Tom Tom. It's hard to compare free software against paid for.

[chagle]

but don't you have to subscribe to the Maps for voice navigation?

[gorilla]

Yes you do, which is why I've never tried it!

[Ben]

There's a free 3 day trial, so there's no excuse! :D

[Hands0n]

Except for being spammed by Tom Tom for the rest of eternity! :D

[chagle]

OMG - Play.com ; They have them! OMG - I shouldn't have done.. but but I couldn't help it! I bought one! Whoop whoop...! 24 hour delivery!

[gorilla]

I presume you bought the N95 8GB (http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/-/530/687/-/3515452/Nokia-N95-Sim-Free-Unlocked-8GB-Mobile-Phone/Product.html?searchtype=genre) for £499?

Isn't that nearly twice as expensive as an iphone? I'm just messing, LOL.

[chagle]

:D

But with no contract :-)

[Ben]

Grats, I'm sure you'll love it but I can't wait to hear what you think! :D I was starting to feel a little lonely!

[Hands0n]

£499 :eek: Ouch! Thats one hell of a lot of mobile handset you're getting though. The price still makes me weak at the knees though :D

Can't wait to read your thoughts though. :)

[chagle]

Coff - I know! But I'm worse than a kid... I want.. I want.. I want!! ;)

[Hands0n]

Coff - I know! But I'm worse than a kid... I want.. I want.. I want!! ;)

Oh you're in very good company here then mate :D No point asking us to help you not buy something :eek:

I desperately do not want an iPhone on O2, really! You watch, give it a week or two and you'll be reading all about it on here :rolleyes:

Technoholics Anonymous this place aint :cool:

[gorilla]

you know you want one. Maybe the kids'll have it on their christmas list!

[ATZ]

Not to completely hi-jack this thread but I'm currently on T-mobile too, just gone over my contract and I'm being called by all and sundry offering me new deal this, new deal that. This morning I was contacted by a very persistent gentleman offering me a staggeringly good deal but on the 3 network (900 units to use on call and text etc).

Now the reason I'm on T-Mobile is because I changed over from 3 as I couldn't hack the poor coverage, speaking to india each time I had a problem and the handsets. I have for the most part been happy with T-Mobile (a few coverage issues aside), and I'm currently paying £25 a month for £80 calling credit on flext, however they are being less than helpful on the upgrade side of things. This chap this morning reckoned that my aforementioned gripes with 3 had now been resolved and it was a great deal he was offering but I have my reservations, so I have come back to you lot for some help.

Do I:

a) Do as the advice in this thread and go into a T-Mobile store to see what they can offer me

or

b) Take this deal with 3?

Any help greatly appreciated as always.

[Ben]

Was it definitely Three that called you? If it was a cold calling third party saying they're Three then stay well away... if you want a deal from Three call them directly.

Go to your T-Mobile store and see what they can offer you, or call up and try and find someone on the phone that's prepared to throw you some treats for another xx months of custom.

[Hands0n]

Yes, go to the T-Mobile store and deal with the manager. I got a fairly cool reception with their call centre. But when I went into the store I was informed that I was a "T2" customer (2nd highest grade) and could he get me a sandwich and a cup of tea while I selected the handset of my choice. :D Okay, so I may be exaggerating a tiddly widdly bit. But I did walk out with a new N95 for £20 and keep my Flext35 +25% discount for life + Web N Walk Plus .... Nice :)

I second Ben's caution - do not deal with anyone on the phone except for 3 themselves. There are plenty of sharks in these waters. Ask them directly "Are you 3 or a dealership" they have to answer you.

[ATZ]

Right check this,

Today on everyone's advice I went into my T-Mobile store in Cardiff to see about an upgrade, the woman behind the desk left me frustrated offering me out of date phones for free or the phones I liked for an extortionate amount (SE W910i - £90, K850i - £200 as examples :eek:), I didn't even ask about the prospect of the LG viewity... Not discouraged I went into T-Mobile's second Cardiff store where I was offered both handsets for £10 and £70 respectively to upgrade, not bad I thought.

Now out of interest I rang T-Mobile direct and asked them what the could offer me, I was quoted the W910i for free, and the K850i for £40, and as a sweetner for being a loyal customer £10 off my line rental until I decided to upgrade for a max of 6months. The nice lady over the phone even advised me to wait till January as they would have better deals available, new handsets, or the above two for free. Just goes to show how variable customer service is within the same company can be!

So question is, in everyones opinion is it worth waiting out till January? I havent got my finger on the pulse of the mobile market so is there a handset worth waiting for until then (any manufacturer although I do like SE), I have to say I'm tempted by the W910i having had a play but the 5mp camera on the K850 is confusing the descision!

[Hands0n]

Question re the Cardiff stores. Were they both T-Mobile stores or was one a franchise? You can tell the franchise as they often sell other networks too but will be prominently T-Mobile (no I don't get it myself either!). But I found from direct experience that the T-Mobile store had the better deals, even over and above the on-line call centre.

I am not sure what the state of play for 1Q/2008 is going to be. There is often a run-up to Christmas where the new toys come out. Probably the best thing is to surf SE's website and see what takes your fancy. There will always be new tariffs and handsets, its a bit of chasing the end of the rainbow. Chances are you buy in now and kick yourself later when the next generation device comes out. All part of the sport I'm afraid :D