[Johnny Brown]

I had considered that but having looked into it it would seem much more expensive.

Just had a browse in a shop and am pretty keen on the Sony Experia Ray. Cheapest contract is £13.50 a month inc phone. Cheapest unlocked phone £143. Even continuing on PAYG at £10 a month that's a lot of fuck-alls before I break even.

O2 or T-mobile looking like best deals at ~£21 a month - 100mins/ 500 txs/ 750mb. Any horror stories before I jump?

How much data do you reckon I need Jim?

[dave]

I've been with tmobile over a decade. No real problems to report, although you won't get signal at the tor or rubicon.

[Johnny Brown]

That's wierd - I've had a signal at the Tor with Orange, and that's shared with T-mobile innit?

[dave]

Yeah same network, i sometimes get signal at the tor by walking around on the road a bit, don't rely on it. Good signal at gara bhein though.

[Jim]

of course I've been on unlimited data forever so have no idea but the wife has 100mb a month and has only reached limit once so far. She mainly uses facebook and emails and reading the paper online and a bit of surfing here and there as her main data usage. The only time she went over she was updating software and watching video's so I told her to only do that over wifi and has been fine since.
Try it and see, most give you the option to upgrade to more data for an extra fuck-all or so a month, really depends what you want to do with it?

[Bubba]

Orange and T-Mobile are still separate networks, but your phone will attempt to switch if it loses signal on one of the networks.  This doesn't seem to happen all that quickly; usually takes a few minutes in my experience.

I have 1.5GB data and don't really use it up, but am pretty careful with apps like Tunein Radio

[tomtom]

I've 500 mb month.. Never over used.

[Johnny Brown]

My ancient dumbphone seems to use both at once. 

Main use of mobile data would be for maps I guess. For the same money there's a choice of more minutes or more data, I hate talking on the phone anyway, and mobile internt is the reason I'm getting a smartphone, so a better data deal would seem sensible. I could go even further and have 50 mins vs 1.5Gb, though I'm guessing I'd be more likely to exceed the minutes there.

[Bubba]

You can save a lot of data by pre-downloading maps via wifi, but obviously that depends on you knowing where you're going first.

[tomtom]

JB, would you use wifi at home? If so I really doubt you'd go over 500mb especially if you're not planning on using it much...

[dave]

I'm on 500mb, hammer in tinternet on it and never gone over yet. I reckon to go over you'd have to be downloading videos all the time.

[Bubba]

If you're just doing the normal surfing/tweeting/email/etc then 500mb will be plenty but if you want to use a lot of web radio or use your phone as a satnav then it might be pushing it a bit. 

[rodma]

If you're just doing the normal surfing/tweeting/email/etc then 500mb will be plenty but if you want to use a lot of web radio or use your phone as a satnav then it might be pushing it a bit.

 

and if like me, you also use it for work email and therefore down/uploading attachments etc. you use up the data really quickly

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I'm on 500mb and wifi at home. Only ever use it all up when I'm away from home, when I do i could easily go over 500mb in a week away from home, I have to use it carefully. I'll go for 1gb or unlimited next time.

I've got a original HTC Desire, ok phones but memory is too small. Mrs Obi has the Desire S which fixes this problem. All the new ones have huge memory's so not a problem.

Still highly recommend Three as a network, I'll stick with them when I renew next month. By far the best mobile internet coverage and speed. In North Wales last week yet again proved again, good coverage when O2 sucked. Same in the Lakes, fast signal when others have zilch. Also the only one that offers true unlimited downloads.

Several free phones on their Ultimate 100 deal.
http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchDevice?tariff=2905&payMonthlyPriceRangeForTariff=0to14.99

Either the Desire C or the Samsung Ace would be good starter Android phones. £13 a month is not many fuck alls.

[PATRuL]

ApPles ... its the only way
THe Windows of perception are too deceptive
Though the Apples can be pretty bruised too these days
Talking with phone shop man otherday
He agreed that how we treat technoloogy is vital
Postive vibe creates the joy
Otherwise its all down Hill and frustraton
Ron knows, his race seemingly spent
The G man knew straight away hence the Alder
The Grime Treecreeper knows a transit from a tank
But we'll be back with the Calavery soonish
Thereabouts, Olympian para heros thereafter
Peace Love Knowledge and Understanding
The other G ... indas
Quick Cap'n Muhammed to the desert!

[dave]

There you go JB, problem solved.

[Johnny Brown]

First post from my new handheld twit machine!

Sony Xperia Ray on the deal above. Still on old sim card til numbers transferred, seems phones from Tesco aren't locked or loaded with bloatware, all good!

[dave]

You do know that model doesn't have a businesscard printer?

[Johnny Brown]

Its got foldout mp3 decks and a big number 5 though, printers are a bit 2008 now.

[dave]

Word up peeps, my mate in prison is at the end of his current phone contract, and with no Wasp T13 on the horizon he's looking at options for android/iphone shit. Gotta have a decent screen, no bigger than an iphone, and ideally fairly robust. Hit me up with what's gravy.

[richieb]

I've been thinking about the Sony Xperia Go. Its got some form of 'ruggedness' certification for dust proofness and water resistancy.   
The screen is apparently not all that great (although it is the same size as iphone) and its got an old version of Android (gingerbread but upgradeable I guess). 

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

If the Nexus 4 begins a trend for reasonably priced phones to buy outright, I recon I may be on my last 2year contract. Not being tied in means you can upgrade and sell your phone before its worthless.

Out of stock currently but shouldn't be long. Starts at £240 for 8gb version

https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_8gb

[tomtom]

Dave, just been through this myself recently..
 
The difference between getting a phone on contract, and getting one sim-free upfront and getting a cheaper monthly rolling network deal (on all the nets) is smaller (if non existent) than it used to be... monthly smartphone deals range from £5-10 a month (3 or Giff gaff) and £10 upwards on the other nets.

Google nexus 4 is a great deal at £240, but its only in stock for a day or two (demand) with a 4-6 week delivery time and limited onboard memory (non expandable) if you have loads of tunes/pics etc..

Expansys.com seems to have a range of top/middle range phones sim free at (usually) competitive prices..

(I have an iFern4 shortly due to be released to the world for £100 if you're interested)..

T

[dave]

At the minute I'm slightly limited as want to stick with Tmobile/orange/EE as they are the only ones with decent signal at my work, so need to find contract phone or sim-only deals with one of the above.

I need to phone Tmobile really and see how much they can cut my bill if I don't want a phone upgrade from then incase I opt for buying a phone upfront.

[Jaspersharpe]

I have this dilemma in January. Cos of the good deal I get with O2 (having been with them for ages and having 2 phones on my contract) the buying up front option has never been worth it. I'd never get a 2 year contract anyway and 18 months = 15 months on O2 so the total cost always works out similar but with the peace of mind of warranty for term of the contract etc.

The Nexus 4 has made me think again though as it is a proper bargain but then if it's going to take a month or two to be available it can fuck off. Maybe after christmas there will be more stock about.

What are the other options and why oh why haven't Nokia got with the programme and made an Android phone?*

*I already know why.