Buying new handset outright v contracts

IanM

IanM

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My Galaxy S6 is getting a bit past it now, have had some shocking quotes to upgrade with current supplier....

Several colleagues have said, you're better off buying outright, much cheaper. Saw prices for S9 vary by about £300 on various sites online, so start wondering if the cheaper ones are legit.

Views on trusted sources/prices appreciated!
 
My own private mobile I buy outright and try to get sim free if possible, and choose a package that suits my needs. Work phone is on contract.
 
Depends on the handset. For me, buying my iPhone X outright and paying for a sim only contract worked out cheaper over 24 months than the cheapest iPhone X contract I could find.
 
Just done this and got a Moto 6 and sim only package giving me 5 GB a month , 500 mins and unlimited texts for £10 on iD, £8 cheaper than EE for 500 MB a month and free calls /texts
 
since i treat my phones like the pieces of junk they are, i always buy second hand (so outright!).

If i was to buy new i'd start my looking at outright, find what i actually want and then look to see if there are some good bargains to get them as a deal instead of outright.
 
upsidedown said:
Just done this and got a Moto 6 and sim only package giving me 5 GB a month , 500 mins and unlimited texts for £10 on iD, £8 cheaper than EE for 500 MB a month and free calls /texts
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I am on iD too, can’t fault it, I have a 4GB contract at the same price but never get near it, they added data rollover and Wi-fi calling recently too.

It’s hard to fault really!

I just pay a little each month for the phone on the Apple update plan. I get apple care in that too!

I’ve realised I’m not a serial phone updater but you can just see the payment plan out at 0% interest.
 
I worked it out and over the course of 2 years for the one I wanted would cost within 5-10 pounds so went for pay monthly
 
ScienceBoy said:
I’ve not had contract in years as I mostly got phones second hand, what’s the advantage of contract if it costs the same?
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Spreading the cost rather than using my savings

Get better contract plans , I don’t overly need the data they threw at me but means I can tether on my laptop when out

So I get the cost spread and more data
 
When I switched contracts recently I did it through mobiles.co.uk. Their contract offers were far cheaper than what EE were offering me for my upgrade. I got a Galaxy A5 (2017) with 4gb data for £24 a month.

If you can find a good second handset and go sim-only contract, that's just as good I suppose. I'm never keen to buy a second hand phone though as you don't know how much lifespan the battery has left in it.
 
dewsweeper said:
Any feedback on Huawei phones please ?
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I had the Huawei P9, after a year and a half the battery was basically shagged though - i.e. it only lasted about 5-6 hours of use. The phone itself and it's features were still in working order though. I've heard great reviews about the Huawei P20, which I think is the latest one. I've seen review sites rating it third or fourth best phone after the top Samsung and iPhones, and the OnePlus.
 
Orikoru said:
I had the Huawei P9, after a year and a half the battery was basically shagged though - i.e. it only lasted about 5-6 hours of use. The phone itself and it's features were still in working order though. I've heard great reviews about the Huawei P20, which I think is the latest one. I've seen review sites rating it third or fourth best phone after the top Samsung and iPhones, and the OnePlus.
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Thanks
 
Orikoru said:
When I switched contracts recently I did it through mobiles.co.uk. Their contract offers were far cheaper than what EE were offering me for my upgrade. I got a Galaxy A5 (2017) with 4gb data for £24 a month.

If you can find a good second handset and go sim-only contract, that's just as good I suppose. I'm never keen to buy a second hand phone though as you don't know how much lifespan the battery has left in it.
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I used these aswell

Tesco I asked for my code to keep my number they said we can try and match so I told them the deal they said well we don’t match 3rd parties..

When they aren’t even a proper network ! Cheek of them lol

Told me it wouldn’t really be o2 etc .. funny it works fine and contract says o2

Arrived next day aswel
 
I got the Motorola G4 2 years ago with Tesco and that was paid off interest free over 2 years. I've just re-negotiated a sim only deal as the phone still works really well, it does everything I do and so see no need to upgrade.
I liked the fact that once you paid off the phone, you only had the tariff which is a lot better than the old system where you kept on paying for the phone as long as you had it.
 
Robster59 said:
I got the Motorola G4 2 years ago with Tesco and that was paid off interest free over 2 years. I've just re-negotiated a sim only deal as the phone still works really well, it does everything I do and so see no need to upgrade.
I liked the fact that once you paid off the phone, you only had the tariff which is a lot better than the old system where you kept on paying for the phone as long as you had it.
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Did same with Tesco 3 years ago got an iPhone 6s.. paid it over 24 months interest free.. soon as contract was up it dropped to £17 a Month. Then I just got a decent sim only deal from em

Year later I upgraded to a iPhone 8 because my daughter likes to play with my phone so she will start dropping it in the bath etc.. wanted water proof

Not bad life out the 6s and got £140 for it via music magpie
 
I went sim only from the off. It means that if I switch companies I only have to get a sim to put in to my existing phone.

Not a big user and currently get 1gb, unlimited minutes and texts for £5 a month from BT (part of my broadband deal).
 
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