My current contract with Tmobile is almost up and I will be into the negotiations for a new contract and phone and I currently have no real idea what to go for so am after a bit of advice.

I currently have a Galaxy S2 which is okay for size and weight but is not great for battery life. I am happy enough with Android but would switch if they made a good offer on an iphone but am not desperate for one. I do not use the phone enough to justify 4G but want the ability to check emails and do texts and emails with my sausage like fingers.

What would people advise?

Thanks in advance.

I "upgraded" to a galaxy SIII mini and can't fault it. Much better than the San Fransisco from Orange that I had previously.  I didn't upgrade the amount I pay so couldn't have 4G on Orange, but don't really miss what I've never had !

I have had a Galaxy ace but broke the screen . I replaced it with a sim free galaxy ace 2 from amazon. 118 from hong kong or 147 from UK. So much better phone and great battery life 2 to 3 days ( it had a bigger battery. Daughter s phone needs charging twice a day. Then get a sim only contract .

I "upgraded" to a galaxy SIII mini and can't fault it. Much better than the San Fransisco from Orange that I had previously.  I didn't upgrade the amount I pay so couldn't have 4G on Orange, but don't really miss what I've never had !

 

+1 for that, have had the Galaxy S3 Mini since it came out and it is by far the best smartphone I have ever had. Upgraded the original keyboard with a keyboard app (better "key's", better word suggestions and so on than the original) named SwiftKey and that took care of the only problem I had with it ... or myself ... clumsy fingers ... ;-)

Nexus 5

^ this

Another S3 Mini user here, again very happy with it. Good smartphone and small enough to fit comfortably in your jeans pocket.

Galaxy S4 user here and I love it!!!! :love:

Nexus 5

 

+1 but I'd buy it outright and go for a sim only deal.

Another option is the Moto G. I'm getting the Mrs one instead of an S3 mini.

Cough *  5s * Cough   :think:

Cough *  5s * Cough   :think:

 

Is that an iCough you have there? Don't you know - an apple a day keeps the iPhone away

I hear bleating oh... An Isheep. 

 

You can pickup a Galaxy S3 for around about £250 Sim Free, better than an S4 as it has an FM radio as well, which great if you want to listen to scores when at a footy, rugger or cricket match.

Galaxy S3 great phone and some good deals about  as TheWanderer mentioned.

I have had my Galaxy S3 for a year now, and its been a great phone.

 

Currently paying £38 pm now though.

 

Come renewal time, I will be keeping it, or buying a new handset outright, and sticking a Giff Gaff sim in it.

 

£12 a month, 250 mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data, or £10 a month for 500 mins talk time, unlimited texts and 1GB data.

 

Doing this currently with my daughters contract, then SWMBO and me, then my sons

 

Should take it down from a combined total of £125 pm to £40-48pm

 

I won't be bothered about having the latest handset, just be happy with a decent one and ecstatic with the monthly saving!

Don't forget that you can if you want to buy a Samsung GS3 phone on a 12 month contract and then flash it using a bit of software called Odin, which should remove the network lock.

 

I've got my S3 running Jelly Bean 4.3, I was one of the few who got offered it and made the mistake of downloading & installing it, it's a piece of bug ridden cack, so in a while I'll be backing the phone up & then using Odin flashing it back to Android 4.1.2 which is stable.

Don't forget that you can if you want to buy a Samsung GS3 phone on a 12 month contract and then flash it using a bit of software called Odin, which should remove the network lock.

 

I've got my S3 running Jelly Bean 4.3, I was one of the few who got offered it and made the mistake of downloading & installing it, it's a piece of bug ridden cack, so in a while I'll be backing the phone up & then using Odin flashing it back to Android 4.1.2 which is stable.

 

Go the other way.  There are many 4.4 KitKat based ROMS for the SGS3 out there that are streets ahead of any of the stock ROMS.  Or any of the myriad of non stock 4.3 ones providing a stable 4.3 experience. 

 

I lasted 2 days on stock 4.3 on one of my handsets, what a complete shambles. Mine suffered just about every one of the reported faults and was all but unusable.. 4 weeks turn around with no replacement handset from 3, or 10 minutes installing CM 10.2.

Thanks for the advice. Will have to see what offers they have for me. The system is so complex now with the multiple options of price plans and costs of handsets so will ahve to look carefully at what they offer against what i could get as a new customer.

Thanks for the advice. Will have to see what offers they have for me. The system is so complex now with the multiple options of price plans and costs of handsets so will ahve to look carefully at what they offer against what i could get as a new customer.

Current contracts with phones are appalling value compared to SIM free phone and contract. It'll cost you more overall as well.

Might be worth doing some sums before locking into a contract.

I'm on a 30 day sim only contract with Tmobile @£12 and last time I looked would need to spend £40/month for 24 months to get the same bundle plus pay £100 up front for one of the leading smartphones.

If your not a heavy phone user, then try:

 

http://ovivomobile.com/offer/ovivo-for-phones/

 

£20 one off fee, £15 of which is applied as phone credit gives you 150 mins + 300 txts + 500mb data every month and nothing more to pay.......ever!!

 

The they piggy back off Vodaphones network.

 

Its sim only, in which case the Moto G is incredible value at £99 from tesco and can be unlocked from ebay for £2.04. All three of my kids are on this, and have been for the last 8 months, the monthly saving is considerable. When at home they switch to home WiFi, and only use the data when out and about.

 

If your a heavy phone user the try Three's sim only One plan at £15 p/m 2000 mins + unlim texts + truly unlimited data + FREE upgrade to 4G when launched at the end of this month.

 

If you want a more top end phone then go for the Nexus 5, a fantastic bit of kit for a bargain £309 from Google Play.

 

Going this route you'll be amazed at how much cheaper it is than getting a contract phone.

Edited 1 December, 201312 yr by octavialover

Current contracts with phones are appalling value compared to SIM free phone and contract. It'll cost you more overall as well.

Might be worth doing some sums before locking into a contract.

I'm on a 30 day sim only contract with Tmobile @£12 and last time I looked would need to spend £40/month for 24 months to get the same bundle plus pay £100 up front for one of the leading smartphones.

  

If your not a heavy phone user, then try:

 

http://ovivomobile.com/offer/ovivo-for-phones/

 

£20 one off fee, £15 of which is applied as phone credit gives you 150 mins + 300 txts + 500mb data every month and nothing more to pay.......ever!!

 

The they piggy back off Vodaphones network.

 

Its sim only, in which case the Moto G is incredible value at £99 from tesco and can be unlocked from ebay for £2.04. All three of my kids are on this, and have been for the last 8 months, the monthly saving is considerable. When at home they switch to home WiFi, and only use the data when out and about.

 

If your a heavy phone user the try Three's sim only One plan at £15 p/m 2000 mins + unlim texts + truly unlimited data + FREE upgrade to 4G when launched at the end of this month.

 

If you want a more top end phone then go for the Nexus 5, a fantastic bit of kit for a bargain £309 from Google Play.

 

Going this route you'll be amazed at how much cheaper it is than getting a contract phone.

Went into the EE shop for a quick chat and to have a look at phones yesterday and the numbers they are quoting are stupid for what I am using so was already looking at the sim only deals and what I would have to pay in one off for a reasonable phone and even that is negotiable as I'm not a massive user of it other than checking emails.

I can feel a spreadsheet coming on!

The 2 best value and decent spec sim free are the Nexus 5 and Moto G.

The 16GB moto G is £129 at Tesco, and you can unlock easily to use on another network and flash with the stock rom.

I've just bought a SGS4 from Expansys for £414, however I went through Quidco, so got it for £405, it's the tri-band one so it's capable of 4G, 3G & 2G, so all being well will last me a couple of years.

 

It's a Sim Free one, so I'm not tied to a specific network, so whilst the initial cost is quite high, I'll recoup that via the lower cost of a 30 day contract deal.

The £400 or £500+ prices of some handsets sim free is obscene IMO. I'd never pay that.

I'm fairly set on the plan of going sim free and on a month by month system with giffgaff looking favourite at the moment. I looked at the ovivomobile octavialover mentioned but not sure I could put up with the advertising. I need to look at unlocking my current phone as in reality it pretty much does what I need it to. Tmobile are quoting over £20 and 60 days to get a code for it with the giffgaff community saying you can do it yourself for free but the process seems convoluted and complex involving rooting and various downloads for a technophobe like me! So I may end up going to a third party supplier for convienience!

Much as I'd like a nice shiny S4 I can't justify the £400ish for one given my useage.