Changed my mind....
Monday, June 15, 2009 at 9:33AM Been a strange week with regards to the iPhone 3G S
If you read my previous post, you'll assume that I'd pretty much decided to go with the PAYG option to save myself a few quid.
Well this week I very nearly decided not to upgrade at all. With all the discussions and upset over the pricing of the new iPhone, I really felt like I couldn't be bothered. A couple of podcasts later though, and I'm fired up again and will in fact be getting a 32GB with a standard 18 month plan.
Why?
Well if we put aside the reason for buying a new phone in the first place (it's my job, etc...) I sort of decided to put up with the extra expense as an insurance for the future. I know you have to configure the iPhone differently for PAYG and I just felt that it's possible I may miss out on some features when traveling. Plus I'm wondering if O2 may come to their senses in the future about tethering and implement some reasonable charging or even some sort of PAYG option just for tethering. What I'd really like to see is the ability to offset unused Phone minutes in exchange for tethered data - that would be perfect for me.
In fact, let me just Tweet that!
Right, done. - http://twitter.com/DonMcAllister/status/2175581591
One thing I've done differently this year is to pre-order from the CarPhone Warehouse.
I really couldn't cope with the palaver of dealing with the O2 store again, after queuing up for an hour or two only to see their network go into meltdown at 9am. Hopefully, I'll get the phone on Friday but this time round, I'm not that bothered if it takes an extra couple of days. Actually, I'm wondering if there will be much in the way of queues anywhere this year. The backlash over the pricing may well suppress the demand this time round, especially here in the UK, so expect much doom and gloom in the Press about the lack of buzz this time round.
Footnote: If anyone is interested, lost another 3lbs this week on my sensible eating plan. That brings me down to 14st 4lbs (200lbs or 91Kgs) Apparently, my target weight is 12st 4lbs so I'm estimating on loosing approx 2lbs per week (ManMania9 weeks excluded) so it could take me three months or so to get there. It's really no big deal at the moment and isn't causing me any grief, just eating sensibly and upped my exercise.
Reader Comments (17)
Hi Don,
I'm going to spend £528 on the PAYG 32GB, put in my 3G Pay Monthly sim and sell my 3G to MazumaMobile.com for £200. Then I can stay on my current contract which will have expired by NEXT June and I'll be able to upgrade again.
O2 have confirmed that you can swop sims from your 3G Pay Monthly into your 3G S PAYG and it will work.
Oh, for what it's worth, when I bought my first iPhone CarPhone Warehouse tried to insist that I had to buy insurance and an "accessories pack" with it. I argued with them for 20 min and got my own way (they'd already charged my card for the phone). A couple of weeks' later they got slammed by some consumer organisation for it.
Let's hope they don't try the same scam again on Friday...
Now that does sound like a plan! I've decided to give my existing 3G to my son for when he goes to University, but if I was looking to upgrade my phone, this seems a great way to do it.
Hey Chris, if you take a look at eBay 3Gs are selling for upwards of £300!! That's definitely where mine is going!
Toph.
I'm sure you're aware of this at the bottom of this page:
"Fatal error: Call to undefined function wp_ffcomments() in /home/myownrea/public_html/wp-content/themes/k2/single.php on line 9"
Updated - Thanks Chris - Fixed!
I should note I meant '3G' plural! not 3GS!!
Toph.
Thanks for the tip! Sounds like it won't be as expensive as we thought to upgrade, despite O2's policies.
Interesting idea going PAYG. Question : If I bought PAYG, could I stick a simplicity SIM in it and get my calls, texts and unlimited data?
Jim, I would say not. The iPhone is still locked to the O2 network. You might be able to use an unlock hack eventually.
I have just done the maths and I think considering my usage PAYG is worthwhile, not to mention considering they hold their value I will be able to get a fair chunk back in 24 months time to buy a new one.
@Chris Parker: Thanks for the mazuma heads-up, found I can get £100 back for my N95 :o)
I upgraded my 1st gen to the 3G at Carphone Warehouse.
As Chris said I too had a nightmare trying to tell them I didn't want the insurance, I also received 3 or 4 phone calls from them trying to sell me it.
After refusing every time I was surprised to find in my next bill a extra charge for insurance.
I phoned 02 and complained and they quickly put a credit on my bill and cancelled the insurance policy Carphone had placed on my bill.
I phoned Carphone Warehouse and complained they said they would give me a £20 voucher to compensate for the MISTAKE...
One year later I'm still waiting on it after 2 more calls.....
I would stick with 02 Don... :-)
Sorry if this is a little OT, but does anyone know if the deal in O2 stores is different to O2 online? Does the PAYG deal in-store also contain the 12 month web&walk bundle?
I've got another question - is it possible to reserve a PAYG iPhone for collection on Friday? I can't see anything about it on the web.
@Chris Parker: I asked 2 O2 stores and they both said they are not allowed to reserve stock.
@Jim - thanks. I'm away Friday so I'll see if I can talk my girlfriend into going down to the shops early :-)
I'm going for the Pay as you go option and using my current pay monthly sim and letting my wife have my current iPhone with my new Pay as you go sim.
Also have any of you come across this interesting blog post regarding iPhone tethering with O2. Looks like we should all call Ofcom. http://tinyurl.com/o2tehering
Would i be able to buy an iphone 3gs on pay as you go and use my current o2 monthly contract sim inside? its currently being used on a nokia 3g phone.