18 month Flext contract - good or bad?

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Hi,

I'm looking to move from Orange soon, as my plan just doesn't suit me anymore and I like the look of the T-mobile Flext deals. The only thing is, when I mention it's an 18 month contract to friends, they make a face like they're chewing on a lemon. Are 18 month contracts generally that bad? I realise I'll have the same phone for over a year, but I'm sure I can put up with that inconvenience for the much better phone and flexibility of the Flext contract.

Would I be completely shafted if I went for an 18 month contract?
 
Soldato
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you'd be shafted in the fact that you cant move your contract down for 17 months (Someone on here said). Also how if your phone develops a fault after 12 months its not covered by warranty. And if you have problems with T-Mobile, phoning them is 50p a min (imagine being on hold for 10 mins!)

Now for some vodafone pimpage....

They realise 18 month contracts are a bit long, but a lot of people, not including techheads like us, dont upgrade the day their 12 monther ends. Vodafone extend their warranty to the 18 months and repairs are done very quickly (o2, something like 28 days, vodafone, 4-5) plus you get a loan phone. Free to phone CS and also you can upgrade at 16 months and downgrade the contract after 9. There are a whole load of new tariffs out to content with the flext ones, its best to phone up and get them to wangle jangle something, (albeit, sometimes still not as good) but for me its all the other little things I mentioned which makes it worth paying that few quid extra.

I know I work at vodafone so I look REALLY biased, but working there I realise exactly the kinda service we offer, I used to think Voda were overpriced, but I dont think they are anymore.

Hope that helps :)
 
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Well i just recently went over to tmobile and am on the fletx50 with web n walk tariff. Tbh i wasnt too impressed with the 18 mth contract but i thought what the hell ill just go for it.
If anything should happen to my phone then ill be straight onto them as sale of goods act would probably protect me if the phone goes belly up etc. So far ive been with them for about a week and cant say i have any problems with them.
Ive only had to call CS once to give them my PAC code from o2, same thing with o2 i never really had any reason to ring them as i was more or less set with them.
If Tmobile do screw up and mess me about then there will be hell to pay...good thing my boss knows some pretty high flying lawyers who im sure would love to take on tmobile:p.

But i would think that the sale of goods act would cover you should the product break after the first 12 mths. Personally im not too bothered as i tend to buy my phones sim free as it is. My W810i is the first network branded handset ive ever had but im getting that unlocked and unbranded today and i couldnt give a toss what tmobile say...im not paying extra money for their insurance..plus i could claim my handset on my home insurance.
 
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I used devinci to unbrand my 810i and its much better now. The nice flash menus work, which makes it worth all the hassle(and it was, they really dont make it easy!)
 
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i like my flext contract :) customer service has been good, although you have to wait a while to get through..orange are turning into ripoff artists.
 
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MehulLakhani said:
Just wondering - where are you getting in unlocked and unbranded ? You using the da vinci site ?

R

Mehul


Nope a friend of mine who works in a mobile phone shop is doing it for me free of charge...could unbrand it through da vinci but why bother when i get it done for free lol:p
 
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spirit said:
i like my flext contract :) customer service has been good, although you have to wait a while to get through..orange are turning into ripoff artists.


Yes it took me around 30mins to get through to them but once through i found the guy ever so helpful.
 
Soldato
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Orange try to price match the Tmobile contracts. Just say you're leaving and they might do you a deal. I was offered 500 mins and 500 texts for £25 a month. Sure it's an 18 month contract, but that's a damn good deal.
 
Soldato
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Just a bit of extra info on the Flext - after 6 months they say they'll do a 'health check' on your tariff, and if you can save money by moving down to a cheaper Flext deal, then that's what they'll do. So you *can* change down, but only after 6 months, and most likely under their guidance.

But there's nothing stopping you starting on a lower tariff and then moving up (at any time, I think) should you need more out of your allowance.

I'm happy with my 18mo deal. If I get sick of my phone I can always sell it on and get a new pay-go phone for use with my contract SIM.
 
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sara said:
Just a bit of extra info on the Flext - after 6 months they say they'll do a 'health check' on your tariff, and if you can save money by moving down to a cheaper Flext deal, then that's what they'll do. So you *can* change down, but only after 6 months, and most likely under their guidance.

But there's nothing stopping you starting on a lower tariff and then moving up (at any time, I think) should you need more out of your allowance.

I'm happy with my 18mo deal. If I get sick of my phone I can always sell it on and get a new pay-go phone for use with my contract SIM.

but no doubt ull lose ** 25% off if you got that offer, im laughing flext 35 for 26£ that equates to around 900 odd minuts (0txts) which u cant get anywhere else.

Orange didnt wnat to price match me, even though i was moving 5 contracts away from them.
 
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Brill, ta for the advice people. Seems like the Flext contracts are pretty popular, although I'm a bit gutted about missing the 25% off deal that ran throughout April! :mad:
 
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spirit said:
but no doubt ull lose ** 25% off if you got that offer
I don't think you do, actually.

I'm laughing even harder as I've made friends with someone working at T-Mobile - Flext35 + WnW for £21.25 per month, yummy!
 
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sara said:
I don't think you do, actually.

I'm laughing even harder as I've made friends with someone working at T-Mobile - Flext35 + WnW for £21.25 per month, yummy!


No you dont actually, you wont lose your 25% reduction should after 6 mths you want to lower your tariff.

Im quite happy with mine as well, although i missed out the 25% discount...damn me and my procastinating lol:p. im on the flext50 with web n walk...comes out to £60 in total which is lower than my o2 tariff, where i was spending too much money on calls and texts. I think this tariff will be a lot cheaper as i dont mind spending up to £100 on my tmobile tariff...it makes more economical sense for me and my company that pays for my bills:D...
 
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Seraphim said:
Brill, ta for the advice people. Seems like the Flext contracts are pretty popular, although I'm a bit gutted about missing the 25% off deal that ran throughout April! :mad:

week i left bloke on orange customer service told me literally thousands of their customers were porting to T-mob

When i last used t-mob bout 2/3 years ago they were utter crap, no receptione tc, but now much much much better.

WnW was a bit pointless for me cause i chose the nokia 6280 (incoming flac about how unreliable whatever it looks nice and does the job) but i was seriously tempted to get it and the XDA (?i think one with screen that slides to reveal keyboard & touchscreen)
 
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sara said:
I don't think you do, actually.

I'm laughing even harder as I've made friends with someone working at T-Mobile - Flext35 + WnW for £21.25 per month, yummy!

no fair did they put u on their friends nominate list thing so u get way cheaper tarrifs hook me up :p
 
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spirit said:
i was seriously tempted to get it and the XDA (?i think one with screen that slides to reveal keyboard & touchscreen)

no fair did they put u on their friends nominate list thing so u get way cheaper tarrifs hook me up :p
Slidey screen to reveal KB - thats the MDA Vario, which I have. Quality toy!

And I can't hook you up with anything - if you have a friend who works for them however, they can offer you a Friends and Relations discount of 50%. I was just lucky he chose to offer it to me :)
 
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sara said:
Slidey screen to reveal KB - thats the MDA Vario, which I have. Quality toy!

And I can't hook you up with anything - if you have a friend who works for them however, they can offer you a Friends and Relations discount of 50%. I was just lucky he chose to offer it to me :)

aye i was gonna get that, but thing is right, i didn't think it owuld last the whole 18months (which for you may not be a problem) -- I don't have any mates working for Tmob afaik, (i am still only 19), but ill check out if my sisters do :)

anyone feeling nice and who works for tmobile i would love cheaper bills :p :)
 
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sara said:
I don't think you do, actually.

Actually its more or less a certainty that you will - they clearly said that ANY (increase or decrease) changes to tariffs can (and most likely will) result in the loss of the 25% off due to it being originally for the tariff that was taken out under the promotion. So really you are stuck with whateva tariff you took out at the time of the offer. I just hope peeps got what they really wanted.
 
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Alty said:
Actually its more or less a certainty that you will - they clearly said that ANY (increase or decrease) changes to tariffs can (and most likely will) result in the loss of the 25% off due to it being originally for the tariff that was taken out under the promotion. So really you are stuck with whateva tariff you took out at the time of the offer. I just hope peeps got what they really wanted.

Sorry dude - thats wrong, the 25% discount will stay with you and on any Flext contract for the time that you remain on Flext, moving up or down the tariff
 
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