Anybody know a web site that compares mobile phones? I've got a load of catalogues and leaflets, but I'm just getting more confused! Probably getting a pay as you go but which is the best deal?? Can anybody help?

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Answers

Careful with Pay as you Blow cos most of them (if not all!) are a rip off!! the quoted cheap tariffs that are shown usually only apply if you are ringing a mobile on the same network....ie. a quoted 2p per min on Cellnet pay as you go only applies if you are ringing another Cellnet mobile....any other mobile and it jumps up to 30/40 p per min!!

Fucking rip off wankers.....

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Gav, what would you recommend? I don't want anything fancy like Internet access - just phone calls and text messaging. It's more for emergency use (like when the car broke down the other day). I probably wouldn't use it enough to justify paying £15 a month or whatever.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

If it really is just one off calls and text messages then you are probably better off with the pay as you blow option....not certain which is the best one though....I will say that I know One2One is shite so stay away from them.....

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Try the Carphone Warehouse - www.carphonewarehouse.com. They have an "assisted purchase" option which you may find helpful. If you're looking for best coverage I would stick with Vodaphone or Cellnet.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Vodafone has good coverage...except for a crappy bit of the A40 after Greenford that goes blank for 1/2 mile. Oh, and it's a crap line in my living room too.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

From time to time I go off hiking 'on me todd', and wor lass persuaded me to get a mobile - something I'd sworn never to do - for emergency purposes, as she never knew where I might be.

I got a Nokkia with One-2-One which have proven virtually useless - as soon as I get 15 miles from the Toon in any direction the signal dies.

As I usually go off into he wilds of Northumbria or The Lakes, it hasn't been a whole lot of use - although I did once manage to call her from Striding Edge to advise her I was scared witless!

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

I just got a phone reluctently & the spotty oik from carphone whorehouse tried to get me onto a pay through the nose phone costing £80 + vouchers. Then I asked about pay upfront phones, they don't usually sell many of them he said but I worked out this was far away the best option. £90 for 15 months with 50mins of calls a month all I need. It lso had the internet but with such a small screen I can't believe the porn is that good on the phone & not used it yet.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Gav - surely that 30-40p per min applies to contracts too? Did in my day. I went payt because vodafone made me - they actually refused to disconnect my phone at the end of my contract and gave me a months free everything. I've been topping up from time to time, and I find it works out cheaper - probably because I never phone anyone.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Steph - have a look at Virgin. I had one when i was in the UK - their tariffs are [slightly] higher but they charge by the second and it's a flat rate all the time - and the cost of calls goes down if you use it for more than 10 minutes a day. Plus, you own the phone when you buy it, there's no monthly charge and if you're having an expensive time of it, you can just not use it and let people call you...

; o )

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Seeing Gavs got the hump.

Oooeeer min, if you had the virgin in England then it aint a virgin anymore!

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000