New online phone purchase

[den9112]

Hi, i am looking to purchase a mobile phone (contract) and its been a lot of years since i actually had a new phone and contract..
I was looking for recommendations of online places to purchase from with confidence as i know the web is a minefield..
Any advice on any stores to look at or avoid would be appreciated..Thanks

[BlueJazz]

The answer will depend on a few factors:

Budget
Network preference
Existing phone type e.g. does it use Android (Google, Samsung, Nokia etc.) or Apple.

[numtumfutunch]

No connection, pardon the pun, however I have used mobilephonesdirect a few times and they have been decent especially through Quidco. I believe they are now operating under the AO banner but obvs DYOR

Cheers

[journeymanpro]

numtumfutunch said:

No connection, pardon the pun, however I have used mobilephonesdirect a few times and they have been decent especially through Quidco. I believe they are now operating under the AO banner but obvs DYOR

Cheers

Took delivery of my 4th order from these guys last week, can't fault them.

[tr7v8]

Bought a phone recently because it looked like i was losing my company one. Bought an Honor X7 from Amazon for £150 & used a SIM only deal from EE. Generally SIM only deals & buying your phone separately gives better deals.

[DE1975]

Compare deals on uswitch or other comparison sites. Usually all their retailers are decent. I've gone through uswitch a few times and bought from their recommended deals from mobile phones direct and affordable mobiles who were both good. Indistinguishable from buying from network operators direct, apart from being much cheaper. Of course the best deals are when you switch networks, but that's not a big issue nowadays

[Road2Ruin]

Tesco mobile offer good value and of course are a well established brand. Their network is O2, so check coverage in your area.

[den9112]

Hi,many thanks for the replies..
I am looking at the iphone 13 on contract, as i have been on a Android for the past few years were i have purchased the sim free phone and just bought a sim.However i want to go back to a Iphone always missed having one and in my opinion they just perform better than Android..
I have looked at mobiles direct and some deals go to ID mobile which Currys own ,they are cheaper with mixed reviews..
Tesco with clubcard are reasonable but i dont like a 36 month contract ..I will have a look around today on the net..

[Road2Ruin]

den9112 said:

Hi,many thanks for the replies..
I am looking at the iphone 13 on contract, as i have been on a Android for the past few years were i have purchased the sim free phone and just bought a sim.However i want to go back to a Iphone always missed having one and in my opinion they just perform better than Android..
I have looked at mobiles direct and some deals go to ID mobile which Currys own ,they are cheaper with mixed reviews..
Tesco with clubcard are reasonable but i dont like a 36 month contract ..I will have a look around today on the net..

You don't have to have a 36 month contract with Tesco, just change the option to anything from 12 month upwards.

[Captain_Morgan]

Perhaps the easiest option would be to research the options for the phone you want on the network that best serves your coverage requirements & then post up some of the best options so folk can say if they’ve had good or poor experiences with that supplier?

[Deesee]

den9112 said:

Hi,many thanks for the replies..
I am looking at the iphone 13 on contract, as i have been on a Android for the past few years were i have purchased the sim free phone and just bought a sim.However i want to go back to a Iphone always missed having one and in my opinion they just perform better than Android..
I have looked at mobiles direct and some deals go to ID mobile which Currys own ,they are cheaper with mixed reviews..
Tesco with clubcard are reasonable but i dont like a 36 month contract ..I will have a look around today on the net..

Apple do 24 months interest free credit, pair this up with a sim free contract on your choosing, 30 day/12m/24 month, even some of the PAYG offerings are decent.

[OutInTheShed]

A couple of people I know have used these guys:
https://www.theioutlet.com/product-category/refurb...

As-new phones basically.

[den9112]

Deesee said:

Apple do 24 months interest free credit, pair this up with a sim free contract on your choosing, 30 day/12m/24 month, even some of the PAYG offerings are decent.

This looks like a good option

[M4cruiser]

Hi den
As tr7v8 says above, I normally buy a nearly-new handset (sim free) and a sim-only contract. It works better for me to keep them separate. Done that for a few years now and a few handsets, since being ripped off for a continuous "both" deal which I didn't fully understand, and continued to pay for the handset well beyond where I should have stopped.

[Deesee]

den9112 said:

Deesee said:

Apple do 24 months interest free credit, pair this up with a sim free contract on your choosing, 30 day/12m/24 month, even some of the PAYG offerings are decent.

This looks like a good option

I’ve done this for the last 6/8 yrs, but on Apple dot com, or walk into an Apple Store. Last SE was 13£ a month, after two years no more payments.

I’m a heavy user so have 120gb unlimited calls unlimited texts (blah blah) and Spotify on Vodafone 28£ a month, however wife has 10gb for less than a tenner.

FIL just got him a PAYG sim (o2) it’s something like 1000mins, 1000 texts £10 top up a month.. cheap as chips for piece of mind.

[the-norseman]

I always buy the phones out right and do sim only.

[megaphone]

Apple have refurb 13s available. I bought a 13 mini recently, like new.

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished/iphone/i...

[ccr32]

Deesee said:

den9112 said:

Hi,many thanks for the replies..
I am looking at the iphone 13 on contract, as i have been on a Android for the past few years were i have purchased the sim free phone and just bought a sim.However i want to go back to a Iphone always missed having one and in my opinion they just perform better than Android..
I have looked at mobiles direct and some deals go to ID mobile which Currys own ,they are cheaper with mixed reviews..
Tesco with clubcard are reasonable but i dont like a 36 month contract ..I will have a look around today on the net..

Apple do 24 months interest free credit, pair this up with a sim free contract on your choosing, 30 day/12m/24 month, even some of the PAYG offerings are decent.

This is what I have done - the Apple finance is provided through Barclays and can be got in store or online. The added benefit of going this route (separate phone finance to the mobile contract itself) is when all network providers invariably put up their prices by RPI/CPI +4% or whatever each year, the annual bump up will be a lot smaller (or nil I've found for some) if you are sim only (i.e. RPI+4 on a £5/month airtime contract is a lot less than RPI+4 on a £40/month phone and airtime contract).

You are also then not tied into any type of contract other than the finance agreement, which can be paid up without penalty at any time if you wish.

[nickfrog]

the-norseman said:

I always buy the phones out right and do sim only.

Me too £8 ID sim with 20gb or something including EU.

Just bought a £180 Redmi Note Pro which is incredibly good, and not just for the money.

[Turtle Shed]

the-norseman said:

I always buy the phones out right and do sim only.

Same here. Latest phone is a Redmi Note 10 Pro. Cost me £129.00 on Amazon and is all the phone anyone could ever need, and all the phone most could ever want.

£10.00/month on Tesco mobile, job done.