Mobile meltdown - dilema

[Kentish]

I'm with O2, have been for about 2 years and my phone battery had an internal short whilst charging and has melted the phone and SIM card.

I changed to the simplicity tariff about 6 months ago because I'm not a heavy user and now get inclusive calls and text, not many but enough for me for £15 a month.

The phone I used was a PDA type phone with GPS and email, a 3G phone, so quite good.

O2 is the best network for coverage locally and everywhere I've been it's been good.

I also want to keep my number and O2 are sending me a new SIM card FOC which is good of them (Orange used to charge £25 IIRC).

Trouble is I won't have a working phone to put it in

I could upgrade but apparently have to go back to a contract and would jump from paying £15 to about £40 a month to get a decent phone.

I can get a better deal at an independent store but I'd have a new number which I don't want to do. I assume I won't be able to switch a new O2 number to my old O2 number as they already have my business on that number so why would they do that? Other networks do of course to entice you over to them. Or, am I completely wrong and that is something they will do?

Any other ideas on what options I have or where to get a phone without spending a fortune?

Thanks all,
K

[mouseymousey]

If you want to go to O2 via an independent store and keep your number then get a pay as you go SIM on another network, transfer your O2 number to them, then transfer back to O2 via the independent shop.

[Plotloss]

Transfer your number onto PAYG from another provider, put up with a cheap phone for a month or so (you can now get a PAYG phone for £10), then transfer back to O2 getting the handset of your choice.

[Tunku]

It's a dilemma, or possibly dilemna...

[Kentish]

Thanks, that's not a bad idea but is a bit of faffing.

I suppose I could just buy a PAYG O2 phone from Tesco and pop my current SIM in it?

Trouble is they are £72 upwards...

[Plotloss]

Its the only way to keep your current number and stay with O2 getting a subsidised phone.

http://cheapestmobilephonedeals.co.uk/payg.asp?con...

[Kentish]

Plotloss said:

Its the only way to keep your current number and stay with O2 getting a subsidised phone.

http://cheapestmobilephonedeals.co.uk/payg.asp?con...

Thanks Matt.

That's a good site - looks like I can pick up a good phone (all I need) for £45 on O2

It's a pre-pay phone so comes with £10 credit, so after I use that up I can swap my O2 contract SIM into it and just keep the pre-pay SIM as a back up without incurring extra cost, is that right?

[Chim Girl]

Kentish said:

Any other ideas on what options I have or where to get a phone without spending a fortune?

eBay, you should be able to get the same phone as the one that 'melted'. Although I'm not sure that's a great idea!

If its just a phone you need, then I'll happily send you one of my old ones, but it won't be a GPS, PDA type thing though, but it will do what a phone does; handle calls.

[Plotloss]

Kentish said:

Plotloss said:

Its the only way to keep your current number and stay with O2 getting a subsidised phone.

http://cheapestmobilephonedeals.co.uk/payg.asp?con...

Thanks Matt.

That's a good site - looks like I can pick up a good phone (all I need) for £45 on O2

It's a pre-pay phone so comes with £10 credit, so after I use that up I can swap my O2 contract SIM into it and just keep the pre-pay SIM as a back up without incurring extra cost, is that right?

Yep or just do it from the off.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

Have you considered claiming on the house insurance for the mobile handset?

[Kentish]

Thanks for the help with this, will order one shortly.

Not worth bothering with insurance really, not on a £270 phone.

[Kentish]

Chim Girl said:

Kentish said:

Any other ideas on what options I have or where to get a phone without spending a fortune?

eBay, you should be able to get the same phone as the one that 'melted'. Although I'm not sure that's a great idea!

If its just a phone you need, then I'll happily send you one of my old ones, but it won't be a GPS, PDA type thing though, but it will do what a phone does; handle calls.

aaaw thanks, that's sweet of you but I placed an order for a PAYG earlier as Matt advised.

thanks again!

[Kentish]

Well, I ordered one from mobiles.co.uk and it was delivered last wednesday (now the following monday) and it's still not connected!

They added on a compulsory #10 worth of airtime to the invoice and charged for it accordingly but I'm so far unable to use it.

Tried calling and they were closed all day saturday

Been on hold since 9am this morning

Typical crap service you appear to get everywhere these days!

[Kentish]

Wahoo, called answered after 20 mins!

It apparently takes 8 days to connect it, all their paperwork says 24 hours

Why don't they just be up front with people and say it takes ages?

[The Ben]

there is no reason why you cannot go to 02 pay as you go for a month if it is the best network, then reapply for the sim only tariff... you do not need to go to another network...

[Logie]

I was with o2 and got a new contract with o2 through and indie. I just asked for PAC code and within 48 hours my old number from o2 was on my new sim with o2.