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You can choose to pay your phone bill either through a monthly "contract" deal, which has a line rental charge and should include free call minutes, or through a pre-paid "pay-as-you-go" deal, where after purchasing your phone, you pay just for the calls you make with no line rental each month.
Monthly deals have the advantage of including free call minutes (usually during the evening and at weekends) and the cost of calls is likely to be cheaper than on pre-paid deals.
However, a pre-paid deal may suit you better if you are likely to be a light user because you may not spend enough each month to justify the line rental charges (typically between £15 and £50).
There are plenty of different handsets, networks and deals to consider. There is also very little independent advice on offer to consumers, so buying the right phone for your usage and budget can be tricky.
Avoid getting talked into making an instant decision by a salesman. It always pays to look around. Get written copies of all the monthly subscription charges issued by the phone companies, then compare the rates for your proposed phone usage.
Don't be misled by cheap "headline" rates - there may be unexpected hidden costs. Some key points to check before you buy are:
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What is the cost of calls to a different network? (It's unlikely that all your friends and contacts will be on the same network as you) |
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What is the cost of text messaging? |
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What is the cost of voicemail retrieval? |
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Are there any penalties if I do not use my phone? |
Check that the phone company network covers all the areas where you intend to use your phone. Be sure to ask if there is a trial period - if there is, take advantage of it.
Before signing up to any deal, ask for a copy of the contract and read it carefully. Make sure you know the minimum period before you can cancel; check the period of notice you'll have to give, and how you will be compensated for the loss of any airtime if your phone develops a fault and has to be repaired or replaced. Find out what your phone will cost to replace if it's lost or stolen - depending on the model this could be hundreds of pounds.
Ask for your chosen phone company's subscriber helpline number. Call it to find out what kind of service back-up you can expect if your phone is faulty or stops working, and how quickly it will be replaced.
Before paying for an expensive insurance policy, check with your insurance company to see if your household insurance covers the loss or theft of the 'phone.
If problems arise, take your complaint to the shop where you bought your phone. The shop is an agent for the phone companies and manufacturers and is responsible for putting things right. This may involve returning a faulty phone to the manufacturer. In some cases, you may be asked to return the phone yourself. If this happens, you should be compensated for the cost and for any call time you have been unable to use. Use a secure postal or delivery service if you send your phone back. Never allow yourself to be fobbed off by the shop - be persistent. Visit UKOrbit's Shopping Advice page for more general information on your statutory rights.
If the problem is with your phone company, it might make sense to deal directly with them. Common problems with phone companies include: network faults, long repair times, difficulty in making contact, ignoring complaints, and failing to keep customers informed of progress. These are matters of contract and can only be settled between you and the phone company. You should use the company's complaints procedure. If you can prove your complaint is justified, you should be compensated by refunding all or part of your subscription charges. If you are on a prepay "pay as you go" service, your phone should be credited with call time. The regulator for the UK communications industries (OFCOM) may be able to advise you with these problems, but does not have powers to impose a settlement for you.
Some complaints should be referred directly to OFCOM after you have complained to the phone company: misleading advertising, charging for services not requested, bills received after cancelling a service, difficulties with transferring network credits and unfair terms in phone contracts. In certain cases OFCOM may refer you to other advice or enforcement agencies, or deal with the matter themselves.
Where a manufacturer takes responsibility for a faulty phone, you should make sure the phone company is notified so that your bill can be credited for any period you were without your phone and unable to use it.
If your mobile phone is stolen you must report it immediately to your network supplier to stop the thieves running up a huge phone bill on your account. It is also advisable to report the theft to your local police.
| Network |
Contract |
Pre-Pay |
| Orange |
07973 100 150 |
07973 100 451 |
| Vodaphone |
07836 191 191 |
08700 776 655 |
| O2 |
08705 214 000 |
08705 678 678 |
| T-Mobile |
0845 412 5000 |
0845 412 5000 |
| Virgin Mobile |
0845 6000 789 |
0845 6000 789 |
| 3 |
07782 333 333 |
07782 333 333 |
| Onetel |
0800 957 1100 |
0800 957 1100 |
The Home office has set up a database to enable all the network suppliers to block calls made from stolen mobile phones
www.immobilise.co.uk or call 08701 123123
Mobile phones are low power devices that emit and receive radio waves. These connect each phone to a network of base stations, so that users can make and receive calls. Radio waves have been used for communication for over 100 years, but the speed with which mobile phones have become so widely used is unprecedented. This has led to public concern about their possible impact on health.
The latest information and advice based on both current knowledge and remaining uncertainties is given by the Department of Health (PDF format) and Home Office so that people can make their own informed choices about how to use mobile phones.
Making or receiving hand-held mobile phone calls while driving a car has been an offence since 1 December 2003 with a £30 fixed penalty or a fine of up to £1,000 if convicted in a court of law.
For more details see:
The AA
Smartphones combine the functions of a mobile phone with those of a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). There are two types: those that look like PDAs but have a built-in aerial and telephony software, and those that look like mobile phones but have organisor, e-mail and web browsing functions.
A smartphone's basic features and the software available depend upon its operating system - Pocket PC, Symbian or Palm. Pocket PC 2003 Phone Edition looks similar to the Windows operating system. Symbian is usually found handset-style smartphones, but its interface differs from phone to phone. Palm devices are very popular because they are easy to use and well supported by add-on software.
All smartphones have a colour screen. To view photographs you need colour depth of 65,536. Navigation and data input on a handset style smartphone is by keypad and buttons or by a jog dial. PDA-style smartphones usually have a touch screen. Pocket PC and Palm both have handwriting recognition features and onscreen keyboards.
Many smartphones feature cameras. Although resolution is limited, they are suitable for onscreen viewing and sending as video messages.
UKorbit Mobile Phones page
Visit UKOrbit's Consumer & Advice Centre for further help and information.
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