How do you buy your phones?

Troezar · 12 Apr 2020 at 16:29

Just curious, I've had phones on contract in the past but the last few have been bought outright unlocked. There doesn't appear to be a lot in it price wise now as long as you're happy being tied in for a couple of years.

How do you buy yours? Any pros or cons to purchasing either way?

Relentless81 · 12 Apr 2020 at 16:41

Amazon or carphone ware house for sim free phones Inc mine, my wife's and my mums

Rroff · 12 Apr 2020 at 16:43

Bought outright unlocked for the most part - think I had one on contract as it was the only way to get hold of it at the time.

I've usually managed to find good deals and/or had vouchers which has kept the price down a bit.

Holst1981 · 12 Apr 2020 at 16:48

Whatever is cheaper.

This time I brought the phone outright SIM free.

Previous phone was cheaper on a two year contract with a decent chunk paid upfront.

alexakasloth · 12 Apr 2020 at 18:03

Last time I bought a phone was outright, SIM unlocked, as I had the cash to hand and it worked out cheaper than through a contract.

Rannoch · 12 Apr 2020 at 18:07

Sim free. The contract prices are crazy.

keylion · 12 Apr 2020 at 18:12

Buy outright and then have a sim only package. Try and keep the phones at least two years, sometimes longer if they're still in good working order and then sell them on when I move onto the next one.

Big Elf · 12 Apr 2020 at 18:14

Last phone I bought on contract was 1992. Bought outright since then.

lltfdaniel · 12 Apr 2020 at 18:38

I buy sim free as well here.

Solus · 12 Apr 2020 at 18:57

I think it depends what phones you go for. I tend to go mid range android, not a lot in the price at all - for example a bump up from my sim only 10gb deal (£12 p/m) to getting a Pixel 3a was an extra £11 per month.

Phone is currently £299 through google so the contract sees a minor saving. As earnings are a bit tight at the moment during lockdown while business is struggling, I am waiting for the june 80% self employed payments. Paying monthly at this time with a £30 saving over the 2 years is better for me than taking the £300 out in one go.

edscdk · 12 Apr 2020 at 19:04

I've been getting phones for me, and a few friends from cex, amazing services the time an ipad grade A arrived with a mark on the screen I returned it and got a refund no hastle.. A friend ordered a grade b ipad @ 600 it arrived as new (as far as I could tell)..

dragonslayer · 12 Apr 2020 at 19:13

Normally buy it outright then get a sim only contract for a couple of quid but this time getting my current phone on contract was cheaper

Malevolence · 12 Apr 2020 at 19:21

Current phone was bought direct from the Realme website. Worked out about £5 dearer than other places but was here in two days instead of having to wait a few weeks for delivery from other places.

Squink · 12 Apr 2020 at 19:36

Being hit by two 4% RPI increases over the course of a 24 month contract grinds my gears, so I buy outright these days.

FireTwo · 12 Apr 2020 at 20:09

O2 sends me them

Troezar · 12 Apr 2020 at 21:32

Squink said:
Being hit by two 4% RPI increases over the course of a 24 month contract grinds my gears, so I buy outright these days.

I did wonder about that, appears a good deal initially then they get you with the price increase.

Yaayuh! · 13 Apr 2020 at 08:22

Buy outright and get a SIM only contract.

ezekial · 13 Apr 2020 at 11:42

Sometimes contract is cheaper, sometimes sim-free. My previous phone, galaxy s9+ I got for £320 above what I was paying for my sim card anyway when the phone was worth £700.

Pawnless Endgame · 13 Apr 2020 at 22:24

Squink said:
Being hit by two 4% RPI increases over the course of a 24 month contract grinds my gears, so I buy outright these days.

I know it says it somewhere in the small print, but I still think it's dirty. A 2Y contract is meant to be a 2Y contract. Then after that, the terms can change.

As for handset buying choice, it was sim-free unlocked last time round. With carriers pushing 3Y contracts, I think we should all go sim-only.

Calm · 14 Apr 2020 at 15:00

I have a buy rarely approach, because I got bored of the things a long time ago.

I went from a Galaxy S4 to a S10e last year. USwitch deal, worked out at 560ish over 2 years with 100GB data.