Anyone looking for a cheap, basic, PAYG mobile

[Rik]

According to The Times:

Britain's cheapest pay-as-you-go mobile phone - a Motorola W180 handset - is being offered for just £2.88 in an effort to attract customers tightening their belts during the recession.

The "easy to use" phone comes with an FM radio and boasts long battery life and polyphonic ringtones from Carphone Warehouse.

But gadget fans used to the range of features available on smartphones like the Apple iPhone and Blackberry will be disappointed – the handset does not have email, internet access or even a camera.

Customers must buy the phone with £10 of Orange credit, making the total price £12.88.

[Inactive]

Shows how desperate " Lemon " are to flog top up.

[Rik]

Doesn't it, In. OTOH, for someone who wants a basic phone for emergencies, it's a good deal.

[Inactive]

It is, as long as Orange don't nick the credit for non use, like they did mine.

[Rik]

You just need to make a brief call every x months, I think.

[Inactive]

Probably Rik, I still hate Orange for it tho'.

[Rik]

I can understand that. O² did the same to me once.

[Sebby]

Wow, £2.88... It's got to be worth getting one!

[Simon]

It would make a nice stocking filler for a mobile newbie, like Granny, or a technophobe, who doesn't want anything too complex. 

[talos2]

I can understand that. O² did the same to me once.

They did that to me once, but I just called them and they reinstated the credit NP

[Inactive]

They did that to me once, but I just called them and they reinstated the credit NP

I did ring Orange, spoke with some guy in India whotold me that I would have to call a premium rate number to sort it, I told him to poke it.

[Inactive]

OK, I have done some more research on this phone, it is in fact unlocked, so can be used on any network, so once the £10.00 Orange Credit is used up on it, then it will be OK for use an any network.

Have ordered one, but limited stock, so not sure if I will get one, worth a punt.

Anyway Rik, have a   

[Rik]

Thanks, In.

[JB]

Have ordered one, but limited stock, so not sure if I will get one, worth a punt.

Not sure if you have a CPW near you but the same deal is available in store. I just bought a little Nokia 1650 phone on the same deal. The phone was £9.90 and is definitely unlocked so will take my Spanish SIM card. I noticed the Motorola phone alongside it on the display.

[Sebby]

Most phones that come from CPW are unlocked.

[Glenn]

If you use Quidco you will get money refunded too http://www.quidco.com/carphone-warehouse/

[Sebby]

Always a top tip, Glenn. It's amazing how few people know about Quidco! I've had over £400 from them...

[Glenn]

I've had about £150 myself

[JB]

Most phones that come from CPW are unlocked.

This is very true as CPW are big enough and carry enough clout to buy in generic GSM stock.

[Inactive]

I received an email earlier today from CPW, saying that my Nationwide Credit Card had been declined .. ..shock ...horror.


I rang them on a freephone number, went through all of the details, still declined, anyway I got fed up with all of this, gave them an alternative one, that went through, sorted.

I then rang Nationwide to see what was going on, I was told that their automatic fraud protection had jumped in and blocked the card, I asked them why, they said because CPW have a lot of fraud activity recorded against them.

All seems a lot of nonsense for £12.88 to me, but I suppose better safe than sorry.

[Simon]

I had the same with MBNA.  They blocked a number of payments to WH Smith, but I only found out when WHS emailed me, then I had to spend 20 minutes in a call queue, trying to get through to the CC company.  I don't mind them checking for fraud, but why couldn't they have phoned me?

[Inactive]

Exactly Simon, I dread to think what would happen if they blocked your card whilst you were abroad.

[Rik]

I've had the same happen with Capital One. I wonder if the banks are being more active in order to protect themselves, whilst keeping the costs down by letting us find out the hard way?

[JB]

This is a major problem with CPW.

PM sent to In.

[Inactive]

Thanks JB .. Well at least the phone arrived via City Link in a huge plastic bag, save the planet, not CPW it seems.

I feel sure that I am going to have to chase up Nationwide again, I am certain that I have been charged twice by CPW.. 

Tossers.

[Rik]

Oh joy...

[Inactive]

It gets worse, CPW have taken 2 payments from my Barclaycard, which means they have now been paid 3 times for this phone, you couldn't make it up.. 

[Rik]

I wonder if you'll get any phones from them?

[Inactive]

CPW, Complete Pissing ******.

[JB]

So it's not just me they single out to pi$$ about then.

Watch your blood pressure In. I know what effect this sort of thing has on me. My wife is always telling me not to get so wound up but this sort of thing flips my lid.

[Inactive]

   Thanks JB, well at least the phone works, and it is unlocked, just tried my Moviestar SIM Card in it.

Fortunately for me, I am lucky inasmuch as I don't get worked up, I just get pissed off with outfits like this Mickey Mouse one.

[Rik]

Good to know that you actually got a phone, In. I hope they sort the refunds quickly. 

[Inactive]

Thanks Rik, they will, trust me, otherwise I will visit their local store ask to have a feel of their most expensive phone .. drop it accidentally, then tread on it, all accidentally.. 

[Rik]

Make sure you video it for us, In.

[Simon]

Make sure you video it for us, In.

Just ask them for a copy of their CCTV. 

[Inactive]

  I have my " hoodie " ready.. 

Just been on the phone to CPW again, they are going to send a refund via cheque, it should be with me in 14 to 28 days, well don't hurry yourselves.

[Simon]

Oh, that's good of them!  Are they refunding your interest on the card payment?

[Inactive]

Not a hope Simon, tho' I always pay my card off in full, so no interest.

[Simon]

That's not the point, they're not to know that, but I could see the hassle involved in claiming, although I think you would be in the right to be able to do so.

[Sebby]

Bloody CPW. When I was ordering my iPhone, I decided not to order from them as everything I hear about them is bad.

[Rik]

I'd be inclined to put the payments into dispute in the meantime, In, it will mean Barclaycard will give CPW a shake...

[Inactive]

Done that already thanks Rik.

It get's worse, I went to Orange Website to register the SIM to get the credit put on it, Website Log In / Registration Page, states, this section is not functioning from 17/12/08 to 17/12/08.

You couldn't make it up, both companies are the pits.

[Rik]

It's just not your day, is it.

[Inactive]

It ain't Rik, I have given up now, start afresh tomorrow.. 

[Rik]

I take it you can't do it by phone?

[JB]

You couldn't make it up, both companies are the pits.

Very true.

In, the credit should appear on the phone within two weeks by itself.

I bought a phone from them about a year ago and the credit hadn't appeared after two weeks so I rang up and played hell. The £10 credit appeared the next day. One week later another £10 credit appeared. Must have been the original! Was quite happy to have screwed an extra £10 out of such a cr@p company.

[Inactive]

@ Rik, no it is inoperable.

@ JB, Thanks for that, it came with reams of bumph, but as usual, nothing that is essential to get the frigging thing working.


Some Zoo stuff, canaries and such like.. 

I can always listen to the radio on it.. 

[Rik]

Bummer.

[drummer]

Oh dear, I seem to be the only one who hasn't been messed about by either Carphone Wh0rehouse or Orange.

I have an Orange PAYG as a backup which needed topping up, so I bought the Motorola W180 today, used my landline to phone the freefone Orange number supplied with the new SIM and got its £10 credited to my current SIM.

Shoved the new SIM in the W180 and voilà, an FM radio for £2.88!  It's a bit of a rubbish phone though, so I doubt I'll ever register the SIM to use it as a mobile.

Disappointed that Orange have outsourced their call centres though as it was UK based last time I used it.

[Inactive]

That is cheering drummer, the only reason that I didn't ring Orange is the fact that last time I rang them, I couldn't understand a word the guy was talking about, nor him me I suspect.

I will try your method tomorrow, perhaps have better luck.

[drummer]

That is cheering drummer, the only reason that I didn't ring Orange is the fact that last time I rang them, I couldn't understand a word the guy was talking about, nor him me I suspect.

I will try your method tomorrow, perhaps have better luck.

I understood most of what was said to me and what I didn't understand, I politely asked that the ambiguous word(s) be repeated.  Several times in fact. 

It was a freefone number, so it didn't bother me in the slightest that it took about 25 minutes to achieve exactly what I wanted.

The person I spoke to was just a drone in a call centre, but he was as helpful as it was possible to be.

Freefone = Happiness.

Not losing your temper with a freefone drone = Result!

[Inactive]

Freefone = Happiness.

Not losing your temper with a freefone drone = Result!

Fortunately,  I don't have a temper drummer, I will follow your tried and tested route later on today.. Thanks.

[Inactive]

Well, I still havn't got my £10 credit on this phone, I have been on to Orange and CPW, between them they must rate as the worst communication based companies on the planet .. 

From the CPW site;

"  Your airtime credit will be applied to your account automatically within 2 working days of purchase. "



The guy at CPW even had the balls to ask if I had Broadband, I said, " don't even go there ".

Fortunately I found 0800 numbers for both at Saynoto0870 ..

[Rik]

You and Orange just don't seem to go together, In.

[Inactive]

  Understatement of the year Rik.. 

[Rik]

I've been saving the best till last.

[JB]

Keep on at 'em In. You might get two lots of £10 in the end, like wot I did.

[Inactive]

I do hope so JB, I reckon that I deserve it anyway.

They are a bunch of tossers.

[Rik]

Did you get the charges sorted out?

[Inactive]

I think so Rik, I have to wait 14/28 days for a cheque from CPW, very 21st century.

[Glenn]

Email them back and tell them you don't accept cheques as a form of payment anymore

[Rik]

Interesting thought, Glenn. 

[Inactive]

Email them back and tell them you don't accept cheques as a form of payment anymore

I like it Glenn. 

[Sebby]

Email them back and tell them you don't accept cheques as a form of payment anymore

I'd love to hear their response to that. On second thoughts, they probably just wouldn't respond.

[Inactive]

  Of the two, I have to say that CPW are even worse than Orange, how bad is that ?...

[Rik]

Very.

[JB]

Of the two, I have to say that CPW are even worse than Orange, how bad is that ?...

Every on-line dealing I have had with CPW has had some problem or other.

[Inactive]

...and I still havn't got my frigging credit....grrrrrrrrrr.

[Rik]

In which case, they are in breach of contract, so I'd suggest raising a dispute on the credit card transaction(s), plus a letter giving them 7 days to put things right or you'll go to court.

[Glenn]

The Three Skype phone is in Superdrug's sale starting tonight, down from £39.99 to 9.99 apparently

[Rik]

People are desperate to get our money this year, Glenn.

[Sebby]

It certainly seems that way, Rik. Some of the deals are just unbelievable - I wonder how they can still be making a profit (or perhaps they're not).

[Rik]

I think they may have reached the point where cash flow is more important than profit, which is only good news in the very short term.

[Glenn]

Deflation is a real prospect, you could say it is happening now, people are waiting to buy at a lower price than last week, hoping that next week will bring higher discounts.

[Rik]

I agree, Glenn. If they wait long enough, there will be no shops left.