pay as you go or contract - the difference?

[joko]

Can anyone tell me what the benefit of a contract over payg phone is. Popelmare always saying that you get free minute and texts, but you don't not really - you are paying rental cost that isn't there with payg. I realsie you may get a few extra but is it really enough to cover the times when you don't use them up and the get deleted?

I told a cold caller I used �10-15 a month on my payg - he went on to ask me to pay �20 a month and I got 100 free texts and 50 free mins talk time - he went on an on about that these were free - and when I said, well actually I am paying �20 to you for them so how are they free? he jibbered on. He then told me I HAD to pay for sports alerts(aarrggh!), insurance and this price would goup in 6 months - so how am I better off? I realise that if i sat down and worked it out to the penny I may be somewhat better off some months and not others but I can't see it being a great saving.

am I missing something? can someone explain?

[Buenchico]

There can't be any golden rule as to the best way to pay for mobile phone usage. Everyone's use is different. The only way to work out what is best for you is to examine what you currently use (or expect to use) and work out the costs involved.

I know lots of (mainly younger) people who send 20, 50, or even 100 text messages per day. For them, a package with unlimited texts would be ideal. (Although I'm perfectly confident about using text, it's a method of communication I hate. All my friends have been told that I always delete texts without reading them as I refuse to 'dumb down' to texting when a verbal call could convey much more. So, the type of package which I've just mentioned would be useless to me).

So, as I've said, there are no 'golden rules'. If, however, you want a 'rule of thumb' it's this: "Low use = p-a-y-g / High use = contract". So, where's the cut-off? Well, for someone like me (at around �5 per month on p-a-y-g) there's no point looking at a contract. I reckon that I'd have to be paying at least �25 per month on p-a-y-g to be better off switching to a contract.

Chris

[robski]

I do not recommend getting a phone from a cold call telesales as they can be dubious and cut throat sales people. Just hang up and go into a shop.

The guy before has the general jist i.e few calls here and there, PAYT but what you must understand are the benefits of CONTRACT also include getting a decent phone for nothing. You say you use 10 to 15 pound a month, thats all well and good, but what happens when you want a new phone maybe with a decent camera and colour screen, you wont get much change out of $200 so that then ups your equivalent monthly almost $20/m.

So people who go for contract sometimes want a 200 - 300 quid phone for free and pay forit like finance over the contract period in line rental and as a bonus, you get free minutes!

[DannyK]

I really do believe that it's a matter of using the phone at off-peak times. I had a contract phone & i was paying around �10 every other month - not a lot, i know, but isn't that the point..?? Moralistically - it's the same difference between a debit & credit card - one you pay for up front & the other - well, maybe it's paid for in time..!! Bottom line - if you've got it - you'll spend it.
I now have a contract & i spend over double a month compared to what i used to. I will be geting rid of it when the contract is up. Forget contracts - go for pay-as-you-go.
DannyK

[DannyK]

My last post.!!
I meant to say:

I had a pay-as-you-go phone & i was paying around �10 every other month.

Sorry for the confusion..!!