45 replies to this topic

[PaulOBrien]

Thought the Virgin Mobile Lobster 700TV Smartphone couldn't get any cheaper? Well check this out... you can now get this feature packed Smartphone for only £34.98 DELIVERED!

Visit this page, make a note of the offer code, then hit 'Go Shopping'. Enter the offer code when your shopping basket is displayed and hey presto, a Virgin Mobile Lobster 700TV DELIVERED for £42.98!

When you buy using Quidco, you'll net yourself £8 cashback, bringing the cost down to £34.98.

As if that isn't enough, when you buy any new Virgin Mobile Pay As You Go phone you get 200 minutes airtime. Airtime is paid over 2 months with a 2 month 100 minute bundle voucher (contains 2 x 100 minute one month bundles).

Incredible!

P

[Dr Who]

Nice.

I take it there is no contract to enter in per se? Do Virgin PAYG minutes expire? I need a backup phone for my Vario II for when I have caned the battery - is there an unlock for the 700TV?

[PaulOBrien]

No contract at all, no idea about minute expiry i'm afraid.

imei-check can unlock the Lobster. I guess Virgin should do it for you too?

P

[siksik6]

Jeez. Guess that one can be filed under 'complete and utter failure' then! Well done for trying tho V!


tempted to get one and unlock it just to have a play

[PaulOBrien]

Yeah, I don't think we'll see a follow up

P

[thelondonthing]

The marketing of this phone was the real disaster though.  I haven't personally seen one advert for the Lobster in national press or magazines, let alone on television, and the only two or three ads I've seen for it have been very dull and uninspiring banner ads.

This phone was doomed to failure less because of its own merits - and although it's hardly the best equipped phone in the world, it does have mobile television! - and more because of Virgin Mobile's own failure to properly promote it.

[mavisdavis]

Gonna get one as its cheaper than a personal digital radio for when Im out n about. Plus if you top-up with £20 Virgin will send you the unlock code. so you get plenty of time to watch TV n impress ya mates.I talked a friend into buying one so I could take a look.Very nice well built piece of kit to be honest.

I think its a steal at that price so Off I go to purchase 1.

[Dr_StrangeTrick]

Hi Dr Who the one thing I will give Virgin their minutes never expire.

I have a Virgin SIM card I got three years ago which only has around 60p left but it still works, never been topped up. The only thing wrong with Virgin is they don't have any good data plans.

[Confucious]

I can't find where to enter the code - got as far as "Place order" but cann't find anywhere to enter discount code! At that price I'd hacve one!

[Dr Who]

thelondonthing, on May 1 2007, 23:21, said:

The marketing of this phone was the real disaster though.  I haven't personally seen one advert for the Lobster in national press or magazines, let alone on television, and the only two or three ads I've seen for it have been very dull and uninspiring banner ads.

You didn't see the more recent ad campaign on TV with the bird that wasn't Kate Moss then????? The one with the wrestling? Sat by the pool watching TV on her phone? Mark that one up as a failure I guess then

mavisdavis, on May 1 2007, 23:28, said:

Gonna get one as its cheaper than a personal digital radio for when Im out n about. Plus if you top-up with £20 Virgin will send you the unlock code.

Don't they give you a £100 voucher in the first month though? Wouldn't that count?

Dr_StrangeTrick, on May 2 2007, 05:46, said:

Hi Dr Who the one thing I will give Virgin their minutes never expire.

Sweet. Really might want to get one of these then. Does that mean every month I could just turn on the phone with the Virgin SIM in it and obtain my TV unlock code? Or would I need to add more credit? Can you watch TV on it with a 'foreign' SIM card or do you need the Virgin one?

Edited by Dr Who, 02 May 2007 - 06:45 AM.

[Swampie]

I note that the TV function is only free for 3 months (after that £5 per month) on PAYG.  On Virgin contract it's always free.

Does anyone know if this is the case after unlocking and using another network's SIM?

[magic_peanuts]

Swampie, on May 2 2007, 09:21, said:

I note that the TV function is only free for 3 months (after that £5 per month) on PAYG.  On Virgin contract it's always free.

Does anyone know if this is the case after unlocking and using another network's SIM?

As far as I'm aware, the Lobster makes a check that you have a valid licence once a month. After the 3 free months have expired, once a month you have to put the Virgin SIM card back for it to collect the £5 fee.

I had one of these for a few days and it was RUBBISH. If you really really want TV / radio on your phone, save your pennies and get a Slingbox, one went on eBay for under £90 last week.

[Dr Who]

magic_peanuts, on May 2 2007, 10:33, said:

As far as I'm aware, the Lobster makes a check that you have a valid licence once a month. After the 3 free months have expired, once a month you have to put the Virgin SIM card back for it to collect the £5 fee.

I had one of these for a few days and it was RUBBISH. If you really really want TV / radio on your phone, save your pennies and get a Slingbox, one went on eBay for under £90 last week.

I'm not expecting fireworks to be honest, just a toy to play with for three months. Does the £5 come off your PAYG credit, in other words would the £200 credit they offer be used for the licence?

[magic_peanuts]

Dr Who, on May 2 2007, 11:09, said:

I'm not expecting fireworks to be honest, just a toy to play with for three months. Does the £5 come off your PAYG credit, in other words would the £200 credit they offer be used for the licence?

You get £200 credit?! As far as I'm aware any credit can be used for the licence.

[PaulOBrien]

200 MINUTES people!

P

[magic_peanuts]

Paul (MVP), on May 2 2007, 11:49, said:

200 MINUTES people!

P

That's what I thought...£200 credit really would be a bargain. So Dr Who, clearly this 'minutes credit' cannot be used for the TV licence.

[Confucious]

You get 200 free mins - not £200 credit!
When I logged on through Quidco I didn't get the option to enter the code so I have ended up paying £42.98 - still an absolute bargain for a WM phone with 200 Mins of credit!

[Dr Who]

Confucious, on May 2 2007, 12:00, said:

You get 200 free mins - not £200 credit!
When I logged on through Quidco I didn't get the option to enter the code so I have ended up paying £42.98 - still an absolute bargain for a WM phone with 200 Mins of credit!

Sorry people, brain failure! I knew it was minutes credit but somewhere between knowing that and posting in this thread I forgot. Oooh, all of about 5 seconds I think.

[Confucious]

Dr Who, on May 2 2007, 12:51, said:

Sorry people, brain failure! I knew it was minutes credit but somewhere between knowing that and posting in this thread I forgot. Oooh, all of about 5 seconds I think.

Not brain failure - just wishful thinking, lol. Still 200 free minutes isn't bad.

[alanclose]

Anyone know how to get the virgin 20% discount and the quidco discount as mentioned in the first post