Which Wizard?

[Guest Total Eclipse]

Right then...

I've told Orange I want to cancel my contract (customer of theirs for 9 years, and they didn't even ask why), and want my next phone to be either the XDA Mini S or the MDA Vario. Trouble is, I've been with Orange for so long that I don't know the pros and cons of going with either O2 or T-Mobile.

Are either company recommended over the other, and do either company lock down their handsets to the popint of spoiling the "experience"? Also, what are their costomer service skills like?

Both handsets can be had for relativelty little cash these days, and both companies have tarrifs that suit my pocket (looking for my monthly contract to be around £25 pm)

Do you recommend dealing with the provider direct (either by phone or their web site), or are third party phone companies okay? If I get the handset from another company, is it still as easy to transfer my number across? :?:

Sorry for the questions, but it's been so long since I've had to shop around for a phone.

Andy

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

I found with T-Mobile I had a better deal dealing directly as they do the same discount offers but importantly for me it's not a matter of claiming cash back you get the discount there and then.

I have a bad habit of losing paperwork when it comes to cashback offers :oop:

As for networks in general, what area are you in? as different people will have different stories due to location. For example for me T-Mobile give me the best reception at home than anyone else but at work I struggle to get reception unless I am in the carpark or a certain part of the building.

[Guest Total Eclipse]

As for networks in general, what area are you in? as different people will have different stories due to location. For example for me T-Mobile give me the best reception at home than anyone else but at work I struggle to get reception unless I am in the carpark or a certain part of the building.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, I should have mentioned (pops out to edit profile). I'm in the west midlands, near Tamworth.

The service from orange is a little flaky in the house - their aerial is only about 400 yards away, but is the other side of a hill :roll:

[Guest adchaffey]

Sorry, I should have mentioned (pops out to edit profile).  I'm in the west midlands, near Tamworth.

The service from orange is a little flaky in the house - their aerial is only about 400 yards away, but is the other side of a hill  :roll:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a Vario on T-Mobile and live in Halesowen in Birmingham. It's the other side of Birmingham to Tamworth, so probably not that relevant, but I've not had any loss of signal yet in and around birmingham.

I did however go to Center Parcs a month or so ago, and was very embarassed when I couldn't get any signal there when my girlfriends old Nokia 3330 on Orange had full reception!! I had trouble explaining why a state of the art phone costing over £400 without a contract couldn't connect to the network!!

[Guest Total Eclipse]

I have a Vario on T-Mobile and live in Halesowen in Birmingham. It's the other side of Birmingham to Tamworth, so probably not that relevant, but I've not had any loss of signal yet in and around birmingham.

I did however go to Center Parcs a month or so ago, and was very embarassed when I couldn't get any signal there when my girlfriends old Nokia 3330 on Orange had full reception!! I had trouble explaining why a state of the art phone costing over £400 without a contract couldn't connect to the network!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heh, I'm off to Center Parcs myself next week. Fortunately (?) I'll still be on Orange, though last time I was there I recall that the Orange signal was quite poor.

One other thing I meant to ask - I used to use a Motorola MPx 200 smartphone. It's the only phone I had where you are actually "aware" of the phone booting up and shutting down, in the sense that it took ages to switch on. Is the Wizard similarly slow to start?

Edited January 13, 2006 by Total Eclipse

[Guest adchaffey]

Heh, I'm off to Center Parcs myself next week.  Fortunately (?) I'll still be on Orange, though last time I was there I recall that the Orange signal was quite poor.

One other thing I meant to ask - I used to use a Motorola MPx 200 smartphone.  It's the only phone I had where you are actually "aware" of the phone booting up and shutting down, in the sense that it took ages to switch on.  Is the Wizard similarly slow to start?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would say the Vario is a little slow to start, but it's pretty similar to my old C500 so nothing to worry about. I seem to remember the C500 taking a while to shut down though, where as the wizard is almost instant.

Can't really compare it to anything else i'm afraid!

[Guest ultimate_fish]

I've just signed up with T-mobile and got a vario. The deal in the shop was good, and the attractive girl in the York shop was very helpful.

I also liked their call centre experience (based in the North East rather than India), unlike 3 who's Indian call centre isn't great.

A bit early to give a verdict on the service level.

[Guest cthulhu]

I had been with Orange almost from the start and, like the original poster, they didn't bother to try and keep my custom, so now I'm with T-Mobile.

If you plan to use the WWW, then T-Mobile's Web N Talk 200 plan, which allows 40MB per month to play with is brilliant, also including 200mins (texts @£6/100) The Self Service option saves me £3 a month and although I dont get a paper bill I have the flexibility of viewing my up-to-date calls/data whenever I log into their site.

Plus, in the areas I frequent (within Dorset/Hampshire) T-Mobile seems to have the best reception (although I'm sure it won't penetrate into the Piddle Valley)

I am not affiliated in any way with T-Mobile, unless you count the £20 cash back I receive if I recommend anyone :?: :?:

C

8)

[Guest scott2eyes]

I've found that my Dad's O2 phones generally beats my Orange phone for reception. Anyone I've talked to about T-Mobile have said that the reception's great, so long you don't leave urban areas or motorways. Once you're away from civilisation, you're carrying an expensive paperweight...

Generally speaking, you will get better deals with third party vendors than going directly with a network- for example, I've seen the O2 XDA Mini-S for free with a £30 contract on the web, which is an offer that both O2 shops and the O2 sales line won't match. Also on the web you will tend to get a month or two's half price line rental and some bonus free minutes/texts.

Online with O2 directly, I think you pay about £50 for the phone on the same contract with no extra freebies ATM...

[Guest Peppermint Hippo]

Sorry, I should have mentioned (pops out to edit profile).  I'm in the west midlands, near Tamworth.

The service from orange is a little flaky in the house - their aerial is only about 400 yards away, but is the other side of a hill  :roll:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My mate lives in Dordon (near to you i think) and he gets a reasonable signal with O2.

As for the best CS....i've been with both and I rate T-Mobile better.....but that doesn't mean to say O2 have ever been bad.....i just find T-Mob answer the phoe quicker and seem more knowledgeable.

[Guest Total Eclipse]

My mate lives in Dordon (near to you i think) and he gets a reasonable signal with O2.

As for the best CS....i've been with both and I rate T-Mobile better.....but that doesn't mean to say O2 have ever been bad.....i just find T-Mob answer the phoe quicker and seem more knowledgeable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

;) About a mile away from me!

Anyway, the decision was made after T-Mobile made me an offer I couldn't refuse - MDA Vario for £39.99 on a 18 month contract (9 months at £13.50, 6 months at £30, another 3 months at £13.50) at an average of £19 per month, including 100 texts and 200 minutes.

So far the Vario has been fantastic (and actually had better reception at Center Parcs than my Orange phone). I'd not used a Windows PDA before, so have nothing to compare it to, but so far the response from the thing has been great, and it runs Castaway, so I'm a happy bunny 8)

[Guest jiffk]

oranges reception is dodgey everywhere ;)

I've found o2 to be pretty good over the years and i'm with them now, i was with t-mobile for a long time as well and had no problems with thier reception but ive heard people complain about them.

Most of the major networks have very poor customer service as supply minimum customer service to save money and have 1000's of customers.

T-mobile customer service was always brilliant 2 years ago but they're nowhere near as good now

When i wanted to get my vario unlocked they said it would cost £15 but i had to be a t-mobile customer and wait a month!!!