12 and 18 month contracts

[devilsadvocate]

Is it me or do these seem to be slowly fading out?

My last three contract (15 months ago) was £30pm for 18 months and a free blackberry bold 9000 (best one at the time). For this is got 600 mins, unlimited texts and free internet and email

I am looking to upgrade and the first thing I noticed is that three no longer do 18 months, its all 24 months.

Then the price of the latest Blackberry Bold (97something) is £30pm for 500 mins, unlimited texts and free internet and email PLUS £49 for the phone on 24 months.

So basically, I now have to pay £49 extra for the handset, 6 months extra contract (6x30=£180) and I get 100 less minutes.

WTF is going on these days?

The Iphone 4 is actually a better deal i reckon than the Blackberry, £99 for the phone (its worth much more anyway) and £30pm for the same as the Blackberry

Most providers seem to do 24 months unless you want to pay a shit load more for the contract or the handset

[Saxo-SX]

Seems 12 months contracts have been phased out unless you go with Tesco.

[Carlvtr88]

mate, I walked into phones 4 u not long ago, Clearly stated I was in need of a PAY AS YOU GO phone. Woman sits me down, takes my details, im like getting techy, asking her what she needs this for, Only for her to tell me, " Oh you wanted a monthly contract didnt you. 24 month ? ...... I was swiftly out the shop and tearing the paper up. They sign you up for anything these days.


And i agree its not 12 or 18 no more. Stupid. Bloody 24 month contracts for a phone ! fuck that.

[logic_guy]

I noticed this about 19 months ago when i wanted a new phone..... They were all 18 then. no 12's

I can only think its because the phone manufactures can't produce enough phones every 12 months to keep replacing them. So they have to make everyone go on a 24m contract while the invent new phones.

[LSOfreak]

i wanted an 18 month contract from orange :( sadly had to take a 24 month

[Rach125]

i have carphone warehouse ringing me up constantly trying to get me to buy a 24m contract over the phone, they never seem to mention 18m always 24, no thanks

[Manu]

I switched to pay and go more than 5 years ago. After realizing that my big pile of invoices total was a few £££ thousands.

[MAXSTARR]

pay as you go simplicity ftw.

tesco do a good 12 month contract on the iPhone 4, £150 (cash up front) first... but you get 800 minutes, 1gb free internet, unlimited texts (those were rough figures, cbf to fish out the deal again)

[GolfJay]

It's because of the price of handsets these days. Phones are slowly going up in price and what they'd make from a £30 a month contract over 12 months wont cover the phone. It's slowly getting to the point where 18 months are not enough to pay for a decent handset

[daveg1]

It's because of the price of handsets these days. Phones are slowly going up in price and what they'd make from a £30 a month contract over 12 months wont cover the phone. It's slowly getting to the point where 18 months are not enough to pay for a decent handset

I think this is partial the case, but also they know that soo many people will buy out of a contract just to have the latest phone

[Alanapone]

I got a 12 month contract with my HTC HD2... but that's because I haggled for it! I can't see how you can legally be locked into a 2 year contract for a phone? And before anyone say's it's because the phones are more expensive.... they aren't, Not to make anyway. A top phone a few years back still cost around £400 to £450. And I know they only cost a fraction of that to make (I used to work for a repair site for O2)

[Ryan]

Handsets nope.

Its the fact they can tie you into a 24month payment plan. Its like having a shit interest rate morgage. Its more money long term as you cant leave them so quickly.

I was 'upgraded' by vodaphone without being told it was 24months, so need to kick off about that one.

Someone also mentioned phones 4 u. Usless cunts the lot of them.

[Alanapone]

Ryan, just ask to be put through to the disconnections department, It's will save you having to get angry at the dickheads on the first tier helpdesks! Disconnections are the ONLY people that will be able to give you what you want. tell them you only want a 12 month contract, you may have to pay a little more but it's worth it. :y:

[Ryan]

Ive been with them a few years now so was going to give them a polite hint id leave unless I got a new deal and an Iphone to sell... Only reason I want the upgrade is to sell the piece of crap to pay for most of the years line charge.

[devilsadvocate]

Pretty much the responses I expected, seems I am not alone in my thinking

I mean whats next....are we talking 36 month contracts in a few years time?

I want to upgrade but dont wanna be tied in for 24 sodding months, its too long before you can upgrade. Three dont do 18 months so looks like I am going to have to jump ship but then it means porting my number a across.....fucking ballache just to get a new phone!

[Bound]

Yeah, they really don't want to sell 12 month contracts anymore.

I'm happy with mine, £10 pm rolling contract with 3 - 100 any network minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited calls to other 3 numbers, 1gb data usage, can cancel at any time. Or for an extra fiver you can up your minutes to 300 or 500 or something.

[logic_guy]

It's because of the price of handsets these days. Phones are slowly going up in price and what they'd make from a £30 a month contract over 12 months wont cover the phone. It's slowly getting to the point where 18 months are not enough to pay for a decent handset

No., I bet they can make, manufacture and ship a phone for less then £10 a handset. Its greed. Plus all this phone recycling and allot of components are recycled too, so less expenses for the manufacture.

I got a 12 month contract with my HTC HD2... but that's because I haggled for it! I can't see how you can legally be locked into a 2 year contract for a phone? And before anyone say's it's because the phones are more expensive.... they aren't, Not to make anyway. A top phone a few years back still cost around £400 to £450. And I know they only cost a fraction of that to make (I used to work for a repair site for O2)
I see it that you want to be on there network, so you obey their rules?

[lt-saxslo]

im about halfway through a contract with an iphone and plan to get a rolling contract, i like my phone so dont need another anyway. full on contracts are a fucking rip off people only get them for a fancy phone

[Bound]

im about halfway through a contract with an iphone and plan to get a rolling contract, i like my phone so dont need another anyway. full on contracts are a fucking rip off people only get them for a fancy phone

Exactly, I made that mistake, and the thing is, 9 months or a year down the line you're bored of that phone and want a new one, but are tied down for another year paying an extortionate amount for an outdated phone and a crappy contract, that's how they get you.

[devilsadvocate]

I have an Iphone 3g (sold the blackberry and added cash to fund) which I paid £350 for
It works fine so I dont really need a new phone, I woul rather just have a 12 month contract. I need maybe 100 mins, unlimited texts and internet obviously

[Alanapone]

No., I bet they can make, manufacture and ship a phone for less then £10 a handset. Its greed. Plus all this phone recycling and allot of components are recycled too, so less expenses for the manufacture.

The recycled phones are usually shipped to third world countries rather than broke for parts. It would take way too long and be less cost effective to do that than to build a new one.


I see it that you want to be on there network, so you obey their rules?

Not at all. I don't want to be on anyone's network but as with the internet your worse off without one these days.

[VTHall]

I went into phones4u the other day, i asked to have a look at a range of phones that didnt include the new iphone 4 and the latest blackberry (torch) and stated 18month contract MAX

So what do they do? Bring out an iphone 4, a blackberry torch and one of these technical business phones all for 24 months!
Wankers! I just said thanks mate, and walked out.

[Matt67]

I work in a phone shop so i'l give you my opnion

The reason 18 month contracts are becoming rare, is basically down to networks needing to recover the cost of phone.

For example. Iphone 4 when bought from apple with store discount comes to around 580 for the phone if you were to buy it PAYG.

On anything other than tesco this will be a 24 month contract starting at around £30.

30(monthly payment) x24 (Months in contract) = 720

720(Total contract sum)-579(cost of phone)= 141

Out of that 140, subtract commision from seller.Leaving say 100 to network.

Lets see how that works on the 18month.

30x18=540

540-579= -39

Thats before commision and before they have supplied you with whatever tariff.


End of the day, if people want the "best" phones be prepared to pay for them. Specially iphones because apple and the networks know people will pay whatever to have one.

12 month contract on iphone do exist, but guess what you still pay for the phone... exactly enough to substitute the cost of the phone.

Tesco - 12 month contract, £20 a month, 250 mins, ultd texts and 1gb mobile internet. £330 for the 32gb of the top of my head.

20x12 = 240

240(contract sum)+330(customers contribution to phone) = 570

By far the best deal on the market for that phone, but people still complain about the cost of the phone... don't expect an iphone on a 12 month deal with small cost. Having the latest gadgets cost the networks as much as the customer.