Mobile phones

[Mic]

Am now due for a new one, will probably go through 3.

Anyone recommend a good phone?

[smac]

There's a LG webslider or something like that, smac jr told me it's a good phone - having said that, he would be looking at something with every conceivable feature and that may not be your thing.

Nokia N95s are also good phones and quite reasonably priced now they are a couple of years old.

[Dirko]

Depends what plan you go for.

I've got a Samsung F480, and I like it. Does everything I need....

[Mic]

Am thinking about a $70 plan.

[smac]

Just about get anything you want for that.

http://shop.three.com.au/mobiles?action ... tid=526592

THat's all the $69 plan phones - what features are you after?

[Dirko]

Am thinking about a $70 plan.

The world's your oyster.....

I'm only on the $29 plan so haven't even looked at the phones for that....

[Mic]

Just about get anything you want for that.

http://shop.three.com.au/mobiles?action ... tid=526592

THat's all the $69 plan phones - what features are you after?

Cheers for that. Want something with a good camera, something small/slim, maybe a touch screen, decent memory (unless more can be purchased easily).

[Wedgie]

Ive been happy as larry with my Palm Treo 750 for the last couple of years but am seriously looking at the Nokia N97, looks very nice.

[Psyber]

I'm using a "Golden Age" mobile from Taiwan as it was the most compact phone I could get.
It cost me $300 outright 4 years ago. I don't use its camera and Internet capacity.
My phone plan costs me about $6.00 a month on iSIM, but Virgin is taking them over, reducing how long your credit lasts, and introducing flag fall.
So I'll probably move to SlimTel soon.

[Dog_ger]

I have an old Nokia N95.

Very happy with the camera.

Nearly 2 years old now.

$49.95 plan/month with Vodafone.

Happy as......

With Telstra was 250+/month.

I miss all the extras but I am $200 better off/month.

Vodafone is for my wallet.

[godoubleblues]

Depends what plan you go for.

I've got a Samsung F480, and I like it. Does everything I need....

I have one of these as well and quite happy with it

[dedja]

Sorry to bud in but my 2c worth (and a little off topic) ...

You realise the higher the plan you go, the less value you are getting as the call costs are increased.

Because I only use voice (ie. no data), I use Virgin's bean counter ... 10c per min with 25c flagfall, txts at 10c.

Data charges are an absolute rip off so my employer will get the privilege of paying for that.

I've always believed it's cheaper in the long run to buy a phone outright (and not change them like jocks) because the cost is incorporated into those ridiculously high post paid plans.

[Psyber]

I agree, dedja, the Virgin "Bean Counter" plan looks pretty good if you are likely to use $25 inside the 45 days they allow your credit to last.
I'm not likely to so I'm sticking with iSIM and looking at the Slimtel option for when Virgin, who bought ISIM from SingTel, close it down.
I did look at Virgin's 180 day prepaid option, but the call rates then become steep.
The iSIM plan attracted me with no flag fall and 39cents a minute, charged by the second, and the minimum spend is $10 every 6 months.

[dedja]

There are some reasonable deals if you look around Psyber, and as you quite rightly allude to, its finding the right service or plan for your needs.

When I want to review my mobile phone spending I use a spreadsheet to work through scenarios and thresholds for various pre and post paid plans.

Sounds like a bit of work but it isn't really but the amount that some plans rip you off is amazing.

When I starting using the Bean Counter, there was no post paid plan on the market that could compare with those rates, no matter how much you spend, and I can afford to not use all the amount in the 45 days and still be in front.

As an aside I use voip for landline phone use so my phone bills overall are bugger all.

[Westsider]

Sorry to bud in but my 2c worth (and a little off topic) ...

You realise the higher the plan you go, the less value you are getting as the call costs are increased.

Because I only use voice (ie. no data), I use Virgin's bean counter ... 10c per min with 25c flagfall, txts at 10c.

Data charges are an absolute rip off so my employer will get the privilege of paying for that.

I've always believed it's cheaper in the long run to buy a phone outright (and not change them like jocks) because the cost is incorporated into those ridiculously high post paid plans.

Umm I used to work in the industry, and if the bolded part is correct, the company would be in administration.

Basically all you have to do is work out the best plan for you... then get the best phone attached to your that plan.

Call prices DO decrease as the plans go higher.. but theres no point going onto a high plan, if you are a low user.

Hell of a lot easier starting on a low plan, which you think will be around the mark, and then move up plans later on if that isn't the case.

[dedja]

I stand by my statement ... lots of sleight of hand like per min billing, flagfall, etc which eat into the supposed extra free offerings in the cap amount.

I've done plenty of analysis to prove it ... both from a personal point of view and also from managing mobile voice and data costs in a corporate environment.

It's the supposed value ie. $150 call for $29 which is misleading.

[GWW]

My current cap contract with Vodafone expires in December, and i'm currently trying to work out which carrier and phone i will go with next.

I quite like the Nokia E71. I checked with Vodafone to see if i could get get this with them on a $49 cap with internet included, but there are extra charges included. I then looked at a brochure from "3" which looked good, but i was subsequently told they have quite a lot of blackspots, not only in regional areas but within Adelaide as well.

The latest deal i've come across is from Virgin Mobile, which from what i can tell is free on a $45 a month cap, $320 worth of texts/calls, and 50MB included data.

This looks like a good deal on face value but am interested to know if anyone has had any bad (or good) experience with either a Nokia E71 or Virgin Mobile

[Wedgie]

I've been with optus, vodaphone and telstra and dont find many difference in coverage with 3, I live in bit of a black hole with phone coverage and have had problems with all carriers but usually nothing a good phone won't fix. I haven't had any reception problems anywhere with my iPhone.

The E71 is getting a bit old now, have you considered an E75? It was one I was considered and although I probably would have gone with the n97 if I went with Nikia the e75 gets good reports with the only small down sides being it doesn't natively display email in HTML and has a cramped numerical keypad.

If you're intent on getting the e71 3 currently gives it to you free on the $39 plan.

Go the iPhone though, it's much better than the rest!

[GWW]

No worries, thanks Wedgie I'll take all that into account. I hadn't considered the E75, but will look into it now and see what it has to offer