I hope somebody may be able to give me some advice.  I currently have a Samsung Galaxy Ace which is nearing the end of its contract (I mentioned before that I signed the contract for this on 20 May 2012 - I'm not sure that was the best day to make a sensible decision!).  

 

Although it's been ok, there is a lot I don't like - namely the preloaded apps which you can't easily remove and the piss-poor internal storage size and I've never really liked the camera much either.  I don't want to spend a huge amount - £20 per month ideally, though could go higher, I just begrudge paying more!  I don't use many texts or calls - my current plan has more than enough at 100 minutes and 500 texts.  But I'd like to increase my data usage as I use the bare minimum and get close to my limit of 250 mb. 

 

I'm on vodafone at the mo but don't care about the network as long as it's not 02 which is crap round here.  

 

So what phone should I look at and what network has the best data allowance for the money.

 

Please bear in mind I won't understand anything too technical so keep any advice simple please!

 

Thanks for any help.

I'm a bit of an Apple addict but if it's preloaded apps you don't like then you're going to hate the iPhone.

 

I don't know if anyone else can vouch for it but what about a Nokia Lumia?

 

As for networks, EE has the biggest coverage in the country right now and rather competitive rates.

 

 

Oh, as a side note, the Samsung Galaxy Ace. My mother had one of those and hated it, I got her an iPhone 4s to replace it and she seems quite happy with that!

Edited April 12, 201410 yr by Huttsey

My sister has the Samsung Galaxy Ace and she hates it. It won't let her have any more than two apps (Facebook and Youtube) saying that it doesn't have enough memory. When she does install another app it says she can no longer receive text messages, so has no choice but to delete it. Piece of sh*t phone! 

 

The Galaxy Mini might be an option for you, BQ? I am an Apple lover, like Huttsey, so I would recommend the iPhone, but it will cost you around between £25-30 per month. 

I'm a bit of an Apple addict but if it's preloaded apps you don't like then you're going to hate the iPhone.

 

I don't know if anyone else can vouch for it but what about a Nokia Lumia?

 

As for networks, EE has the biggest coverage in the country right now and rather competitive rates.

 

 

Oh, as a side note, the Samsung Galaxy Ace. My mother had one of those and hated it, I got her an iPhone 4s to replace it and she seems quite happy with that!

It wasn't the actual apps that bothered me - it was that the internal storage on the ace is so poor but I couldn't delete the preloaded apps I didn't want to make room for some that I did!  So I kept having to delete things I wanted!

 

I'll look at EE.  I've been on orange and t-mobile before and know that the coverage is good - I think it's only 02 (and linked ones, like Tesco) that is dodgy here now.  I've double checked in case it's improved but my house is still on the edge of a small patch that says "outside coverage" - it may or may not work in the house so not worth the risk.

 

My sister has the Samsung Galaxy Ace and she hates it. It won't let her have any more than two apps (Facebook and Youtube) saying that it doesn't have enough memory. When she does install another app it says she can no longer receive text messages, so has no choice but to delete it. Piece of sh*t phone! 

 

The Galaxy Mini might be an option for you, BQ? I am an Apple lover, like Huttsey, so I would recommend the iPhone, but it will cost you around between £25-30 per month. 

There's three of us in the office with an Ace and we all hate it!  If the iPhone comes out as the best option, I could go to £25-30 (I'm just stingy) and some networks offer NHS discount - I know Vodafone does so £25 would come down to about £20.  I really don't have a clue about phones - is there an older version of iPhone which is still worth considering?  I really don't think I need an all singing/dancing one, just one I can connect to the internet and have a few fun apps.

I would definitely not recommend EE. They are completely toilet.

I have an Xperia Z1, which is a fantastic handset. Great camera, has pre installed apps, but some cannot be removed without modding the handset, which I can't be arsed with, due to warranty etc.

But the network is rubbish and I plan to switch at the end of the year. No matter where I am at home, I have between zero and one bar of reception and constantly get texts with missed calls I never had. Not the handset either as I've tried other SIMs in it. Plus when friends come over they (on different networks) have full reception.

EE are crap. Avoid like the plague.

theblueone - have you checked what they say about your area on EE coverage checker? http://coverage.ee.co.uk/ee/coveragechecker.html  As I said I wouldn't consider 02 because I just happen to be in a crap reception area for them whereas all other networks seem fine.  And EE might be good in other areas.  I don't seem to remember a problem here before anyway.

 

 

Thanks for the recommendation for Xperia Z1 - I'll go and have a look

 

Blueblur - the mini is a very good price on EE (£16.99) so I will check how local friends find EE's coverage.  I assume it doesn't have the same problems as the Ace?  I must admit I was wondering whether to stay clear of Samsung because of my experience but the IT guys at work love Samsung.

I bet the IT guys at work hate Apple. It's a rivalry thing.

Edited April 12, 201410 yr by Huttsey

I think they used to like Apple but think Samsung have overtaken them recently.

theblueone - have you checked what they say about your area on EE coverage checker? http://coverage.ee.co.uk/ee/coveragechecker.html As I said I wouldn't consider 02 because I just happen to be in a crap reception area for them whereas all other networks seem fine. And EE might be good in other areas. I don't seem to remember a problem here before anyway.

Thanks for the recommendation for Xperia Z1 - I'll go and have a look

Blueblur - the mini is a very good price on EE (£16.99) so I will check how local friends find EE's coverage. I assume it doesn't have the same problems as the Ace? I must admit I was wondering whether to stay clear of Samsung because of my experience but the IT guys at work love Samsung.

I have had no real problems with the Z1. A couple things bother me but its just my personal preference. Good quality, well put together handset though.

Just checked my coverage and got two bars on everything but 2G. Definitely going to switch now, cheers for the link.

Edited April 12, 201410 yr by theblueone

If its the apps you hate then get a nexus, pure android phone without the added crap companies like Samsung put on them.

Edited April 12, 201410 yr by dkw

As I said dkw it's not the apps as such but the space they took up on a phone with limited space for them.  But I'll look at nexus.

My Samsung Galaxy Y is nearing the end of its natural life. Like Beerqueen, the small internal storage and inability to load apps on the memory card drive me crazy. I had to get rid of apps one by one just to update Whatsapp. I'll have a look at that Nexus too (can't stand Apple). I have a pay as you go thingie, I text/whatsapp more than I call, so I'm not willing to pay a fortune.

Windows Phone if you dont like a clamped up phone with 100 pre installed apps and stuff, fantastic mobility and easy to use - no lag and great looking interface which you can edit yourself to make it look like how you want it.

 

I love my Lumia phone even though its still a bit behind regarding apps and so on, but its getting there.

Just got a new HTC phone. Liking it so far. 

 

I was paying £36 for my phone last year. Ridiculous I know.

 

Down to £12 now and I still get 200 texts and 150 minutes. For someone with a house phone, this isn't too bad.

Don't know if this helps you BQ, but have you ever considered buying the phone outright?

I bought my phone and I'm on a SIM-Only contract. £17 a month for unlimited calls and texts plus 1GB of data.

Just got a new HTC phone. Liking it so far. 

 

I was paying £36 for my phone last year. Ridiculous I know.

 

Down to £12 now and I still get 200 texts and 150 minutes. For someone with a house phone, this isn't too bad.

That amount of texts and minutes would be fine.  What data limit is it though?

 

Don't know if this helps you BQ, but have you ever considered buying the phone outright?

I bought my phone and I'm on a SIM-Only contract. £17 a month for unlimited calls and texts plus 1GB of data.

I have considered it but would still need to work out what phone to buy!  For about that a month and the same allowances I could get a Samsung S4 mini so I'm not sure that it would save much.

 

Windows Phone if you dont like a clamped up phone with 100 pre installed apps and stuff, fantastic mobility and easy to use - no lag and great looking interface which you can edit yourself to make it look like how you want it.

 

I love my Lumia phone even though its still a bit behind regarding apps and so on, but its getting there.

My son has a windows phone which he likes but he said it didn't have as many apps available but it doesn't really bother him and I'm not sure if I'd be that bothered - I think there are enough for me.

 

There are more and more options and I haven't a clue!

The price of the Nexus phones gave me a heart attack, no way I'm spending that kind of money on a phone! Think I will take a look at cheaper LG phones.

iPhone and 3 network with unlimited data.

Ive had all networks and by far 3 have been the best reception and coverage mate .

Don't go for an LG phone. Especially the lower end models. They freeze up and lag, are of a generally poor quality and don't last long. I mad the mistake of buying one once and never again.

I almost bought a Motorola Moto G a few months ago but was put off by the lack of SD card slot. It has very good reviews and looks to be great value for money (£12/month on T-mobile). I'd definitely avoid the 8GB model though as that would fill up in no time.

 

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/moto-g-1199218/review

I like all the galaxy series in the normal size (not mini) I'd buy a second hand galaxy S3 and get a sim only unlimited deal, still in contract myself but when it runs out I'll keep my phone and switch to sim only, I find most of the time I upgrade and sign another two year contract just to have the newer model that I don't do anything on that I couldn't do on the one before.

Exactly what I did, went sim onl for £10 a month and kept my Galaxy S3. Im not overly bothered about getting a new phone, but when I do it will prbably be a 2nd hand S4 or similar and stay sim only.

Hmm seriously thinking about taking this advice.  S3s on ebay seem to be going around £135/140 mark which is less than £6 per month over a 2 year period.  Plus sim only will be about £10-15  so S3 for equivalent of £15-21 p.m.  Does that sound good?  Is there much difference between the S3 and S4?

 

Edit - just found an S4 on contract with 1gb data for £17.99 pm on t-mobile (you have to claim back 5 months line rental to get that price - but even at the full £21.99 it sounds good - not much more than the second hand S3 over two years.

Edited April 14, 201410 yr by Beerqueen

Just ordered an LG Optimus L5 II on sale. The reviews I read were all pretty positive. So at a little over €100 it should be good enough for my humble pay-as-you-go plan.

Hmm seriously thinking about taking this advice.  S3s on ebay seem to be going around £135/140 mark which is less than £6 per month over a 2 year period.  Plus sim only will be about £10-15  so S3 for equivalent of £15-21 p.m.  Does that sound good?  Is there much difference between the S3 and S4?

 

Edit - just found an S4 on contract with 1gb data for £17.99 pm on t-mobile (you have to claim back 5 months line rental to get that price - but even at the full £21.99 it sounds good - not much more than the second hand S3 over two years.

The best bit about the sim only is its month by month, not tied in at all. theres not that much difference between an s3 and s4 really, only its bigger and a bit faster. Unless you want the newest and sparkliest phone then its not really worth the extra money. In fact theres an S5 out soon so the S4 price will come down.