How to get new phone and continue with O2

[Rraa]

I am coming to the end of a 24 month contract, ending 29 June. I hope that this will not be a rolling contract which means that O2 continue to take money from me in July and August unless I give permission to continue.   I need reassurance that this will not happen because if it does, that alone might make me change networks because I see that as devious. 

I want to get a new phone and am currently the not-so-proud owner of a broken SamsungG2 so am using a very old (8 years old) motorola RazR which works nicely as a phone and has been very reliable.  However, it does not let me pick up emails.  I want a Samsung G3.  I can get a handset for £29.99 with unlimited texts and minutes plus 1GB data for £27/month from Carphone whereas, if I went to O2 shop for exactly the same deal, it would cost £49.99 for the handset. 

How would you advise me to proceed?  What would you do?

I am inclined to go to Carphone for the handset.  Should I wait until after 29th June

[version7point0]

Hi Rraa.

All networks roll you onto a 30 rolling system once your minimum term is reached. Imagine the outcry from people not so clued up on their renewal / end dates suddenly being cut off.

If you do not want to renew then you will need to give a 30 days notice period, typically the day before you contractual last month billing date to avoid paying an extra month.

Alternatively you can renew your agreement to either a SIM only contract or a new phone and tariff deal, O2 Refresh being the best value and even if you do not take advantage of an early upgrade, at least your monthly repayments drop to the basic airtime cost atfer the device is paid off.

Hope this answers your questions.

[Rraa]

Hi version7point0 -

Thank you for pointing out what's wrong with my (mistaken) belief about the potential rolling facility following the end of my 24 month contract.  

I see now why this is actually practical rather than devious, so, apologies to O2.  

Thanks also  for pointing out about the SIM only contract and the option to get an O2 Refresh.  

I am rather poor at the moment and do not have several hundred pounds to just go and buy a handset so must consider my budget carefully.  I am prepared to spend a bit on the handset and spread the payments out over the length of a contract.  

If possible, I would like to keep my current mobile number because all my potential employers know this number and it is on all my paperwork.  I'm not sure whether it would be possible to get an unlocked handset, say and get onto the above monthly contract at say, £27/month.  Should I speak to someone in an O2 outlet or contact O2 separately?

kind regards

rraa

[perksie · Accepted solution]

You could buy an unlocked phone or an O2 locked one from any source and simply swap your sim over, a new one can be had from O2 or an O2 shop if you need a different type, and they will transfer your number and account to it, or you can do yourself online here:

http://swapmysim.o2.co.uk/

You could then change to a sim only contract to use with it.

[Rraa]

Thanks Perksie - very helpful link.