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only refresh available for existing customers?

Anonymous
Not applicable
Is it right that if I want to upgrade I have to pay £15 a month more to receive the same minutes, texts and data as my current tarrif (which I switched to on Nov 26th) to pay for the refresh product which I will never use? If so looks like EE will be getting new customers of myself, my family, so far 8 friends and their families
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a_hcir
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@perksie wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
I think refresh is great I can't personally see why anyone wouldn't go for it but some seem to still like a choice

I agree with that, the biggest complaint on here has always been about wanting to upgrade early, Refresh is a perfect way to do that and there is no penalty to pay.


There is a penalty to pay - a huge financial one.  The refresh contracts are just not competitive - when I've checked, it's cheaper to buy SIM free on a 0% credit card and find your own SIM-only plan.  The refresh contracts instead charge top whack for the phone (which will be branded and locked) and top whack for the airtime, and they're a lot less competitive than the traditional contract plans from places that will supply you an unbranded, unlocked handset anyway.

 

I, personally, don't get it.  If you really wanted to chop and change your phone so much, the SIM free & SIM only route has so many more advantages (including cost) than refresh.  

Message 31 of 39
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Anonymous
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@a_hcir wrote:

@perksie wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
I think refresh is great I can't personally see why anyone wouldn't go for it but some seem to still like a choice

I agree with that, the biggest complaint on here has always been about wanting to upgrade early, Refresh is a perfect way to do that and there is no penalty to pay.


There is a penalty to pay - a huge financial one.  The refresh contracts are just not competitive - when I've checked, it's cheaper to buy SIM free on a 0% credit card and find your own SIM-only plan.  The refresh contracts instead charge top whack for the phone (which will be branded and locked) and top whack for the airtime, and they're a lot less competitive than the traditional contract plans from places that will supply you an unbranded, unlocked handset anyway.

 

I, personally, don't get it.  If you really wanted to chop and change your phone so much, the SIM free & SIM only route has so many more advantages (including cost) than refresh.  


Which is what I do ref Sim Free from Apple and a 4G payg account.

 

That said its a big initial outlay for some.

 

I

Message 32 of 39
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Anonymous
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Not everyone has the option of getting endless credit cards
Message 33 of 39
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Anonymous
Not applicable

@Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has the option of getting endless credit cards

Personally I put funds to one side each month in a high interest online bank account, and then work full time in November to earn more. 

 

I choose not to use Credit Cards.

 

Apologies @a_hcir for going off topic.

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perksie
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@a_hcir wrote:

I, personally, don't get it.  If you really wanted to chop and change your phone so much, the SIM free & SIM only route has so many more advantages (including cost) than refresh.  


Nobody said it was compulsory, the choice is always there to do as you wish.

 

Not everyone has a credit card or can pay for a high end phone outright, not my choice but it's there.

 

It's a free market but O2 are selling more Refresh contracts than the normal type at the rate of about 200,000 per quarter, so it must have it's appeal.

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Anonymous
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I do a similar thing Bob and build up a phone fund wink
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a_hcir
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@Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has the option of getting endless credit cards

Agreed, but to play devil's advocate: If you can't get a cheap/zero credit deal to pay for an expensive handset, or afford to buy these devices outright at a lower overall cost, why consider having multiple expensive handsets in under two years and pay a premium for doing so?

Message 37 of 39
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Anonymous
Not applicable

@a_hcir wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Not everyone has the option of getting endless credit cards

Agreed, but to play devil's advocate: If you can't get a cheap/zero credit deal to pay for an expensive handset, or afford to buy these devices outright at a lower overall cost, why consider having multiple expensive handsets in under two years and pay a premium for doing so?


I tend to sell my previous iPhone to buy the newly released ones.

 

iPhones often hold their street value a bit better than some.

 

Example: I sold my iPhone 5 for £250 to off set the cost of my iPhone 5s.

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a_hcir
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@perksie wrote:

Nobody said it was compulsory, the choice is always there to do as you wish.

 

Not everyone has a credit card or can pay for a high end phone outright, not my choice but it's there.

 

It's a free market but O2 are selling more Refresh contracts than the normal type at the rate of about 200,000 per quarter, so it must have it's appeal.


 

I think most of the appeal must be the marketing/appealing to a demographic that doesn't want to "do it themselves".  I can't believe that people don't sit with a calculator and do the sums themselves and see that they're paying a lot more than they need to.

 

However, you're right, no-one is putting a gun to my head and forcing me to go down the refresh route.  Indeed, my o2 phone came from a reseller and is costing a lot less overall than if I got it from o2 refresh, even with their current deal on the handset 2 months down the line.

 

I do hope, however, that by the time my contract comes for renewal I can have a phone on a traditional contract direct from o2 without having to involve any third parties.

Message 39 of 39
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