# Pay as you go smartphone



## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

I'm looking at some smartphones but I'm on PAYG and don't want a contract at the moment so was wondering if anyone has experience of the cheaper end smartphones, looking sub 100 but may stretch to 150 for the right phone.

Any help given is much appreciated:thumb:


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

ZTE Blade, cracking little phone once rooted, overclocked and running cyanogen mod, got a fair sized screen too with cracking resolution. SWMBO and I both have them in white.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

pooma said:


> I'm looking at some smartphones but I'm on PAYG and don't want a contract at the moment so was wondering if anyone has experience of the cheaper end smartphones, looking sub 100 but may stretch to 150 for the right phone.
> 
> Any help given is much appreciated:thumb:


Well as you know you won't get a iphone 4s or Samsung SII within budget unless you are going to steal it yourself  
Handsets are improving for the price, HTC WIldfire S, Samsung Galaxy Ace , Orange san fransisco II, all worthy , data on PAYG usually depends on a montly top up, and equates back to contract rates, however you don't have the silly 24 month committment that most providers seem to be insistent on.
Have you considered a 30 day sim only package from Tesco? £10 gets you 500/500/500 mins /texts/mb .


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Sim card wise I'd go for giffgaff £10 gets 250 any network mins, unlimited texts and web.


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## Dangerroush (Nov 4, 2010)

Why don't you look at the tesco capped tarrif, it's 15 per month, you can't go over your budget, and loads of Internet, minutes and texts, plus, the phones are free, so your 150 outlay would pay for 10 months rental


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks for the replies guys. Tarrif and sim wis I was thinking of staying with O2 as it means I can keep my number, Just been looking at the wildfire, but my head has been turned by the San Fransisco II (ZTE Blade) on Orange, just reading up on it now.

With O2 my current Tarrif gives me 300 free texts when I top up a tenner but I don't have to do it every month, I just utilise the free texts through the month then use the 10 pound credit for texts once the month has passed, I'm hoping the text and net tarrif will work the same, it gives 500 texts and 500mb of data for a tenner a month top up.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Wildfire S is much lower spec than the san fransisco II (ZTE Crescent)and the original zte blade


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks Bigmc, as you can probably tell I'm a total :newbie: to the smart phone scene, my current phone being a 3 or 4 year old LG viewty


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

pooma said:


> Thanks for the replies guys. Tarrif and sim wis I was thinking of staying with O2 as it means I can keep my number, Just been looking at the wildfire, but my head has been turned by the San Fransisco II (ZTE Blade) on Orange, just reading up on it now.
> 
> With O2 my current Tarrif gives me 300 free texts when I top up a tenner but I don't have to do it every month, I just utilise the free texts through the month then use the 10 pound credit for texts once the month has passed, I'm hoping the text and net tarrif will work the same, it gives 500 texts and 500mb of data for a tenner a month top up.


The SF2 is quite easy to unlock apparently, here is a comparison of the two handsets.


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks again, this is why detailing world is the most viewed site on my browser, I knew I could rely on some good feedback here. I think the SF2 is the one for me, will go over to orange and take my number with me, their dolphin tarrif looks good with plenty free texts and free internet.

Looking at this, phone 100 notes when buying a 10 pound top up, comes with 100 payg credit.
http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/san-francisco-II-from-orange-in-black


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

pooma said:


> Thanks again, this is why detailing world is the most viewed site on my browser, I knew I could rely on some good feedback here. I think the SF2 is the one for me, will go over to orange and take my number with me, their dolphin tarrif looks good with plenty free texts and free internet.
> 
> Looking at this, phone 100 notes when buying a 10 pound top up, comes with 100 payg credit.
> http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/san-francisco-II-from-orange-in-black


Before you rush off to the Orange shop, also consider the T-mobile vivacity which is essentially the same phone but another £10 cheaper, as you may know Orange and T-mobile are part of everything everywhere and the coverage is the same for the 2 networks.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Orange are releasing the SFII in white next month if you want something a bit different? They're really easy to unlock, root, overclock and install custom ROMs too.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

The Sony Experia Play can be found for £150, this is streets ahead of the Orange SF2 and similar phones. It's a bit bulky but is much more powerful. Also it plays games with a proper game pad!


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## mike13 (Feb 25, 2011)

bigmc said:


> ZTE Blade, cracking little phone once rooted, overclocked and running cyanogen mod, got a fair sized screen too with cracking resolution. SWMBO and I both have them in white.


Excuse the interruption,but Big mc can you tell me what method you used to root and upgrade.

Thanks


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## crazysnakeman (Oct 12, 2011)

for all your rooting needs have a butchers at xda developers. some really clever people on there!


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

mike13 said:


> Excuse the interruption,but Big mc can you tell me what method you used to root and upgrade.
> 
> Thanks


Use this guide it's the easiest way forward imho, just download cyanogenmod 7 from the cyanogen website first.


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## NickTB (Feb 4, 2007)

If you're looking for second hand, wander over to talkphotography. They're classifieds section ( non photography) always has a decent selection of phones for sale. There's a white rooted San Francisco there for £75 currently and a brand new Blackberry 9780 as well as various HTC's


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

I got 2 from ebay last week for the grand total of £101, one of them is less than 3 months old and the other is 6 months old.


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