GSM WORLD

Hi All,

I would like to buy a Motorola V3i with Virgin (pay-as-u-go)

On the virginmobile site its Ł220.
At Dial-a-phone (http://www.dialaphonepp.co.uk)its Ł140.
Before I buy it from here, is there anything Im missing.
How is it so much cheaper there?

Secondly, my current phone is a old Samsung with Virgin.
Can I just take my SIM from this and replace the one that comes with
the Motorola and keep the same number?

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff wrote in message
news:3G0ig.146151$8W1.68495@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

Dunno why its so cheaper. The Virgin one gives you more airtime it seems
though.


The SIM card is the number. Just put it into any Virgin (or unlocked) phone
and it will work.

Marcus

On Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:30:39 GMT, Jeff wrote:


Phones on the Virgin web site are often more expensive than SIM free ones
from other shops. But you can actually get many discounts and it might at
the end turn out to be cheaper to buy from Virgin than from somewhere else.

If you buy a phone from the Virgin web site as a new customer, it will come
with a sim card so you obviously pay for that. Since you are an existing
customer, log in to your account on your Virgin web site and youll be able
to buy phone without a sim card at Ł10 less than the new customer price. If
you have never logged in on the web site, i think that youll have to ring
CS to set up your password (unless theyve changed that since i signed up).

Phones bought from the Virgin web site also come with a Ł30 credit voucher
at the moment.

And if youve been with Virgin for more than 3 months and have spent at
least Ł100 in credit over the last 2 years, youll be entitled to a further
discount. Once youre logged in, click Rewards -> Upgrading you phone and
youll see how much you can deduct from the price of your new phone (up to
Ł100 i think).

And you also get next day delivery for free of course.


Yes and as i said, you actually do not have to buy a new SIM since you
already have one.

Thanks a lot for the replies - very helpful.

Looks like Im going to have to go with another provider though.
One of the reasons for wanting a new phone is so I can get a tri/quad
band for use in the USA.
Looking at the virginmobile site just now and you can only use your
virgin mobile in the USA if youre a pay by direct debit customer :-(

Cheers,

Jeff

Jeff wrote:

Thats because roaming on phone calls isnt activated for top-up PAYG. You
have several choices:

* Just use the phone for texts in the USA

* Unlock the phone and use a local SIM in the USA

* Sign up with Virgin to pay for your PAYG with Direct Debit. That means
instead of topping up the phone they send you an itemised bill (not sure if
its electronic or paper) and take that amount of money from your
account. Its still PAYG because you have to spend from 0 pounds/month
upwards - theres no minimum charge or inclusive minutes as with a contract,
you just pay for the calls.

Note that USA SIMs also charge you for incoming calls, so its worth
comparing the roaming charges of Virgin with the incoming call rates of
someone like Cingular.

Theo

Theo Markettos wrote:

Thanks Theo,

Didnt realize these options existed!

Jeff