Is It Worth It?... Mobile/Cellphone Contract.

[Parasondox]

Cinema Popcorn. It's so overrated and crappy.

Phone contracts are getting expensive.

But Para?

What?

Mobile coverage is a lot more better, phones aren't just phones anymore and the world is more connected than it was 20 years ago. Of course it's expensive, Baby Boo P.

True but why do I feel that some things are bottle necked and so much restrictions? I am speaking from a UK perspective but here tell us how it's like in your land. So, I have a mobile contract of unlimited minutes, unlimited text and 4gb of data for ?34 a month, which is great! Well, it was great. I agreed to this deal at a time when friends spoke to me a lot over the phone, now, it seems to me they don't wish to verbally speak over the phone but rather, WhatsApp, Kik, Viber, Snapchat one another. Yes, often those lovely, sweet, and not annoying group chat *fake smile*. So really, I needed more data as the minutes and text are going to waste. Will my network allow me to do that mid contract? Add more data and take away the minutes? FUUUUUUUUUUUCK NO. I've tried and no dice. All I got was, "you will have to wait until your contract ends." BALLS. Well why don't I just cancel the contract now? If I had a couple of hundreds of pounds, maybe. My wages aren't that good.

So, I looked around to see what heavy data deals were out there and boy 4G is expensive. Sim Only 30 day contracts seems okay.

To you, how much data is too little data or too much data. I'm on 4gb and that doesn't seem much but I see other contracts with 500mb and ads saying they are 4G data focused phone plans. HOW? 500mb a month does not seem like enough if you are a heavy data user and those contracts aren't cheap either.

Wifi Hotspots? I live in Zone 3 London. You don't get much Wifi hotspots here unless you are near a shopping centre. If you are in Zone 1, WIFI EVERYWHERE!!

So what do you think? Are cellphone/mobile phone contracts worth it? Are they expensive these days?

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I couldn't tell you. I have almost zero need for connecting to the Internet while I'm on the go, so I use a pay-as-you-go phone that costs me about $100 a year.

 

[WindKnight]

If you want it for emergencies, go with a contract-less network wit pay as you go options. If your like me, you can set your phone to only use w-fi for internet use, which is a little restrictive as you need hotspots or local wi-fi to connect, but makes it a lot more cost effective.

 

[sky14kemea]

I'd say its only worth it if you tend to use your phone a lot.

I have a contract with a lot of texting and minimal data usage. I text a lot but never need the internet so I just leave my data use turned off unless its an emergency.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Depends on how much you used your phone?

As for me, I'm only at pay as you go as I used my phone as little as possible (I sometime text a co worker for the next week work schudle or replying to my bro message) unlike a few of my friends who view the phone as an extension of their limbs.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Only really worth it if your tethering, I think.

I just got on Google's Fi network. 30 dollars a month for access to both Sprint and T-Mobile networks, unlimited calls and text, and 1GB of internet. 10 bucks for every additional GB of internet data used, but I also get a refund if I go under what I'm 'contracted' (Not really a contract, just payed in advance), so I'm looking at getting about 9 bucks or more back.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

I told contracts to bugger off months ago and have been happier since. There's no reason I should be paying $75 a month for a phone plan that's near identical to my current one, that being 100 minutes day and unlimited at night, unlimited texts of all forms, 300mb of data, voicemail and all that good stuff, for $35 a month. Granted, the phone I bought is no powerhouse. It was $100 off contract (A 2014 smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard, this being the LG F3Q. Imported it to Canada from the States), but that's worth it for the level of good it brings.

I wouldn't ever go back to a contact again, they're complete balls and are only good for phones that are $600-900, which is WAY beyond more than what any phone should ever be worth. Just get an off contract phone with slightly less capabilities than the flagship phones and you'll probably be just as happy. If you're the type that needs the best possible and newest thing ever, stop using a phone for that reason. They're out of tune just as fast as every other piece of tech

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

I've been with the same cell phone company for many years and I've never had an issue with coverage or service, and it ends up running me about $50 a month.

I've got a couple of GBs of data a month that I never run out of, mostly because I tend to do a lot of my heavy data usage at home via wifi, and I tend to only look up for things while on the go rather use social media apps like a lot of other people.

All I can say for someone entering into these plans for the first time is to KNOW and UNDERSTAND what you are paying for. My parent had this issue not too long ago where they had only realize years later that they had been paying for a phone instead of simply paying for their service plan. Luckily, I was able to help them get their monthly charges reduced, but it was clearly a communication issue that was the root of this problem.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Yikes, that's expensive. Here in Belgium there's an awesome budget provider that has semi-prepaid plans for fuck-all money. ?15 Worth of calls, which is around 50 minutes, 2000 texts and 4GB worth of 4G data. I can switch plans or simply quit every month, no contracts or anything. It's pretty great for that kind of money, I only really get meh mobile data reception when I leave the city and I barely ever do that so I'm good.

Contracts you're stuck with never sit well with me. I want to be able to bug out whenever I want dammit.

 

[laggyteabag]

Everyone I know is one some kind of contract, with the latest and greatest phone, with the most luxurious package they could get, and it is setting them back around ?40-?50 a month. Me? No. I bought my phone outright, and just spend about ?10 every couple of months (maybe) to top it up.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

In Australia, my Pay As You Go plan is $10, $20, $30, or $50. Calls are charged at 12c/minute, 12c per text. 4G data is charged at 7c/mb or you can get a 1gb data pack for $9.90. The (in my case) $30 credit lasts for 90 days.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

I can appreciate that the new phones are technological marvels, but I don't need one. I keep an old phone (one of the first wave of touch-screen phones, I think) and use a pay-as-you-go sim. I'm not a serial texter, nor do I feel the need to use the internet when I'm out and about... I seriously do enough of that at home already. The lower tech-nature of the phone means the battery life is ridiculously long too, which I really appreciate.

 

[Parasondox]

I can appreciate that the new phones are technological marvels, but I don't need one. I keep an old phone (one of the first wave of touch-screen phones, I think) and use a pay-as-you-go sim. I'm not a serial texter, nor do I feel the need to use the internet when I'm out and about... I seriously do enough of that at home already. The lower tech-nature of the phone means the battery life is ridiculously long too, which I really appreciate.

I do miss the days when you can charge the phone for 2 hours ands it last for several days... WHAT DO YOU MEAN 35%!! YOU WERE 100% 3 HOURS AGO!!

 

[born4fun]

You should talk to another provider to see if they will pay for your early termination fee with your existing provider. Often times they offer this in order to obtain you as their customer . . .