Mobile with automatic Outlook sync

Hi Guys

Just popped in for some advice from all the knowledgable people here.

Minor hiccup this week when some thieving toe-rag half inched my Orange
SPV600 smartphone. Luckily I noticed only a short time after and got the
phone barred and blacklisted quickly.

Anyways phone wasn't insured and I have 3 months to run of an 18 month
contract. Phoned Orange and the option they suggested was a replacement
SPV600 for £150. I suggested that it would be cheaper for me to pay the
remaining contract rental and take out a new contract and I could get an
SPV600 free... unfortunately they would not let me use the same number for
whatever reason.

In the end I just got a replacement SIM to tide me over until I decide.

Now I need a functional handset. I pretty much don't care about the bells
and whistles... all I really require is Bluetooth and automatic sync of
Outlook contacts and calender (by automatic I mean like activsync just plug
into computer and thats it). There is multiple Outlook profiles on the
computer so it should sync just for mine.

As for the budget well whatever it needs to be... £150 was not out of the
question for the replacement handset... its just I object to giving Orange
that amount so near to the end of my contract when they will only offer a
mediocre upgrade when I look to extend my contract.... Hell I've only been a
loyal contract customer for the past 12 years.

Another option is to jump ship but I probably look like to see out the full
contract and get my moneys worth (I'll need some sort of a functional
handset in the meantime).
I would be sorry to lose my wifes OVP Virgin (which is on my account at the
moment) but a PAYG would probably be fine for her and one of those O2 month
notice simplicity contracts when we are travelling outside of eurozone.

So what I need in the short term is handsets that I can purchase (SIMfree or
PAYG/unlock)

And any advice on options once my current contract is up (considering at the
moment both mobiles have a total cost in the region of £35-£40 each month)

TIA Stan

"Stan" <me@home.com> wrote in message
news:SJKdnTtKMK9nBhPbRVnyvAA@bt.com...
> Hi Guys
>
> Just popped in for some advice from all the knowledgable people
> here.
>
> Minor hiccup this week when some thieving toe-rag half inched my
> Orange SPV600 smartphone. Luckily I noticed only a short time after
> and got the phone barred and blacklisted quickly.
>
> Anyways phone wasn't insured and I have 3 months to run of an 18
> month contract. Phoned Orange and the option they suggested was a
> replacement SPV600 for £150. I suggested that it would be cheaper
> for me to pay the remaining contract rental and take out a new
> contract and I could get an SPV600 free... unfortunately they would
> not let me use the same number for whatever reason.
>

Hmmm... I thought Orange allowed you to upgrade up to 3 months early
on pay monthly tariffs.
Did they make it clear whether the £150 was for the handset itself or
as an "early" upgrade fee ?
If it is the latter, and your billing date is near, wait until a day
or so after and try again, and the fee should (hopefully) be 0.

"Matt Wheeler" <spam@007jbond.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:nYCdnfZ0LLBKPhPbRVnytwA@pipex.net...
>
> Hmmm... I thought Orange allowed you to upgrade up to 3 months early on
> pay monthly tariffs.
> Did they make it clear whether the £150 was for the handset itself or as
> an "early" upgrade fee ?
> If it is the latter, and your billing date is near, wait until a day or so
> after and try again, and the fee should (hopefully) be 0.
>
>
>

It was the person who I reported the stolen handset to that quoted the £150
and it was definitely for a replacement handset because mine wasn't insured.

I'll have to check the dates I wasn't aware of the 3 month early upgrade
maybe I am just a few days short of the 3 months and they neglected to
mention that I would soon be eligible and I might be easily relieved of a
few extra quid.

Thanks for the heads up

Checked by trying to upgrade on the Orange Web Site

Doesn't have SPV C600 on upgrade but any other upgrade I tried has £150 plus
sometimes a charge (for the latest handsets). Guess I'm going to have to
wait a few days until I hit my billing date to see if the £150 fee gets
waived.

The SPV E650 looks ideal for me on upgrade nice and similar to my last
one... Anyone using this handset? How do you find it?

Other Windows Mobile are a bit over-kill for me but some of the rest...
Blackberry, Sony Ericson, Nokias what are these like to syncronise to
Outlook?

Stan

me@home.com declared for all the world to hear...
> Hi Guys
>
> Just popped in for some advice from all the knowledgable people here.
>
> Minor hiccup this week when some thieving toe-rag half inched my Orange
> SPV600 smartphone. Luckily I noticed only a short time after and got the
> phone barred and blacklisted quickly.
>
> Anyways phone wasn't insured and I have 3 months to run of an 18 month
> contract. Phoned Orange and the option they suggested was a replacement
> SPV600 for £150. I suggested that it would be cheaper for me to pay the
> remaining contract rental and take out a new contract and I could get an
> SPV600 free... unfortunately they would not let me use the same number for
> whatever reason.

Sounds like the £150 is a fee for upgrading early.

> In the end I just got a replacement SIM to tide me over until I decide.
>
> Now I need a functional handset. I pretty much don't care about the bells
> and whistles... all I really require is Bluetooth and automatic sync of
> Outlook contacts and calender (by automatic I mean like activsync just plug
> into computer and thats it). There is multiple Outlook profiles on the
> computer so it should sync just for mine.

Buy an HTC S310 on Orange PAYG, these have just been reduced in price.

> As for the budget well whatever it needs to be... £150 was not out of the
> question for the replacement handset... its just I object to giving Orange
> that amount so near to the end of my contract when they will only offer a
> mediocre upgrade when I look to extend my contract.... Hell I've only been a
> loyal contract customer for the past 12 years.

How much do you spend per month?
--
Regards
Jon

me@home.com declared for all the world to hear...
> Checked by trying to upgrade on the Orange Web Site
>
> Doesn't have SPV C600 on upgrade but any other upgrade I tried has £150 plus
> sometimes a charge (for the latest handsets). Guess I'm going to have to
> wait a few days until I hit my billing date to see if the £150 fee gets
> waived.

It's not to do with your billing date, it's 3 months from the end of
your contract date, but only if your spend is high enough.
--
Regards
Jon

"Jon" <spam@jonparker.plus.com> wrote in message
>
> How much do you spend per month?
> --

Believe it or not I don't really pay a lot of attention to the mobile bills
sometimes I don't even open them.

I had estimated £35-£40 per month for both phones but I think this is a
little low.

The last last 3 bills now that I have checked have been £68, £58 and £40.
The first 2 have a few roaming charges making them higher than normal but I
travel fairly regularly so its probably not out of the ordinary for a 3
month period.

Stan