Carphone Warehouse - New Mobile Phone Contracts

[mattSV]

Have just got to the end of my two 18 month contracts with Carphone Warehouse (one for me, one for MrsMatt) so phoned on them on Saturday to see what sort of deal they could do.

What I wanted was:-

My contract - monthly bill as low as possible (even if it means a cashback deal), 200 mins/texts or so, not fussed about a new phone

MrsMatt's contract - monthly bill as low as possible, 100 mins/texts but must have a new pone (as the battery in her old one is knackered)

After a bit of haggling, and then being passed through to the 'loyalty team' I ended up with the following deal for me:-

18m contract
400 minutes
400 texts
£5 per month fixed (i.e. no cashback shenanigans)

Result I thought.

The cheapest deal they could do for MrsMatt with a 'free' phone was £15 per month. Said I would think about it, and had a look to see what was around elsewhere.

Dialaphone do a contract for £5 per month with a free phone and about 100 mins 50 texts - she does not use her phone much at all, so this would be fine.

So, I phoned Carphone Warehouse this evening to cancel her contract and get the PUK code. Got passed eventually to 'Level 2 loyalty' (woooo!) and ended up with the following deal for her after about 20 minutes of haggling:-

18m contract
600 minutes
600 texts
Free web browsing

So, if she does not need all those minutes why did I agree to that contract?

Because it is £1.60 per month!!!! Yes, just one pound sixty pence! Now, this deal is via cashback, and does not come with a new phone however I can pick up a brand new half decent phone for less than £40 (or just buy her a new battery )

So, £1.60 for 18 months - CPW will make £28.80, so long as I follow their rules for the cashback, which won't be a problem....

Also told the bloke that I was annoyed that I hadn't been given this option the first time I phoned for my contract (apparantly only 'managers' are allowed to offer it) so he is going to get mine changed to this contract as well

So, the catches are:-

Have to pay £35 per month and then send in bills 6,12& 18 to get the cash back

No free phone

However 600mins, 600 texts, free web browsing and a cheque back for £200 every 6 months seems like a bargain to me