Best option at end of contract?

A question about : Best option at end of contract?

Hi all,

I'm not sure how comprehensive this post or the questions will be, but I'm totally lost about what to do.

I am currently nearing the end of a Talkmobile contract, it ends on the 21st of March. It was bought as a redemption deal on e2save, I'm paying Talkmobile Ј7.70 a month for 250mins, 500mb of data and 5000 texts. It was part of a redemption deal with a phone where I got Ј150 back, the last Ј30 of this is supposedly in the post.

At the time I gave away the phone that came with the contract, it was suitable for my mother, but I wanted something a bit better so bought a HTC Desire X.

The redemption has been flawless and I'd love to do the same thing again, but the best deals are usually (unsurprisingly) with Talkmobile and from what I've read as a current customer I wouldn't be able to take advantage of them without leaving to a different network for a year? Also in terms of redemption, at Ј7.70 a month it’s great, I'd be a bit more nervous about taking a Ј40 a month contract with a 50% saving in case anything went wrong.

First real question… Am I able to contact TalkMobile in a few days time and give my 30 days notice and get a PAC code. Or do I have to wait until the end of the minimum contract and then give 30 days?

I believe that out with the minimum contract I can give 30 days notice, use a PAC code at any time, but will be charged to the end of the 30 day period regardless of when the PAC is used?

Looking to the future I’d like a new phone, that will probably be a question in the Tech thread, but at the minute I’m considering the Samsung S5 mini and watching out for the Asus Zenphone 2. And I’ll be happy to either by the phone upfront or take it on a contract depending on what works out cheaper over 24 months.

Usage wise, I am quite comfortably sticking to what I have now, although I’d probably want a greater amount of data, and possibly more minutes (I tend to let people I know have lots of minutes call me and feel a bit guilty about it). Between the phone and contract I’d not want to pay much more than Ј25 a month and the less the better obviously.

Anyway I digress slightly, I’m just at the stage where I don’t know whether it’s best to move onto a different monthly or PAYG plan so that it’s easier to decide on a new contract when I’m ready. I’m struggling to find options that are substantially cheaper that what I pay now and am wary that if I take out a sim with a company that I then decide to go into a longer contract with it may mean I miss out on potential cashback etc.

I’m sorry for this massive rambling, with me trying to get my thoughts in order, but any help is greatly appreciated.

Best answers:

• There is a redemption deal on O2 with 500 minutes and 500mb with a Huawei Y330 which ends up at Ј5 per month after cashback - cheaper and better than your old deal and you'd be bale to use a PAC. Otherwise the same deal as you're on with TalkMobile and a Experia E1 for the Ј5 with 250 minutes etc - you can order another regardless of your current contract but wouldn't be able to use a PAC, so would have to accept a new number. I have 9 contracts, two with TalkMobile.
• Thanks to both of you, lots of food for thought. So basically, all I have to do is phone up and ask for the PAC. Nothing else, that's classes as notification of ending the contract, and I can then use that in the next 30 days. If I don't then things just continue as normal until I make another request.
  Grumbler, in terms of the year thing... I've not seen it anywhere official but basically people are saying you can't use a PAC to take your number away from TalkMobile and then immediately request a PAC and switch back. Because a PAC only work for new customers and you aren't classed a new customer unless you've been away from the network for a certain period of time. I'd be very interested in anyone who can confirm this to be true or not.
  The Moto G is an option, size is quite a big thing for me though and it might be a bit big. I haven't looked into which phone that seriously yet, my sister got the s4 mini though and is really pleased with it which is why that route is a possibility.
  On Three's 321 last months usage would have cost me Ј13.50, so probably not worth switching unless I know it's only going to be a short while.
  MobileJunkie - the O2 deal is good, it's a lot to be claiming back by redemption though which makes me a bit nervous in case things do go wrong. Its certainly not a better deal than my current one for the 24 months I was in contract, Ignoring the Ј25 topcashback it worked out at Ј1.45 a month.
  I'm pretty set on keeping my number though, I've had it a long time and am kinda attached to it. Plus I actually know it off by heart, would take me years to learn a new one
• You can get the 250 allowance for Ј1 a month. Cashback is what I do - I am extremely comfortable and experienced with it and wouldn't do anything else. All my contracts are profitable (except two will end up with a small loss due to Phones4u going bust - though I have minimised the loss and got a free tablet to boot).
  The point about Talkmobile number transfers is that it has to come from a different network; since with Talkmobile you can only use the PAC at the point of order it would be cumbersome and delay things to get your current number over (via another network).
• Thanks again both of you, I still have no idea what I'm going to do, but you've certainly made things a lot clearer.
  Grumbler, as I said, a year was just a figure I'd seen quoted a few places where it was suggested that Talkmobile wouldn't use a PAC to port a number that had recently been with them. You seem to be suggesting this isn't the case? I certainly don't have any issue switching to a PAYG sim for a month if it means I can secure another 99p contract with Talkmobile.
  Although I'm still debating the usage issues, I can't help thinking that 500mb is unlikely to be enough in the near future, although I am connected to wifi the majority of the time.
  Mobilejunkie, regarding cashback, as I said I've had absolutely no issues with e2save and the cashback. However, I do feel there is quite a lot of risk involved, if the company goes bust shortly after you sign up for a deal, that's a lot of money that you are no longer saving.
  If I'm not going to take another contract with Talkmobile the best option it seems might be to just stick with them at Ј7.70 a month until I make some more definite decisions.
• Isn't the issue with Talkmobile that need the PAC during the order process and can't issue a temporary number and apply a PAC later like all other providers.