Mobile Phone Upgrade

[Rawns]

Just a quick (and possibly silly) question. I'm with O2 and have had my mobile contract for 23 months now. I can upgrade a month early next weekend but am wondering, if you choose to upgrade early do you have to upgrade directly with O2, or can you upgrade early via Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4 You etc? I want to stay with O2 but they do not sell the phone I really want but on the Carphone Warehouse website, I can get the HTC Desire HD on an O2 contract.

[plexer]

Upgrading early is only with your current provider so they can tie you into another 24 month deal.

 

Otherwise you will have to either wait or see if another provider will buy you out of your current deal.

 

Ben

[Rawns]

Thanks Plexer. I do want to stay with O2, but the HTC Desire HD phone is not on O2's online shop. The phone is available from the Carphone Warehouse with an O2 contract so I want to know if I can take out the early upgrade with O2 via the Carphone Warehouse rather then in an O2 shop.

[bondbill2k2]

Anything HTC and Android gets my vote having owned a Iphone 3G, a 3GS and worked in a mobile phone store 2007-2009 i'd say they Iphone is good but very overated and android systems are great but HTC make the most of it with their Sense UI. They also do anything an iphone does!

[LosOjos]

@Rawns: I'd give O2 a ring and ask about the HTC Desire HD, even though it's not on their website, I have had them get phones for me in the past that they haven't advertised, so it's worth a shot!

[Rawns]

@LosOjos - Thanks for the heads up. I may pop into my local O2 store and enquire about it.

 

I have a iPhone 3G and over the past 24 months, it's just ground to a halt and slowed right down after every OS update. Also my iTunes account was hacked and Apple did sweet F.A about it.

 

I was toying with an HTC HD7 (Win 7 OS) but have read up on the HTC Desire HD and it's looking like the frontrunner at the moment. Plus many people say Android is where it's at.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Rawns

[LosOjos]

I was toying with an HTC HD7 (Win 7 OS) but have read up on the HTC Desire HD and it's looking like the frontrunner at the moment. Plus many people say Android is where it's at.

 

Android is indeed where it's at with many big names jumping ship thanks to Apple's ridiculous demands in June, it can only mean good things for Android's future

 

I have had the HTC Desire (not HD) for about a year now and I love it (I've also used a friends HD and it is very similar so I'd definitely recommend it), so much so that I recently won a new phone (Xperia X10) and plan to stick it straight on eBay when I get it, as I have no desire to change my phone (excuse the awful pun )

[plexer]

If the phone is available on that network then yes speak to them and see.

 

If staying with O2 and carphone warehouse have the phone ask them about upgrading but an upgrade may only be available direct from O2.

 

Ben

[CHR1S]

Without starting the whole contract Vs buying up front... 24 month contract = ouch!

 

HTC Desire HD = £379.99 - HTC Desire HD Sim Free Mobile Phone - Mocha: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

 

GifGaff sim - £10 p/m (see my sig - 250 mins, unltd txt and true unltd internet)

 

Over 12 months = £499.99

Over 24 months = £619.99

and your not tied down to a contract, its 1 month at a time.

 

O2 on a rough like for like contract

 

Over 24 months = £744 (300 mins, unltd txt, 1gb data @ £31 p/m)

Edited May 3, 2011 by CHR1S

[MK-2]

I am in nearly the exact same dilemma. I can upgrade on O2 in a couple of weeks but the phone i want isn't on their site, yet carphone warehouse do an o2 contract with it.

 

and chris, although theres always that argument, not everyone has £4/500 to spend on a new phone as a one off. its like saying why pay a mortgage, just buy your house

 

**edit**

with giffgaff you say true unltd internet, yet their site says free mobile internet until may 31st. what happens after may 31st?

Edited May 3, 2011 by MK-2

[CHR1S]

with giffgaff you say true unltd internet, yet their site says free mobile internet until may 31st. what happens after may 31st?

 

Thats for everyone, regardless of what you top up or which goodybag you buy! So put £10 and you get free internet (they keep moving the date back too )

Use all your £10 credit in a week and your internet stays free.

If you buy a goodybag with unlimited internet included you get that for the month.

[Rawns]

I am in nearly the exact same dilemma.

 

What phone are you eyeing up @MK-2?

[MK-2]

Samsung Galaxy S2. I have an HTC HD2 now running Android but want a phone built for Android. I looked at the HTC Incredible S and Desire HD but from reviews I've read the Samsung is the best performing so far.

I'll still keep my HD2 so if it is a real dud I can sell it on and get something else

 

I tried calling o2 and get thru to automated upgrades to be told "you are not eligible for upgrade yet, call back at x date". I know!! I wanted to know if you stocked the phone so I can decide IF to upgrade!!!

[CHR1S]

and chris, although theres always that argument, not everyone has £4/500 to spend on a new phone as a one off. its like saying why pay a mortgage, just buy your house

 

Oh I appreciate your point, but I would rather save up to buy the phone and save £150 ish in the long run, each to their own tho.

[Rawns]

Samsung Galaxy S2. I have an HTC HD2 now running Android but want a phone built for Android. I looked at the HTC Incredible S and Desire HD but from reviews I've read the Samsung is the best performing so far.

I'll still keep my HD2 so if it is a real dud I can sell it on and get something else

 

I tried calling o2 and get thru to automated upgrades to be told "you are not eligible for upgrade yet, call back at x date". I know!! I wanted to know if you stocked the phone so I can decide IF to upgrade!!!

 

I've heard good things about this phone too but not really looked into it. The only issue I've heard about it is that the duel core CPU sucks the battery dry very quickly with constant use.

[MK-2]

I've heard good things about this phone too but not really looked into it. The only issue I've heard about it is that the duel core CPU sucks the battery dry very quickly with constant use.

 

you should try the hd2 once you configure the battery properly (as i was flashing roms every other day) i can get two days use out of it. i dont mind either as i have a brodit car holder so it charges to and from work, so unless i hit it heavily i should be ok

[Arthur]

I want to stay with O2 but they do not sell the phone I really want but on the Carphone Warehouse website, I can get the HTC Desire HD on an O2 contract.

O2 are getting the HTC Sensation in June which is the replacement for the Desire HD. If I was signing up for another 24 months I wouldn't want to get a phone which is already eight months old (an antique in the Android world ).

[pshuttle]

I have had a Desire HD for a few months now and I am very happy with it. Be aware that without rooting the phone there is no system wide proxy support in Android 2.2 Froyo. If you can live with that or intend to root your phone then I highly recommend it.

 

Battery life is poor but I like have the massive screen, locations and push services running.

 

Pete

[Rawns]

Be aware that without rooting the phone there is no system wide proxy support in Android 2.2 Froyo. If you can live with that or intend to root your phone then I highly recommend it.

 

I'm going to admit that I have no idea what you just said.:confused:

[LosOjos]

I'm going to admit that I have no idea what you just said.:confused:

 

It's an unfortunate thorn in Android's side that there is no official support for proxies; a huge problem in many business environments where internet access over wifi is only possible via a proxy

 

Fortunately, certain groups of developers have created custom Android ROMS (re-built the Android OS from source with their own tweaks added), and these can be installed on to your Android device to replace the existing ROM/OS - one of these is CyanogenMOD, and that includes proxy support (amongst many other features, it's well worth a look).

 

"Rooting" refers to a procedure that allows you "root" (Linux equivalent of administrator) access to your device - by default you cannot access system files. This opens the device up to more possibilities, such as overclocking. It is also necessary to root your phone before you install the vast majority of ROMS on to it, as they must overwrite system files. It is essentially the Android equivalent of jail-breaking an iPhone.

 

EDIT: you can find instructions on how to root a Desire HD here (it's largely an automatic process now): http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=HTC_Desire_HD:_Rooting

 

There are many ROMS out there, my personal favourite is Oxygen (although it doesn't have proxy support unfortunately, however apps are available that may work for you ("Transparent Proxy" does for me). There's a thread about those apps here: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/netbooks-pda-phones/73495-proxy-android.html

Edited May 4, 2011 by LosOjos