[3GScottishUser]

Orange will launch 24-month contracts on three key tariffs next week, just as many retailers and manufacturers complain that 18-month contracts have slowed the market by trapping customers into long deals.

One London dealer said: 'I've had a 12-month dealer base for years. We're left saying, “Where is everybody?” We've lost a lot of customers because [longer contracts] have weakened our contact and relationship with customers.'

Orange has added extra minutes and texts to the 24-month deals in a bid to lure customers and keep them for longer. Meanwhile, Virgin is moving the other way, by launching six-month deals.

Orange is offering a new Racoon 24-month online deal with 1,200 minutes, 150 texts and unlimited landline calls on weekends for £35. Racoon 35 currently offers 800 minutes and 100 texts and landline calls on an 18-month deal.

A spokesman for Orange said details of the proposition outside Orange.co.uk had not been finalised, but would have slightly less value in Orange retail, and a bigger drop in independent stores.

The deals will be aimed at consumers looking for value in their deals and who do not mind keeping the same handset for at least two years.

Orange recently refreshed its 12-month deals amid growing frustration from some customers with the long wait for a new handset on 18-month contracts, but insisted that 70% of its new pay-monthly customers since August 2006 were on 18-month contracts.

How the 24-month deals stack up

Dolphin 35 - £35
24 months 900 minutes Unlimited texts Unlimited landline calls
18 months 600 minutes Unlimited texts £100 credit
12 months 300 minutes 300 texts Unlimited weekend texts

Racoon 35 - £35
24 months 1,200 minutes 150 texts Unlimited landline calls
18 months 800 minutes 100 texts Unlimited weekend landlines + £100 credit
12 months 400 minutes 50 texts Unlimited weekend landlines

Canary 40 - £40
24 months 1,400 minutes 450 texts Unlimited Orange calls
18 months 950 minutes 300 texts Unlimited Orange calls + £100 credit
12 months 450 minutes 200 texts Unlimited weekend Orange calls

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/content/16019.asp?men=0&sub=1

[gorilla]

Orange are also advertising a sim only deal on Dolphon 35.
900 minutes and unlimited texts for £35 per month on a rolling 1 month contract. You can only get it by phone.

[gorilla]

Well here's proof that you shouldn't believe everything written in the papers.
Contrary to the Orange ad in the times, here is the offer online (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/paymsim)

[Ben]

Loving that Dolphin 35 can be had on a 1 month contract, very cool. An Orange SIM Only contract? Yikes!

[Hands0n]

24 month contract = non-starter in my book.

Do like the 30-day Dolphin @ £35, now thats a step in the right direction , if you use that much voice and text

[3g-g]

I run a Dolphin 35 along side other phones and struggle to get through what's offered, the 600 mins is nice, and the unlimited texting (FUP applies) is lovely too, on a 30 dayer that would be fantastic if you've your own SIM free handset sitting about doing nothing. Let's just sort out the data costs now eh?

[getti]

24 month contract.... are they mad!.

Who would sign up for a contact and not be able to upgrade their phone for 2 years especially the way the mobile market is moving.

What is new now is old news in 6 months time!

[3g-g]

24 month contract.... are they mad!.

Who would sign up for a contact and not be able to upgrade their phone for 2 years especially the way the mobile market is moving.

What is new now is old news in 6 months time!

Yes, fair enough point, but "us here" are the elite, we buck the trend, us be early adopters and have to pay for the honour of owning the latest most fandangled new gadgy. The public however, a different animal altogether, or perhaps Dolphin or T-Rex, whatever... Just look at the offerings just now to the public, it's texts and minutes a-hoy, and the public don't need/want new devices as often as we do, I dare say there'll be a load that sign up. Hey, if you do the SIM free thing then I can't see anything against it!?

[Ben]

Independent retail is finding 18 month contracts hard enough to swallow - they just can't afford to buy out enough of the contract to allow would-be upgraders that free upgrade they'd normally expect after around 10 months. Taking contract terms to 24 months is just another weapon in the networks pro-direct, customer retention approach but it flies in the face of what customers actually want.

[3GScottishUser]

24 month contract.... are they mad!.

Who would sign up for a contact and not be able to upgrade their phone for 2 years especially the way the mobile market is moving.

What is new now is old news in 6 months time!

I know loads of folk who are happily using mobiles that are 2 years old!! I primarily use my Samsung Z500 which must be around 18 months old and its fine!!

A look around at what others are using reveals loads of Samsung D500's, Moto Razr's and Nokias that are not exactly new. In the real world many people opt to remain on contract when offered discount retention deals like 1/2 price for 12 months if you keep your handset. If you primarily use your phone for voice and text then that is an attractive option and not everyone want to constantly gift mobile manufacturers and networks with their earnings.

I have kept my Vodafone contract for a further 12 months as I use it mainly for work contact and at £12.50 a month for all the Voice and text I require its a bargain! I also have an N80 on Orange and it generally sits around doing very little although there are 325 mins a month and 650 SMS spare if I need them but I rarely need bother as stop the clock is so elastic. The trusty Samsung travels with me as Vodafone Passport is the only serious contender for roaming across Europe, if I need music I use my Walkman and take pictures with a decent quality digital camera with a 10X optical Zoom. Sure phones have lots of bells and whistles but sadly none of them have quite the quality of the single purpose devices. Having everything in one device is a nice idea but you have to compromise and if you carry a bag whilst travelling its no hardship with 3 separate devices.

Changing phones really is'nt the most important thing in most normal folk's lives. If its small, fuctional and does what you need then for most that is the bottom line.

[Ben]

Changing phones really is'nt the most important thing in most normal folk's lives. If its small, fuctional and does what you need then for most that is the bottom line.
I think you underestimate the 25-and-under market for mobiles. It's not about what tariff you're on, or what network you're on, it's about what phone you've got. This agegroup don't want the same phone after two years.

24 month contracts wont go mainstream. They'll be attractive to some, maybe even a good few, but not the masses.

[Hands0n]

24 month contracts will fly in the face of "lifestyle" handsets, such as are being manufactured by all of the major names. Noone wants a lifestyle image lasting 24 months, let alone 18 months! I think that the operators will find not too many takers.

True, for sure, there are those who only want a basic handset and are not interested in changing, but it is not the nature of the younger generation of users. They would be happy with a new handset every six months!

[miffed]

I am all for 'em being offered , just so long as they are not the only option

We are all consenting adults - as long as shorter contracts are still offered then I am glad of the choice TBH

[Ben]

I didn't actually realise this, but 18 month terms now make up 70-80% of new contracts O_o.

[miffed]

I didn't actually realise this, but 18 month terms now make up 70-80% of new contracts O_o.


yeah , this is the problem - they introduce a longer term offering better VFM , people take it up on that basis - but you can bet your life that if they REALLY take off (as you suggest ) there'll be few people to complain if they decide to drop 12 month / shorter contracts
Then , once they have , you can pretty much guarantee that the 18 monthers VFM will be dropped down to the former level of the old 12 monthers - and so on

Nasty process evoloution :mad: the end result is that they'll simply have effectivley lengthened the term with no additional benefit to the customer

When you look at it that way it is quite daunting I suppose

[Hands0n]

If they keep tiddling around they'll find more folk going to PAYG - T-Mobile score well there these days with their flat rate calling and texting!