[3GScottishUser]

Intro - Usually when a new handset arrives on the market it commands a premium. Great news for dealers and networks especially when a device has credibility and a lot of early adopters who will pay a little more to have the latest mo bile marvel.

Enter the Nokia 6680. A good looking high spec 3G smartphone. On any network you would expect to have to pay something for the privilage of owning it first.

Not if you take one from 3 and CPW

The Deal - Commissions are so generous that you can not only have it for free on a 12 month contract but you get 8 months 1/2 price line rental on a medium level tariff (Talk & Text 600). In total for this brand new nokia you'll pay just 4 X £30 & 8 X £15, a total of £240 and you'll get 500 X/Net mins and 100 SMS each month into the bargain!

Great value, with some strings attached. You wont be able to access the Internet or use the 6680 as a device to access the net for your laptop. 3's network might also provide a clue as to why this fabulous new product is being 'given away' presently.

£240 income for 3 is'nt too bad at first thought but remember the dealer has to make a margin (about £100) and there are costs in setting up the account and servicing it for 12 months (not much in 3's case though as its mostly offshore and we know about that).

Will the 6680 win through for 3? I doubt it. It's too big in comparison to the current crop of trendy GSM handsets and way too highly specified for the vast majority of customers who just want voice calls and SMS/MMS.

My Verdict - On 3 this is a pretty useless device and its value is being undermined in the commission rich aquisituion drive. CPW will undoubtedly shift as many of these as they can get but once again the big question has to be, will they be the only ones to benefit? Will the customers who get this for free on a 1/2 price (8 months) annual contract be ones who appreciate it and be loyal to 3 for providing them with such a worthy 3G product, or will they be ones who see the headline price buy the product and be let down by the service?

Sum-Up - It's tempting....an almost impossible to ignore offer but its hamstrung on 3 and recent network experience has not convinced me that it would'nt be worth paying a bit more to realise this phone's full potential on an alternative network if you appreciate its capabilities in the first place.

NB: The 6680 is not currently shown as an official 3 handset release on the 3 UK website.

PPS: Leave your opinion abot the 6680 on 3 in the poll.

[bsrjl1]

Already ordered one for the wife from e2save, should be here tomorrow - will let you know what she thinks!

[Ben]

I'm actually fully in favour of Three going all out to sub this handset - it's fantastic and will do the image of 3G, which Three have well and truly tarnished, the world of good!

[miffed]

My three stage plan would be

A) buy one on Three as they are the only network.... , er, stupid enough to give 6680's away

B) Get it Hardware reset & unlocked at a Nokia service centre (if this is possible?)

C) Use a sim from a proper network (Vodafone give you instant PAYG 3G - or at least it worked for me on the a1000

Thats assuming these are unlockable on Three , I remember a report back in the 7600 days about Three insisting that Nokia make their phones permanantly lockable to prevent box splitting

[bsrjl1]

No they're not unlockable at the moment, so that might throw a spanner into the works.

[3GScottishUser]

Hmmm.... Well that rules it out for me as I would'nt like to commit to 3 for another 12 months. My 7600 has been the best 3 handset I have had but still only just useable. I'm sure the Nokia 6680 would be nice but I am now looking forward to owning a service that you can take for granted you can make and receive calls on again.

Roll on the next few months!

[3g-g]

Where you thinking about heading 3GSU? What's the thoughts at the moment?

[delinquentwoody]

I do think for 3 it is a fantastic handset for them to have on their network, just what they need really.

But yet it is such a waste to lock all of its main features (ie internet access) up. I would snap this deal up straight away without hesitation if internet was available, really this is the only thing putting me off 3 tbh.

[@NickyColman]

I posted that id be interested but purely because i would be interesting in getting unlocked so that i could use it on the network of my choosing! This is however, as far as i know, impossible at the moment!

[3g-g]

Now, if it's free 3 are just making it like every other normal handset. Nokia put a whole load of features into this so that the networks would gain extra revenue from users making use of PTT, a great browser, video calls, a 3G modem... are the top brass at Hutch mental?? :mad: This is a revenue making handset! Use your nework to it's potential! Charge £50 for it! People will buy it anyway! Anyone willing to undertake a hostile takeover? :confused:

[Ben]

FWIW I'll put a few bob in! Maybe Hutch will just give it to us if we ask really nicely ;)

You're right, it's a very advanced handset with lots of advanced features - features that wont see the light of day on Three UK. :(

[Hands0n]

It is a worrying trend that the mobile ops are effectively crippling the wonderful handsets being produced. The Moto E1000 is a good case in point. Okay, fair enough, H3 are trying to protect their content but there must be better ways than crippling the connectivity functionality. Ex-contract I can feel a re-flash and de-branding coming on :)

The 6680 looks a cracking piece of kit, just the kind of thing I'd buy ........ SIM Free!

[3GScottishUser]

Its a strange one this.

Its not just CPW that have the 6680 yet its not on 3's UK website....????

Have a number of multiples done direct deals with Nokia and came up with similar product offerings independently???

Are 3 UK providing multiples with an additional disribution channel as the pressure mounts on them to offer the big boys something that they can more easily pitch agianst rival networks?

Have CPW, Phones4U etc told 3 that the LG etc is now past its sell-by date?

I suspect the above just might be the explanation and the appearance on 3 (unofficially as yet) of the 6680 has been brought about by pressure from the big chains.

[Jon3G]

Would not be interested in a 6680 on 3, due to the limitations of the network and the poor service offered

[3GScottishUser]

Its laughable..... another CPW subsiduray (or is it a rip-off lookalike?) are offering the 6680 on 3 free and with 11 months 1/2 price line rental on Talk/Text 600. So the customer pays just £195 for the handset plus 600 mins X/Net and 100 Texts/month on a 12 month contract.

Bonkers!!! (The site is listed below)

www.straightmobiles.2u.co.uk

(If its an independent I'd be careful ordering as the deals seem to be better than those of the majors and we know what happens to independents who offer over generous cashbacks!).

[Ben]

If I didn't loath cashback deals so much I'd buy one for my family.

If you're seriously considering using Three, then seriously consider these Nokia 6680 offers - it's undoubtedly the 3G phone of the moment and even if it is a bit like a cat with no legs (being on Three) it's certainly the nicest handset you'll get on their network for making and receiving calls. The keypad is also dreamy for texting.

While personally I'd prefer any prospective owner of this handset to have it on a network with open Internet access, if you're going to go on Three anyway then make the most of it. This phone is in a different class to the Motorola's, LG's or NEC's on offer.

[Jon3G]

is this phone really a official 3 phone?

[bsrjl1]

In the box you get (in addition to the Nokia manual/getting started guide) a 3 manual for the 6680, plus a few cards about porting your number, video value etc.. However I couldn't find any mention of the default USIM PIN anywhere! Turns out it's 0000, but you'd think that would be on the USIM packet or at least in the 3 manual!

[Hands0n]

@bsrjl1 - So is your 6680 "crippled" by H3? Do you yet know how much of the basic functionality of the handset has been removed by the H3 customisations?

Gawd, if generic flashfiles come out (leak) soon for one of these it'll be a sure-fire winner with the re-flasher community! I'll keep an eagle eye open for it :)

[3GScottishUser]

CPW and e2save are showing the 6680 'out of stock' just now. It looks like this device will be intermittent in terms of supply to these outlets.

[bsrjl1]

I wouldn't say crippled, it's no where as bad as Vodafoney do to the 6630! I'll have a look, see if I can get hold of the official 3 flash at work - see what menu options they've altered, but so far it only looks like the band selection menu.

[Jon3G]

I wouldn't say crippled, it's no where as bad as Vodafoney do to the 6630! I'll have a look, see if I can get hold of the official 3 flash at work - see what menu options they've altered, but so far it only looks like the band selection menu.


What do you mean about the 6630 on Voda, I have one and its not been disabled at all. All the functions work and I have open access unlike 3 UK

[bsrjl1]

I was refering to the fact that you can't have MP3s as ringtones, plus the out-of-date firmware. Open internet access isn't a function of the phone.

[Hypnotic]

You say you wont see the great features on the three handset ever, but there are ways around that. The easiest way is to get someone with the nokia 6680 on vodafone to get the program called FExplorer, ask them to locate the files you need, whether it be wap settings or whatever, and then just send them to you via bluetooth, email or upload it to a pc and transfer it to you that way. It isn't that hard, you could just get the phone for a cheap price and sponge the great programs off someone who bought an expensive one.

[Jon3G]

I was refering to the fact that you can't have MP3s as ringtones, plus the out-of-date firmware. Open internet access isn't a function of the phone.


I have been able to play my MP3's as ring tones and all you need to do is go into a voda store and get the firmware updated from them, you will find most handsets firm is out of date when the handset is in the mid of launch due to the buying process..


Open access means you can get alot more out of your phone

[Hypnotic]

I too have been able to set mp3's as ringtones. You can do it in profiles or by going to the desired mp3, clicking options and choosing set as ringtone. Easy as that.

[Jon3G]

I found it very easy too

[cyberkid999]

You say you wont see the great features on the three handset ever, but there are ways around that. The easiest way is to get someone with the nokia 6680 on vodafone to get the program called FExplorer, ask them to locate the files you need, whether it be wap settings or whatever, and then just send them to you via bluetooth, email or upload it to a pc and transfer it to you that way. It isn't that hard, you could just get the phone for a cheap price and sponge the great programs off someone who bought an expensive one.


its not the features in that way ie programs that are missing. Many operators, especially, vodagroan modify the firmware to limit features like mp3s as ringtones etc etc

[solo12002]

What i think hes been trying to say is that some networks brand the mobiles, were if you get them unlocked and unbranded you have a wider range of services some of which are hiden behide networks branding. ;)

[3GScottishUser]

It has to be expected that when networks are subsidisng products to the extent that they are, one has to expect them to try and make something back by forcing customers to buy their services.

Actually some of the Vodafone services are quite good and reasonably priced and I dare say that they like all the operators are trying to develop some brand awareness and loyalty based on familiarity.

Travelling round Europe (as I am now) it is kind of nice being part of something that spans many countries. Vodafone seems to have become the mobile 'McDonalds' of Europe with a presence all across the continent. I suspect this will be a huge benefit in the longer term for customers who want seamless communications at prices only an operator in many territories can provide.

[3g-g]

Not that it's an issue I'd have to deal with in the real world, however, I voted I'd think about it. The only thing that would stop me is the internet access proper. The price is cheap, you get whatyou pay for. Although not ideal, if you really wanted to you can keep the handset on 2G (handset allowing) if you don't want dropped calls. Hutch have a good idea that they've not used to it's full potential, they've wasted their chance IMO, all I can see them being from now on is that small operator with a few million subs, not really making any money.

I do agree with 3GSU about the McDonalds comment he made about Voda. It's a great piece of marketing and promotion. Wherever you are in the world people always pick the things that are familiar, thats why a Big Mac here is the same as a Big Mac in Italy. You're on Voda UK, you go to Spain, you're on Voda Spain. To you it's familiar, you like that, you're the same as nearly everyone else in the world, much to Vodafone's delight. If only, and this goes for Orange, O2, Three and T-Mobile, when you entered another country with the same operator as your home network you were charged the same rate as if calling at home. The first network to undertake that will see people flocking to their shops to sign up.

[Hands0n]

The European Commission are launching an investigation of International Roaming charges. They want mobile ops to encourage roaming rather than the current charging policy that actively discourages and "makes people turn their phones off when they travel". I saw it on a segment on BBC World News when I was on holiday, so it must be true :)

It would be nice if they did compel the mobile ops to significantly reduce their roaming charges - these guys are still operating in the 1960's Government-owned PTT mentality. No real notion of stack 'em high, sell 'em cheap!!

[solo12002]

I agree.

"If only, and this goes for Orange, O2, Three and T-Mobile, when you entered another country with the same operator as your home network you were charged the same rate as if calling at home. The first network to undertake that will see people flocking to their shops to sign up"

I would like to see it go slightly further in that when you travel the only thing you should see on your screen is Vodafone or O2 etc, not O2 Uk or O2 DL