3 UK Desperation...Nokia 6680

[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.

[Bleubean]

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?? 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?

[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.