18866 and protecting your data (or Who Wants Cold Calls?)

Yes but it was their creditors providing the telco who lost out, not their users, when they all declared bankruptcy

Bit like Robin Hood, stole from the telcos and gave to the customers ;-)

Steve Terry

More likely, yes. But it's a bit like supermarkets selling bread and milk cheaply, leading people to make the assumption that supermarkets are cheaper for everything than the local corner shop. When in fact the corner shop is likely to be cheaper than the supermarket for quite a lot of other products.

"Colin Reddish" wrote in message news:1Gq0d.366$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe5-gui.ntli.net...

I find it much cheaper to use a PAYG mobile and call mobiles from home using TalkTalk.

Same with 18866 users. OK you've got an extra prefix or memory button to press, but most people simply won't be bothered to work out the cheapest provider based on call type and time of day.

So there is such a thing as a free lunch?

Perhaps you need to look into the Reichstag fire - 1933?

Also have you heard of Operation Northwoods?

Arthur Sulzberger publisher of New York Times said

"we did not go to war because we were attacked at Pearl Harbour. I hold rather that we were attacked at Pearl Harbour because we had gone to war".

Despite claims to the contrary America was up to its neck in the war long before Pearl Harbour it was not a sneak attack. They had been supplying the allies (breaking international law and ignoring congress), had a shoot-on-sight policy against german subs, and had declared economic war on Japan cutting off its supply of oil, iron and aviation fuel. So much for being neutral up to that point.

Secretary Stimson recorded in his diary for november 25 1945 that Hull, Frank Knox, General George Marshall, Admiral Harold I Stark, Roosevelt and himself met at the White House and discussed

"How we should maneuver them (Japs) "one problem troubled us very much. If you know that your enemy is going to strike, it is usually not wise to wait until he gets the jump on you by taking the inititive. In spite of the risk involved, however, in letting the Japenese fire the first shot, we realised IN ORDER TO HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE it was desirabele to make sure that the Japanese be the ones to do this so that there should remain no doubt in anyones mind as to who were the aggressors"

This prologue to Pearl Harbour also revealed a key aspect of Americas global imperialism - the centralization of power in the presidency". (see Tony Blair)

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message news:4142bb55$0$41963$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...

I would agree normally for our use also. But I did an incredibly good deal with Phones4U. 99.95 for new Samsung phone. Included years rental, 100 minutes x-network, 100 texts per month. 50 cashback from Samsung. Sold phone on ebay for 79. Total profit to me of 29 and free mobile calls and texts for a year. :-)

No. Heh! Because I had to do some work for them.

I don't think that's fair if you consider my longer posts where I have been the OP.

OTOH I might repeat a point in a reply to someone who probably hasn't read the OPs

Seconded. I remember the endless grief people used to complain about when trying to use Tiscali's newserver a few years ago.

There are real conspiracies. Of course there are.

From way back since before Brutus & Julius Caesar right through to the Iran-Contra affair & the Reagan administration.

Hpwever I don't think almost everything a conspiracy. Some things are and some things aren't.

But to get back on-topic ... I don't consider myself a conspiracy theorist, as someone here claimed, just because I am concerned at what FINAREA may be up to with 18866.

"Colin Reddish" wrote in message news:y_A0d.36$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...

As Colin has pointed out below, this is not really true. PAYG is quite expensive if you spend more than 5 / month on calls/text if you factor in the cost of paying for phones.

When comparing PAYG with contract, you need to factor around 50 / year for the phone (less if you don't change your phone often, more if you like more expensive phones).

AMO

I bought a phone for 30 4 years ago (for my wife really). It came with 10 call credit and we've topped it up with a tenner 3 times IIRC. So 4 years of mobile use has cost us a total of 60, including the phone. I can't see any reason to change it, even if those sad adverts tell us we ought to be ashamed of it.

We only use it for short calls, like "we're stuck in a traffic jam, we'll be a bit late" or "get the kettle on, we'll be there in 10 mins", or "where were we meeting again?" type calls. They probably cost a silly rate per minute but I don't really care, basically just about every call is the min charge of 10p. We never gas on it, mainly because we don't want to fry our brains (I don't mean that literally if there are any pedants readings).

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message news:41431cdd$0$83036$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...

You're absoultely correct. In your situation, you might be better off with what you've got.

When I first got my first mobile (actually second - but the first one didn't count) it was on Virgin. I bought the phone for 59.99 and topped it up with 10. The phone lasted me 2-3 years inwhich I topped up only twice. I could say that that works out at around 30 / year.

I also think that today if you have an 'old' phone like the 3410 or even

I guess the point is that in the first year that you spend the 60 to get your phone I am saying that it is cheaper to get it subsidised on contract and then drop out of contract to PAYG. Cheaper probably isn't the best term to use here - more like a much better phone for your money - better value maybe.

For example, you could get:

This would work out better than your example as: a) You would be with a better phone. b) You would not have needed to top up in the first year whilst on contract.

AMO

The 60 I spent *included* all the top ups over the last 4 years. The phone was only 30. Possibly I could have done it cheaper but when something works out to only just over 1 a month even a tight fisted git like me really can't be arsed trying to get it cheaper. As to the quality of the phone, as long I can make and receive calls on it and it fits in my pocket, I'm happy.

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message news:41433767$0$50480$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...

Well in that case, you probably did get a good deal.

For 30 4 years ago you'd have gotten quite a brick of a phone though.

I can't say that you'd get cheaper on contract than what you have. However, I can say that you'd get better value in terms of quality of phone for your money had you been on contract though.

Still, you've done pretty well. The question is....how many years before you decide to upgrade your phone, then......how much are you going to spend and what phone are you going to get? ;0)

AMO

Surely the users lost the value of their remaining annual suscription?

I prefer "bricks" they have bigger buttons.

Why upgrade so long as it still makes calls? I prefer my computer for emails and internet access, I prefer my TV to look at pictures, I prefer my camera to take them, and I listen to the Hi-Fi if i want to listen to pretty tunes.

Who told you that?