Digital Cable & Broadband

These are the release dates for Vodafones latest Handsets

1. Nokia 8800 Saphire Arte - 13th March
2. Samsung F490 - 27th March
3. G600 Pink - 28th March
4. Nokia 6124 - 24th April
5. Samsung U900 Soul - 1st May
6. Nokia N78 - 15th May
7. Sony Ericsson C702 - 30th May
8. Samsung Argo ZV70 - 6th June
9. Sony Ericsson W980i - 18th July

Update: Prices changed. 

There are all these TV ads going on for Free automatic backups with BT Total Broadband, so I had to go check out the base Broadband packages. I’ll disclose that I’m on O2 and loving it - I’m on 20 MB plan and get like 11 MB or so speeds and they aren’t throttling me even though I probabl use their service more than any one else. That being said my phone line is from BT so it was tempting to just take BT and it was close between BT and O2. Anyways, do your own due diligence - They have three options

1. £7.95 for first 3 months for BT Standard Broadband (only with 18 month contracts - £15.99 thereafter).  You can get a white wireless hub for £30.   
2. £13.99  for first 3 months for BT Heavy Usage Broadband (only with 18 month contracts - £20.99 thereafter). Free White Hub. 
3. £18.99 for first 6 months for BT Unlimited Broadband (£24.99 thereafter). Free White Hub.

Note that you do not get reduced prices for first 3 months with 12 month contracts.

PlusNet has an offering that caught my eye (the ‘Join before March 31st and get a £40 voucher for GAME’ offer) and it does look good - It’s a £19.99 per month broadband offer targeted at gamers, with somce cool features

They have a few other things in there including a free wireless router and you can go check out PlusNet Broadband for Gamers.

Warning: This is a very unpolished draft that perhaps i will clean up later.

Here is the list of UK Broadband providers I know of -

1. Be - Be Internet provides 24 Mbps speeds and I’ve heard very good things about them from my friends.
2. O2 - I have the 20 Mbps O2 service and it rocks. Of course I get it through a BT landline.
3. AOL - can’t say much here. since i don’t know anyone who has used AOL.
4. BT - British Telecom supposedly service over a million people.
5. Demon - like the name
6. Fast.co.uk - umm… thats a killer domain name to own.
7. PlusNet
8. Orange - over 2 million users.
9. TalkTalk Free Broadband
10. Tesco
11. Tiscali - have heard good things about them too.
12. Toucan
13. Virgin Media
14. Sky

Important Factors to Consider when buying Broadband

1. What speed can your phone line support.
2. Phone line costs will be 10 to 11 pounds a month.
3. The Phone Service providers usually have bundled phone and internet plans. I know that Virgin and BT have these. Any more? Leave a comment.
4. A lot of companies have special offers and bundled packages
   1. Sky for Digital TV and broadband.
   2. BT for phone line and broadband.
   3. Virgin for tv and broadband.
   4. O2 for phone and broadband.
5. How long is the contract? How much does it cost to break it?
6. What are the costs to set up a new line?
7. If you are getting initial lower prices, when do prices go back to normal and what is normal.

Best of luck getting a good deal.

Some of the phones that Vodafone offers include -

1. Samsung G600 - 5megapixel camera, rated 9/10 based on 101 reviews. 
   

2. Samsung U700 + Free Pink E250 - 3.2 Megapixel camera, mobile TV.

3.  Palm Treo 500V

Also, Best Selling Phones at Vodaphone (these may or may not have the 180 pound discount)

Sony Ericsson W880i bundled with Black Box speakers RRP £99:

• 150 mins
• 500 texts

Price Point: £25 per month with 3 months Half Price Line Rental.

Bestselling handsets:

Samsung F700:

• 300 mins
• 500 texts

Price Point: £30 per month with 3 months Half Price Line Rental.

Nokia N95-8GB:

• 500 mins
• 500 texts

Price Point: Free From £35 with 3 months Half Price line Rental.

Sony Ericsson W960i:

• 500 mins
• 500 texts

Price Point: £35 per month with 3 months Half Price Line Rental.