It was that time of the year again when you eagerly await the time when you can ring up the phone company that supplies your contract and ask them what they can offer you as an upgrade. Or perhaps not. I’m not a big fan of talking to the phone networks as they tend to have operators which do not have the best command of the English language, and simply want to extract money from you.

I took a different line with them this year. I had two phone contracts: One with T-Mobile for my laptop datacard at £20 per month, and another with Vodafone for my normal phone at around £18 per month, and wanted to combine the two and pay less overall. I knew exactly what I wanted, and even which phone I wanted: a Nokia N95, so when I rang Vodafone, rather than asking ‘what can you do me’ I stated what I wanted, and asked them if they could provide it. They wanted to charge me £40 per month, and £90 for the mobile phone, as well as bind me into an 18 month contract. Having done my research, I knew that T-Mobile offered the deal I wanted for £32.50 per month, although there was also a one-off fee of £75 for the phone. I also knew that Vodafone offered what they were offering me to new customers for only £35 per month. I was annoyed – is that what they call customer service? Charging a customer who has been with them for 6 years more than a new customer? Apparently so. I told the gentleman from Vodafone that I would be leaving them, and requested my transfer code so I could go to T-Mobile. He said ‘Ok, I’ll transfer you to the leaving department’. There I explained again the predicament that I found myself in, and I was serious about leaving. However, he offered me what I wanted, and even put a cherry on top for me. Enough free mins, enough free text messages and data transfer, and even a free N95! All for £27.50 per month. That’ll do!

I’ve had my N95 a few weeks now, and am pleasantly surprised. It is packed with features, including GPS and Wifi, and although some of the things that used to be easy with earlier Nokia’s were tucked away behind strange menus. it is fairly easy to use and I am pleased. However, it is not all a bed of roses, and the major complaint I have is the battery life: I have to charge it at least every two days, and every day if I use it much. The applications, GPS and camera all take a big chunk out of the battery, and should only be turned on when necessary. Otherwise at the end of a night out taking lots of pictures you won’t have any battery to ring for a taxi home, and won’t be able to rely on the Nokia GPS to guide you either.