The Google Nexus 4 makes waves with its super-cheap price -- but it seems no-one told Three, which is now selling the Nexus 4 at an inflated price.
If you buy the Nexus 4 direct from Google, it costs a bargainous £240 for the 8GB model or £280 for the 16GB model. But Three -- and O2, which also sells the phone -- didn't get the memo. Three has put the Nexus 4 on the One Plan, charging £35 per month and £30 up front -- adding up to a total cost of £870 across the length of the contract.
O2, previously the only network to sell the Nexus 4, charges £36 per month but no up-front cost.
If you sign up to GiffGaff, say, and pay £15 per month, it would still be cheaper than Three even with the £240 up-front cost of the phone. You'd save a whopping £270 over two years, in fact -- and you're not tied to a lengthy contract.
That said, if you don't mind spending the extra you'll at least get your hands on the thing. Google currently has no stock of the 8GB model and although you can buy the 16GB version, it'll take 6-7 weeks to arrive. By contrast, Three promises you'll have your new Nexus on Monday.
Will you sign up to Three for the Nexus 4, or does the price defeat the whole point of the wallet-friendly phone? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 18
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anonymous 13 December, 2012 18:17
3 and o2 is s***. thats why they have them instock and no one wants to go for them heheheheh :)
anonymous 13 December, 2012 18:40
Old news.
The Nexus 4 was available on 3's website last week.
anonymous 13 December, 2012 18:43
three is deffo better than o2, o2 internet and service is diabolical for how established and popular they are!
davefromwales 13 December, 2012 18:56
so basically, theres no stock due to high demand.......unless your willing to pay more.
Iv nothing against companies making money (as long as they pay tax......google?) but thats just insulting those who have ordered from the play store.
CaptainPicard 13 December, 2012 19:05
It's actually a good deal if you use 2000 minutes, 5000 texts and know people on Three. GiffGaff doesn't have a deal like this. Also, if your phone is literally dead and can't wait for a new one this is a good deal. One thing I'd like to know, who the f*ck uses 2000 minutes, sends 5000 texts and knows soo many people on the 3 network that they talk to them for 5000 minutes PER MONTH!!
If I was buying an N4 I'd wait and get a GiffGaff sim. I personally haven't used 2000 minutes in my lifetime yet. But again if you use 7000 mins and send 5000 texts this is a great deal. Unlimited data is great though.
anonymous 13 December, 2012 20:38
This for a 16gb N4 on 3's One Plan.
SIM only One Plan costs £25 pm.
£25 x 24 = £600
16gb N4 = £279
total price over 2 years = £879
Up front = £29
£35 x 24 = £840
total price over 2 years = £869
So this deal is actually £10 cheaper than buying the phone from Google Play and using the same allowance.
Ryan Simmons 13 December, 2012 22:03
This is old news. Just accept the fact that all carriers are selling the Nexus 4 at "inflated" (i.e. parity with other phones), almost certainly down to LG, or maybe even google, setting the price for them.
Neill75 13 December, 2012 22:34
Buymobilephones.net have the 8GB N4 on 3's 24 month One Plan for £30 a month with the phone free. Total = £720. 8GB is too small for me.You could get the deal, sell the phone and buy the 16GB still being in pocket but it's a faff. They told me there wasn't a catch but the phone would be locked to 3.
anonymous 13 December, 2012 23:44
@Ryan Simmons 13 December, 2012 22:03
As @anonymous 13 December, 2012 20:38 shows above, the 3 deal is not at an inflated price if comparing it with the same contract call/text/data allowance on Sim only and buying the phone from Google.
It's actually cheaper (just i.e. £10) on the 3 deal.
Of course you can reduce the price with a Sim only deal with lower call/text/data allowances.
AkumaJack 14 December, 2012 01:26
Lets face it, it's miles better than the O2 deal but the one plan is a one month contract sim only so it should be less based on how they price all their 12 month contracts. Unlimited Internet 600 would work better :all you can eat data, 600 minutes , 5000 text and at a cost of £15.90 p/m. With the 16gb nexus that would be £660 over 24 months...that's a saving of £209 which you can use to get the new nexus in 24 months. I know people are going to say you get more with the One Plan but how many people use that many mins and text these days? It's all about data. .......
All the networks having the same price for the nexus 4..... Anyone else thinking what I'm thinking?
anonymous 14 December, 2012 01:30
Interesting the comparison of a TCO on a contract plan v/s a prepaid plan.
Just remember that normally prepaid plans increase in value and drop in cost over a 24 month period, which is why operators like to try and lock you into a contract. on paper it mat look equivalent at this point in time, but in reality you may probably find that the Pre-paid may work out cheaper.
Another point in favour of contract plans is, will the Telco shop be the point of replacement or warranty? That may be a big winner for people who don't like buying online
anonymous 14 December, 2012 06:59
Replacement or warranty issues is an interesting point.
From the reported experiences with the Nexus 7, Google are not really set up to deal with problems and there are quite a few reports about the difficulty people have had getting support when things go wrong.
anonymous 14 December, 2012 08:21
These network providers need to start going the Danish way. Much cheaper there, and pay no extra for 4G
anonymous 14 December, 2012 08:23
U can also use the One plan for Internet thethering. Can't go wrong on All you can data.
anonymous 14 December, 2012 08:26
500 minutes, 5000 texts, unlimited data, free phone - available on Three for £28 pm.
Unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 1GB data, phone £20 - available on O2 for £26 pm.
200 minutes, unlimited texts, 750Mb data, free phone - available on Orange for £26 pm.
300 minutes, 5000 texts, unlimited data, phone £90 - available on Three for £25 pm.
There are many other deals available, all with next day delivery of the phone (Nexus 4).
Just don't go to the networks, but use the 3rd part phone stores instead.
anonymous 14 December, 2012 11:37
Google play Nexus 4 16GB £279 + Tesco monthly sim £10= 500min,5000text & 1GB data = £519
anonymous 14 December, 2012 11:39
Get the Tesco deal and you've still enough money left compared to the other deals to get a Nexus 7 as well !!!!!!!!!!!!
anonymous 15 December, 2012 09:26
One plan was 20 p/m.... then 3 start charging in mid of contract 25 pm. Think.
Phones on 3 contract are at least year old models. Go fleebay.
One good bit about 3 - unkimitted thetering and real 1Mb/s almost everywhere.
when 4g, voodoo phone, O2 is spoof (I have them all, because of business use).