How to get the cheapest deal on a PAYG gaming phone

In case you didn't know, the country's in a recession. Interest rates are down, unemployment is high, and bankruptcies are rampant.

If the downward trend continues for a couple more quarters it'll be a depression. Stock traders will jump out of windows, families will retreat to log cabins in the hills, itinerant farm workers will hitch lifts on open top wagons, everybody will wear long johns with dungarees, and travelling freakshows will gain popularity.

Times may be tough, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can't afford a decent gaming handset. We're going to tell you how to get the best java gaming handset on a Pay as You Go price plan for as little money as possible.

Choosing a phone

If you step back a generation of two to a handset released more than 12 months ago, you'll likely be able to afford a phone less budget-oriented than a brand new model.

To avoid ending up with cut down versions of games designed for lower end handsets, we recommend going for a Nokia or Sony Ericsson model. Most of their handsets are fairly capable with Java, so it's very rare for a higher resolution 240x320 phone to end up with anything less than the fully-featured version.

In fact, it's still not uncommon for the first build to be made by a developer to be one designed for the Sony Ericsson K800. Decent handsets that are currently available at a good price include the Sony Ericson W580i, the Nokia 6300 and its Xpress Music brother, the 5310.

Finding a good price

Google's own Froogle price comparison isn't a bad place to start when looking for the best price on a handset, but there are also several mobile-only price comparison sites that round up all the major Pay as You Go handset retailers for you.

OnlineMobilePhoneShopco.uk is a good site to check out for prices on most current handsets, but it's worth noting that a lot of the deals will require you to buy credit on a network, raising the price a bit.

Of course, if the phone's on the network you're already on, this is no biggie, but inevitably you'll often find that the best deal is for a phone on another network.

You can always swich to that carrier and get your number ported over, but if you want to stay with your current network, you may find you need to get your new phone unlocked.

Unlocking your phone

Not all Pay as You Go phones will be locked to the network they're on. The easiest way to see if a phone is locked is to borrow a friend's SIM card, shove it in your phone and see what happens when you turn the thing on.

Unfortunately, most modern handsets can't be unlocked that easily. What you need is a code to input into the handset that'll open it up to all carriers. This is a common conundrum, so all sorts of high street shops now offer a phone unlocking service.

Since the prodecure changes between handsets, exactly how long it'll take them to get the code is hard to predict, but you shouldn't generally have to pay more than about £10.

It's worth shopping around though. Since the sorts of place that offer phone unlocking are occasionally, dare I say, on the slightly shady side, haggling is worth a shot.

Getting cashback

Third party cashback companies are well worth checking out when buying any phone, PAYG or contract. Quidco is one of the best ones around, and it's very simple to use. All you have to do is register on the Quidco site and then navigate the site you want to buy the phone from via a Quidco link.

The cashback rates and amounts vary from retailer to retailer, but a lot of online phone shops are signed up for the scheme. Phones4U offers £10 for any PAYG handset, Carphone Warehouse throws a fiver your way and the 3 Mobile store pips them both, giving you £11.

You won't get the money instantly as the retailer has to pay Quidco, who then passes the money onto you. It usually takes a couple of months to get paid, but if you start using a cashback scheme for all your online purchases, the savings are well worth the effort.

Changing networks? Here are the basics

Sometimes we forget this, but phones are for calling and texting as well as gaming on the go, so we've looked into the price plans of all the major networks.

Most networks have a number of different PAYG schemes, tailored for frequent callers, texters and so on, but at the bottom of them are the base rates. Here's the lowdown:

• 3: 12p/min flat rate for mobiles and landlines, 10p text
• Vodafone: 20p/min flat rate for mobiles and landlines, 20p text
• Orange: 15p flat rate, 10p text
• O2: varying call charges, 12p text
• T-Mobile: 20p first 2 minutes each day, then 10p/min, 10p text

If you are planning on changing networks though, we recommend you check out your prospective operator's website for more details. O2 and Orange in particular have a whole host of options to get your head around.

Games prices on the UK Networks

Since you'll probably be buying most of your games from your carrier's online WAP portal, it's also worth considering the price they sell the games out when choosing a network.

• O2's 100% portal has some pretty dynamic pricing options, allowing you to buy games for a fiver, play a free demo or pay for a one-of play.
• Orange sells the majority of its games at £3 or £5.
• Stirring things up, 3's store has a whole load of different price points, including 99p, £2.50, £2.99, £3.99 and £4.99.
• T-Mobile's games come in at £3 and £5, with a few priced at a bargain basement £1.
• Vodafone's games are £5 and £3 too, but they've currently got a 2.5% reduction thanks to the recent-ish tax change, resulting in some awkward figures.

The End

That may be a lot of factors to consider when buying a new PAYG phone, but it's always worth spending a little bit more time to make sure you get a good deal.

For more help finding the right phone, check out our in-depth handset reviews.