Yeh you're right Dan - they hold all the cards because of the exclusivity deal.
Si - i think thats the route i'll have to go down... i've just been on their website and it explained your option of paying off your remaining balance... but if i did that now it'd be £420. However, i could be wrong but i think after 9 months you can start reducing your tariff incrementally, so it might take me another 4 months before i can get it down to £15 a month - but then i can pay it all in one go...
so still a 7 month wait...! Balls.
Remember that once you buy out your contract you still have to buy the phone on a new contract. Looking at the numbers just getting a PAYG might still be cheaper i.e.
Contract buy-out = £420, 32GB 3GS on 35pm = £274.23 = total outlay of £694 AND tied into new 18 month contract
PAYG = 538.30 - Job done.
For most people at the mo if you are on a low pm charge i.e. <£50 then PAYG works out best.
Phones4U will buy out your contract giving you the money in cash/cheque for the rest of the time the contract has to run as long as you take out a new phone contract with them. Therefore, lets say you pay £40 a month at the moment and you have 4 months to run (easy to do the calculations), they will give you £160 cash/cheque. You could then give that phone to a family member to use up the 4 months remaining. Take out an 02 contract for the new phone. Job done