BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[Psamathe]

Dunno. I'm just wondering if the graph is comparing apples & oranges, as the price steps look more like home fibre connections rather than SIM-only deals. Those baked-in price rises really get my goat.

I've just changed broadband provider and gone with one with no in-contract price rises (24 month contract). They are avoidable.

My mobile does have the annoying baked-in price rises but the deal is so low even after the price increase it's still a good deal.

 

[briantrumpet]

There's lies, damned lies, and Express 'statistics'.

https://skywriter.blue/@monkemma.bsky.social/3mn2ugx6dcy2w

Here are the figures comparing UK and non-EU nationals in Jan 2020 and in Dec 2025 In 2025, it was 3.85 million vs 0.37 million So there are actually 10 times as many UK U25s in paid employment as there are non-EU U25s And the VAST MAJORITY were hired after Jan 2020.

 

[C R]

There's lies, damned lies, and Express 'statistics'.

https://skywriter.blue/@monkemma.bsky.social/3mn2ugx6dcy2w

View attachment 15443

I think the mail was peddling the same pish a couple of days ago.

 

[Dorset Boy]

Is that comparing like with like? I'm paying about £15 a month for more than I will ever use, but it is SIM only.

My impression of the market here is that consumers like new shiny things that do exactly what their old battered thing did, but more expensively.

Since no one can actually afford to buy the new shiny thing, the UK market is still dominated by deals that include the phone (and which people accidentally carry on paying for for a few months after the phone has already been covered).

I bet there are relatively fewer people in Europe like me, and most likely you, who put up with an old handset (mine is 6 years old).

I think it's unbundled now. You have 2 DDMs, one to pay off the phone, and one for your data / calls package.
Certainly the case for all our family phones.

 

[BoldonLad]

I think it's unbundled now. You have 2 DDMs, one to pay off the phone, and one for your data / calls package.
Certainly the case for all our family phones.

Yes, we have Tesco Mobile (O2). If you choose to have a handset on the contract, the two elements are clearly shown, although taken as one amount. Personally, I stick with SIM only and buy the handset(phone). Being tightwad, I have actually done the maths. On “cheap” phone (ie say < £500) it is often competitive to bundle it in with the SIM, but, for the “high end” stuff (iPhone, Samsung Swhatever), it is usually cheaper to buy the phone. Cheaper still of course is to use your offsprings cast offs.

 

[Pblakeney]

Yes, we have Tesco Mobile (O2). If you choose to have a handset on the contract, the two elements are clearly shown, although taken as one amount. Personally, I stick with SIM only and buy the handset(phone). Being tightwad, I have actually done the maths. On “cheap” phone (ie say < £500) it is often competitive to bundle it in with the SIM, but, for the “high end” stuff (iPhone, Samsung Swhatever), it is usually cheaper to buy the phone. Cheaper still of course is to use your offsprings cast offs.

I buy older refurbished phones. Much cheaper and pretty much do exactly the same as new releases.

 

[briantrumpet]

I buy older refurbished phones. Much cheaper and pretty much do exactly the same as new releases.

I get cheap ones - latest ones are Samsung S15/16, and they are more than adequate, especially as I'm not too fussed about camera quality, given that if I want to take decent photos, I use a, erm, camera.

 

[Psamathe]

I buy older refurbished phones. Much cheaper and pretty much do exactly the same as new releases.

I would do the same with phones but don't. Whilst in the particular processor, camera are of no importance for me the battery state is and where I've checked (including Apple) they don't routinely replace batteries so you are getting a worn battery which for me is an important aspect.

With tablets, whilst I don't use them much, when I do (cycle tour) the memory is crucial as often with browsers working in one tab, type in loads of stuff, open another tab to check something and back to the 1st and it's been discarded from memory to make space and you=ve lost what you previously types. Happens a lot. I don't forever but the latest but it has been the reason I've upgraded in the past.

 

[Shortfall]

I get cheap ones - latest ones are Samsung S15/16, and they are more than adequate, especially as I'm not too fussed about camera quality, given that if I want to take decent photos, I use a, erm, camera.

My limited understanding of mobile handsets is that there's a policy of built in obsolescence whereby it's become increasingly difficult to easily replace parts like screens and batteries that commonly wear out or break, rendering repairs uneconomical. Not only that, depending on the manufacturer they stop supporting software and security updates and patches long before the phone is otherwise unusable. Since about 2015 I've been buying OnePlus handsets outright and paying for a SIM seperately. They're roughly on a par with flagship iPhones and Galaxys but substantially cheaper. I keep them a couple of years when they still retain a bit of value and then either sell them or trade them in for a new model. Works for me.

 

[Pblakeney]

I would do the same with phones but don't. Whilst in the particular processor, camera are of no importance for me the battery state is and where I've checked (including Apple) they don't routinely replace batteries so you are getting a worn battery which for me is an important aspect.

Last 2 I've bought had 100% battery health. YMMV.
It wouldn't surprise me to find out that they were NOS.