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Stay in touch - A guide to telephones and services for older and disabled people 2004 (view report contents)

Buying a phone - where to go & your legal rights

It’s fairly easy to find phones which have some of the useful features shown in this guide; they’re widely available and easy to spot in shops or advertisements or catalogues. But for other useful features – like keys with a positive ‘click’ action – you may have to examine phones more carefully in a shop, because the ads won’t give you enough details.

Actually handling a phone will also give you a better idea of whether it would be fiddly to use or to see – many modern handsets are smaller than you might expect. In some cases you may even need to try the equipment at home – see Your legal rights, below. If you can do this, make a point of checking ringer loudness and the clarity of calls and messages.

With a mobile, some shops may have working demonstrator phones you can try, but if not check if there’s a trial period or handset exchange policy.

Having thought about the hardware, check the special services – from free directory enquiries to large print bills – which telephone companies offer to make life easier for disabled customers (section on Services for older or disabled people) . To help you choose a phone company see the section on Companies and deals and the individual Operator summaries.

Where to go

Where to look if you’re buying a phone – plus organisations who may be able to offer more help and advice

Buying a fixed-line phone

High street shops and superstores selling phones include Comet, Currys and Dixons, and department stores like John Lewis, as well as independent shops, though not all have a wide selection. The Argos catalogue includes many models and makes it easier to compare features on the products available. Most shops stock a few corded phones and analogue cordless phones, plus a bigger choice of digital cordless phones; all with or without an answering machine built-in.

Many internet shops also sell phones and accessories, making it easy to compare products and have them delivered to you. BT also have their shop on the internet.
Many companies, including BT, sell phones and accessories through their web-sites. Some BT phones can also be rented from BT - this costs more in the long run than buying one outright, but you have no worries about getting repairs done if your phone goes wrong. It’s also easier to change (after the minimum rental period) to a different model more suited to your needs.

The RNIB and RNID sell phones and phone accessories which have features helpful to people with poor sight or hearing. You can buy directly from their mail order catalogues or their web-sites. These and other suppliers are listed below.

Buying a mobile phone

Most high streets are full of mobile phone shops. These include Carphone Warehouse, The Link (part of the Dixons group) and Phones 4U. Most retailers who sell fixed-line phones offer mobiles too. Some large supermarkets like Sainsburys and Tesco sell mobiles and have own-brand service packages as well (see separate sections on individual operators).

When you buy a mobile, how much you pay for the handset depends on which network and tariff you opt for. In fact, getting the right tariff can be just as important as checking what features an individual telephone may have.

There’s a wide and confusing range of networks and tariffs, and none is suitable for everyone, so you need to try to get impartial advice. Remember that some mobile phone shops are tied to just one or two of the networks, so they may not give you the full picture about which network and tariff would suit you best.

your legal rights

If you buy a phone and it turns out to be unsuitable, most big retailers will give you an exchange or refund without fuss, provided you return it undamaged and with all the packaging within a specified period (often 7 to 14 days). Keep your receipt. Always check when buying as shops aren’t legally obliged to give you a refund or exchange, unless the phone is

  • faulty, or
  • not as described in an advertisement or on the packaging, or
  • not fit for the purpose. This includes any ‘purpose’ you told the shop about when buying. So if, for example, you told the salesperson you wanted a phone which would work with a hearing aid’s T setting, and the phone you were sold turned out not to do this, you would be entitled to a refund (or exchange, if you wish).

You have similar rights if you buy by mail order or off the internet, and most suppliers have similar ‘no quibble’ refund policies.

 

Report Contents

Introduction

Telephones

Other equipment

Buying a phone & phone services

Useful contacts

 

Fixed line Operators

Mobile Operators

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