Vertu Phones Anyone Own on of these ?
Vertu Phones Anyone Own on of these ?
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Discussion

maserati3200gt

Original Poster:

1,576 posts

265 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
If you do ?
Are Vertu Phones Really that good ?
e.g Sound Quality, Software for example ?

and are the Prices variable depending on the outlet ?

What makes the entry level phone worth 2,900 quid ?

www.vertu.com

PJLarge

480 posts

278 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
I'm pretty sure they're just posh cased old Nokias. Save your money!

Phil.

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

265 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
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I'd say you'd be better off with something like Xelibri, all the fashion, a fraction of the price. Plus nobody knows 'owt about them.

www.expansys.com/search.asp?sid=86617&nf=1&man=XELIBRI

They're not exactly as advanced as whats on the shelves right now, but they're certainly eye catching.

Petrol_noggin

3,046 posts

251 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
My dad has the ascent model in the sandy leather (matches the cars) as a phone, mum has the reflective signature, it is fantastic, the speakers are flawless, keys are smooth. The USP for it is the concierge button, press it anywhere in the world and ask for the nearest restaurant, hotel etc and they will book a room for us, a bit like the Centurion card service.

miniandy

1,512 posts

268 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
3 GRAND FOR A MOBILE!!!

up-the-dubs

4,282 posts

260 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
miniandy said:
3 GRAND FOR A MOBILE!!!


I can't afford one either, but they are nice . Lotto, and I'd have one..

bluespanner

3,383 posts

254 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
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four and a half for a 'signiture'

ehyouwhat

4,606 posts

249 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
I know a few people who have owned them in the past, and it's all about the image and the concierge service. Aside from that, the mobiles are solid, slick and well-designed. They are also pretty tough. In engineering terms the phone's are right at the top of the pile, and as such need to be priced above usual phones. The prices they charge however, are not representative of their core value.

It should also be mentioned that the concierge service is NOT free for ever. The phones come with a certain time-allowance from new, but eventually a subscription has to be paid, and it ain't cheap. Several hundred squid a year, I seem to remember.

All in all, unless you need the concierge function, it's style over substance. But then so is so much in life, so if you can afford one I wouldn't let it worry you!

eccles

14,406 posts

253 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
they dont play tunes, and they haven't got a camera!
they'll never catch on!

up-the-dubs

4,282 posts

260 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
eccles said:
they dont play tunes, and they haven't got a camera!
they'll never catch on!


I know you're probably joking, but I swear by my non-singing non-dancing 6310i. I'll be distraught when it breaks. Nothing else has anywhere near a 17 day standby time. 2 1/2 years old and still perfect so-far.

cyberface

12,214 posts

288 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
Doesn't make sense to me - phone technology is changing rapidly so those who have to have the latest and greatest would be better off with buying the best phone on the market sim-free as soon as it is released.

As electronic jewellery, perhaps, but given that the electronics will be hopelessly outdated long before the jewellery is, unlike an expensive bracelet or ring, you're only going to get a few month's 'fashionable' use out of the thing.

Still I suppose with the money to burn it isn't an issue, but for me I'd take the £800 per year Centurion charge and the best phone technology I can get. Unless Vertu's concierge comprehensively bests American Express' - of course. You've also got the theft angle to worry about.

paulie-mafia

3,321 posts

254 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
PJLarge said:
I'm pretty sure they're just posh cased old Nokias. Save your money!

Phil.


Yeah this is true, they're not the world's most sophisticated phones! You'd be better off upgrading top end handsets every 6 months on a standard network tarrif, then pray Amex offer you a Centurion which - if you're considering £3k for a mobile phone - shouldn't be too much of an issue!

Petrol_noggin

3,046 posts

251 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
cyberface said:
Doesn't make sense to me - phone technology is changing rapidly so those who have to have the latest and greatest would be better off with buying the best phone on the market sim-free as soon as it is released.

As electronic jewellery, perhaps, but given that the electronics will be hopelessly outdated long before the jewellery is, unlike an expensive bracelet or ring, you're only going to get a few month's 'fashionable' use out of the thing.

Still I suppose with the money to burn it isn't an issue, but for me I'd take the £800 per year Centurion charge and the best phone technology I can get. Unless Vertu's concierge comprehensively bests American Express' - of course. You've also got the theft angle to worry about.


IMO the technology level of phones is not at a sufficient level to justify this for me. The best camera phone on the market is in the region of 3MP. Someone with a W800 is pretty likely to use the phone as their main camera, whereas typically a premium phone user (not just the vertu, includes the N880) would have their phone for calling people (shock horror ) as well as a decent camera and MP3 player to cover the tasks of a W800 but better, because they have the money to do so. The Vertu's are very open to modular upgrades such as bluetooth, so the only thing lacking for a business user, again IMO is video calling, which isn't that widespread anyway. in my experience, the only benefit over Centurion service is the cost for the first billing year, i.e free.

In our case, and I'm guessing most Vertu users, my dad uses an XDA EXECwhen he's just running out to the shops, so gets the best of both worlds.

cyberface

12,214 posts

288 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
^^

fair enough, it's a perception thing. I'm a bit of a tech junkie and will rather have Centurion service but play with the latest gadget phone. If the phone is primarily a phone, a piece of engineering jewellery (like a watch) and the concierge service, then it makes more sense. More expensive than Amex though, even if you do get a nice looking free phone

scared but happy

24,147 posts

260 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
I presume the point of buying a phone like this is NOT the features it is style.
From what I recall a £1.99 digital watch's accuracy is much higher than say an analogue Rolex. So why buy a Rolex if you need to know exactly what the time is?

I could not afford one but I would go for the Motorsport version as that is a limited editon and worth more in the future as a collectable, also checkout the demonstration.

How about an old Sinclair calculator to match. (Gold plated.)
www.vintagecalculators.com/assets/images/SinclairSovGold.jpg

>> Edited by scared but happy on Tuesday 7th February 21:21

Petrol_noggin

3,046 posts

251 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
scared but happy said:

How about an old Sinclair calculator to match. (Gold plated.)
www.vintagecalculators.com/assets/images/SinclairSovGold.jpg

>> Edited by scared but happy on Tuesday 7th February 21:21


can you write 80081E5 on it?

cyberface

12,214 posts

288 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
scared but happy said:
From what I recall a £1.99 digital watch's accuracy is much higher than say an analogue Rolex. So why buy a Rolex if you need to know exactly what the time is?

Yup but your Rolex will be still telling the time (irritatingly inaccurately ) decades later if you look after it. The Vertu will still be looking like a nice piece of jewellery, but will most probably be incapable of making phone calls. Try using your 10 year old analogue mobile (if you can get a charged battery for it).

clubsport

7,417 posts

289 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
My mates girlfriend was until recently the Vertu Uk sales manager, the impression I got was the clientele were Uber wealthy with many phones ordered by pre arranged password to be settled on account!
The phones are very well made, but the concierge service appears to be a major attraction.

The young lady in question did get quite concerned when she leant her Top Vertu to my forgetful father at Goodwood Revival, he managed to pocket it for a few hours totally oblivious to it's value

staceyb

7,107 posts

255 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
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There is no way I would ever buy a phone like that. I've lost/broke so many phones in the past couple of years I wouldn't be able to use it.

vixpy1

42,699 posts

295 months

Tuesday 7th February 2006
quotequote all
You could by a telly for that!!