Siemens A50 Review

Overall Rating

Battery life is good

The ring tone can not be changed

I bought a Siemens A50 mobile phone just before Christmas 2003. I did so, as I had no home phone and I so wanted a mobile, but one without a monthly rip off charge. Previously, I had been charged mad money on my Barclaycard for a phone I had never used much - £15 a month for two phone calls! The Siemens A50 was the cheapest in Woolworths. At the time it was £60, so I decided to get it.

It comes in a nice little box with a small charger, which was a surprise considering the size of previous chargers I have had. Also, full instructions are included. You have to phone up the head office to have the phone switched on, and away you go. I also went for the call overseas option. When overseas you can ask to have the phone connected to a local service.

I found that the battery life is far better than any of my previous phones. The last one was a 1997 vintage Nokia, which I junked in 2000 when my Barclaycard was cancelled. I no longer have to do any daily recharge of my phone. It now lasts about 5 days between recharges if not used much, even if left on standby. It takes two hours to charge up, which is a good point, as there is no longer any need for all night charging.

The features include a phone book that tells you if someone you have programmed into it is calling you, which is very handy. There is plenty of storage space for numbers, but the memory is built into the phone. It has a volume control, vibrate feature instead of ring tone, and it keeps records of calls sent and received. It tells you the time and date, and also how much credit you have. It has cartoon ducks on the screen when you switch on and off.

Text messaging is however difficult, even once you have the knack. This is not important to me, as I do not do much text messaging. I entered a Talk Sport win a Range Rover comp for £1.50, then I was asked to enter another competition every day for a week. I also tried to text Deal or No Deal, but I could not get through, even though I tried four times. My fingers are too big, and also my brain is huge!

I sent for a free ring tone, but they do not work, so don't do it! I had all my credit deleted. This happens every time I credit my phone. I did this by going to the shop and buying a card. You then have to key the card number into your phone and get the credit, usually £10 minimum. That meant I had to put a new SIM card into my phone, as these free 'ring tones' can not be deleted once ordered. Every week a charged ring tone would come through, and they will not work on this phone.

I was on T-Mobile at the time, so I decided then to change SIM cards and to go to Tesco's, and for only £1.50 I got a new phone number. However, T-Mobile call me up all the time wanting me to upgrade, and lately it has been every week, so be prepared for these 'cold' calls if you buy this phone, because even if you tell them you are with another company they keep calling.

Overall, it is a bog standard phone but with a good battery life. As it is pay as you go it will be good for someone whom makes few calls.