Why when I come to the end of my contract and am looking for a new phone does Orange/O2/Vodafone (i've been with them all) always try to charge for phones they would give to new customers for free? What's happened to loyalty? I spend between 30 - 80 quid a month and have never missed a payment.

In the end I threaten to cancel and 9 times out of 10 they buckle and give me the phone I want, but it's not the point.

/rant

I get treated VERY well by Orange, dont think new customers would get treated any better, in some cases even as well lol.
In fact I upgraded only today, and after the free phone and lowering my contract by £5 a month, he was still trying to see if there was anything else he could do :)

Would Orange give you a free Laptop/Xbox/HD TV/PS3/etc/etc/etc for continuing to stay with them

Nope they wont, but change your provider and you can get the above usually with a few hundred quid cashback too

They do it to get the new business as it is more stats for them and more contracts, its always been the way

Vodafone have gotten a lot better for trying to retain customers but you cannot beat getting a new contract with all the gucci stuff you get.

been with orange & O2,

orange used to be spot on for good upgrades etc...

then they went all new customer only, so i decamped,

O2 wouldnt play ball, infact they were so bad i left the phone on the shelf, and walked mid contract, and went to voda, lets see what they do at u/g time.

tbh I would not buy into a contract to get a free games console etc anyway, im there for the phone and the service.
What did Orange said to you then mate? Usually at the end of the contract they will offer something.
The contract I just renewed was the one I have for my mum. She is on the lowest tariff they have, used less that 50% of all monthly allowances, and they still gave me a £130 phone :)

O2, I hated them when I was with them about 5 years ago, such poor customer care back then.

I got a good deal with Virgin when my contract was up for renewal, but still nothing like the kind of deal I would have got had I cancelled my contract and got a new one with Virgin

You simply cannot get the same kind of phone/discounts/bonuses/freebies for free by staying with your existing contract

I hate Orange now, have done for a number of years, O2, Virgin, Voda have all been good

I've always had good deal from Orange (dealing with them direct) but at every contract renewal I always shop around. I then tell orange what the others are offering and they usually match it to retain my business. I never pay for the phones.

I got a good deal with Virgin when my contract was up for renewal, but still nothing like the kind of deal I would have got had I cancelled my contract and got a new one with Virgin

You simply cannot get the same kind of phone/discounts/bonuses/freebies for free by staying with your existing contract

I hate Orange now, have done for a number of years, O2, Virgin, Voda have all been good

2 years ago I was due to renew with Orange, and said I might not keep the second line and considered cancelling it.
They offered a 30% reduction in line rental (for good) and a new Nokia N95 which was due out, that day. Which was selling for £650 at the time of its release. The phone was given to me for free. For the first month or 2 after its release VERY few providers had anything but their highest tariff with the N95 for free. So I reckon they treated me better than a new customer :)

Best part is 2 years on and I have just sold the phone for £120 :D

As an added bonus, Orange Premier is superb too!

MJW, ditto mate :)