Would you buy a mobile phone without a charger?
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
October 2, 2015 3:57pm CST
I was browsing a few local stores online earlier looking at cheap sim free mobiles. It is quite obvious that EE will not assist me to unlock my Orange mobile, so I will have to buy a basic model to use during the balance of my contract.
Naturally I am not overly concerned about features, just as long as the call quality is good and the price is low. While looking through the Tesco Direct website I came across a mobile for £12.
I was definitely surprised to encounter a mobile at such a price, especially since it was a dual sim phone and did look quite respectable. I had never heard of the manufacturer, which was TTfone, but that did not concern me.
When I clicked on the phone to select it and clicked the button to display full details I could not believe what I read. At the end of the description it said “Mains charger not included”.
This is a brand new boxed phone and not a second hand model, so there has to be something that I am missing. Obviously nobody would buy a mobile that they could not charge.
3 people like this
4 responses
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
2 Oct 15
If you read the description, it says:
"The TT130 comes with a USB charging cable in the box which can be used in any PC or Laptop. You can use any existing USB charger plug that you already have at home just simply plug in the included USB cable. You can also purchase a USB mains plug charger if you wish to."
I also notice that it says "Works on all networks apart from EE and Three"
Read more at
Buy TTsims Dual Sim TT130 Cheap Mobile Phone with Camera and Bluetooth from our Feature Phones range at Tesco direct. We stock a great range of products at everyday prices. Clubcard points on every order.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Oct 15
@owlwings I have several micro USB to USB cables which I use for my mobile and my tablet, also a twin USB socket adapter for the main as you describe. However, these are only of any use if the mobile has a micro USB port, which many models these days do not.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
3 Oct 15
@Asylum I have two mains mini-USB chargers which came with Samsung phones and also a mains plug with two standard USB sockets as well as several USB to mini-USB cables, so i can charge my phones and my tablet and my Kindle many ways. I can see it becoming less common for cheaper phones, at least, to come with a mains charger (though they will probably always supply a USB cable). Chargers are heavy and it saves a great deal in weight, especially as more and more people buy things online.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
2 Oct 15
@Asylum That used to be a big problem here, too. They sold chargers with multiple and interchangeable connectors for people who needed an odd one. Now, it's mostly Apple that has its own. But I can use the same charger for my Dell tablet and my LG phone. Even though most ports are the same, some chargers don't fit perfectly and it may be quality of construction. But I can get a replacement from Amazon very cheaply. I hated when they were all so different. I never threw a charger away for fear that one day we'd have something that size again.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64362)
• United Kingdom
2 Oct 15
I actually bought a phone from Tesco in their store, and that had a charger with it or I wouldn't have taken it. I only need a basic phone, and this cost £10, pay as you go. If I put £15 credit on it they upped it to £45, so I was happy with that.
Then, when I got home and really looked at it, it seems that they do give me £30 free credit, but I have to use it within a month 
. I use it very little, so it's not the bargain that I thought. I'm perfectly happy with the phone though.
. I use it very little, so it's not the bargain that I thought. I'm perfectly happy with the phone though.