If they didn't make the deals complicated, people wouldn't go for the bad ones. If the free gift/cash back is too good to be true, you wont get it. I agree that prepay phones are best for youngsters as there is less that can go wrong.

I can tell you a story about a 14 year old at a school where I taught. All her "friends" told her that there was no charge for calls after 7pm and then borrowed her phone. She ended up in tears over the £1600 bill that followed. While that is exceptional, a cheap and chearful phone with a straightforward charging deal is best for any youngsters. If that goes well, you can consider something else next time.

Having always understood there is no such thing as a FREE gift I am facing the daunting task of researching mobile phone deals again. I did this for myself last year and have a £40 deal from Orange, was unable to get the free flight offer because of the impossible claiming conditions and find my monthly bill with insurance is always £60 at least. ( my work and bank numbers are 0845 and not included in minutes).

Now my son is pressing me to take out a phone deal with a Playstation 3 ( he has been promised one for his 17th birthday after I broke his PS2).

My gut feeling is to buy the play station from a shop where issues such as it not working can be dealt with without having to phone a customer service call centre. I also think He should be wholely responsible for his own mobile contract and a pre pay would be a better phone solution. he certainly needs insurance though.

Choosing a mobile contract was complicated enough when it was just me and a phone to work out.... are there too many issues to work out to make finding a deal possible?