N82, N82, Where for Art Thou, N82?

I want to buy a Nokia N82. It shouldn't be that hard, should it? You wouldn't have thought so.

I used an N82 for nigh on three months, following the trip to Nokia last year, thanks to the good people at Womworld. In that time, it became abundantly clear that the N82 is simply the best phone I've owned. It took the place of the N73 as my favourite all time NSeries phone. For my style of usage, the N82 was perfect, covered all the bases and performed in every department.

After the N82 had to be returned, I purchased the N95 8GB. This handset is widely used among NSeries fans, and I've not heard a bad word said by those who use it. It also does all I could want in a phone, the reason in the end I moved the phone on was simply I didn't like the form factor. Nothing more, I don't think.

So, I want to buy a Nokia N82. It shouldn't be so hard, should it? After all, this is the latest NSeries phone, top of the range features, sure to be popular. Why, oh why, is it so hard to find? I use Vodafone for my main network, and my number has become due an upgrade. Now, working in the industry, I know subsidies on upgrades aren't the same as new connections (although why networks pay so much to gain customers only to lose them to cheaper new connection deals on rival networks when the minimum term contract ends, I'll never understand) so I am prepared to pay towards the cost of the phone, as you usually do on upgrades.

But, even being prepared to pay for the phone doesn't help! First of all, Vodafone do not sell the N82. They sell the N81 8GB, the N95 8GB (both good phones, both slide phones) but no N82. Phones4U are part owned by Vodafone, can do Vodafone upgrades but do not sell the N82! Carphone Warehouse, the largest retailer of mobile phones in the UK, do not sell new Vodafone connections, but *do* sell Vodafone upgrades *and* they sell the N82. But they can't sell the N82 on Vodafone, apparently it is not on the Vodafone approved handset list! And that's it, choice ends here. On the high st the other mobile phone retailers are network stores, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Three. The independent mobile phone shop appears to have disappeared, so the option of getting a Vodafone upgrade indirectly and getting the phone I want isn't, really.

Moving networks is not an option, Orange I've used before, they rival Vodafone on network coverage but don't even come close on customer service. O2 suck, their 3G coverage is virtually non existant, let's not even mention HSDPA! Three and T-Mobile offer poor network coverage, so don't enter the equation.

The N82 has been available for less than 6 months, and has already disappeared!