Virgin touts £10 a month BlackBerry Curve 8520

Virgin Media is offering a good-looking deal for those students who are looking for a BlackBerry smart phone, but can't quite afford a new top-of-the-range model.

Available is the Qwerty keyboard and 2-megapixel camera sporting entry-level Blackberry Curve 8520 for £12 a month, or £10 per month if you're an existing Virgin Media customer with a TV package. Students with an NUS Extra cards, can get an extra 15% off.

You'll get 50 inclusive minutes and 250 free texts a month. But as is the case with this type of price-dropping deal, there are a few catches. First of all you have to sign up for a 24-month contract, so it's worth thinking to yourself whether you would want to tie yourself up for that long.

If you decide to take up the Virgin offer, you'll be getting a phone we reviewed last year and does all the things you expect that a BlackBerry should do well, such as email and text messaging.

But you won't be getting a totally up-to-date handset, especially as the more up-to-date Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 has just come out with the added bonus of 3G and camera with flash. You can pick up the handset for free with a £20 per month contract.