A guide to choosing mobile plans

Whether you’re looking for a simple phone deal to call your mates every now and then or a phone that you can take with you on your business trips, choosing a phone is not that simple. This article will serve as a guide to help you choose the right mobile plan.

Minutes and text messages

Monthly tariffs go for as low as 5£ to as high as 75£ monthly. Normally, cheaper phone tariffs offer less free minutes and text messages allowances, while unlimited minutes and texts are available on the higher tariffs. Factors to be considered
Before deciding on a plan, think on what you’ll be doing with your phone.
Will you be calling your mates frequently? Or, would you rather send text messages than talk? These are the major factors, which will definitely give you a clear view on what plan you might want to sign up for.

Free phones

Cheap contracts usually come with cheaper phones, but higher tariffs such as business phones come with the latest and more expensive models.
Prices If you want to get the latest model on a cheap phone tariff, you have to pay an upfront fee for the phone itself. Phone prices vary with every network, so it’s best to check their websites, or ask in their high-street store for their best deals on phones with upfront fees.

Contract length

As of late, all major network mobile tariffs are either on 18-month or 24-month contract lengths. Only Tesco offers 12-month contracts. Always, consider the length of the contract when deciding on your mobile plan, and check if your network of choice offers early upgrades. Reward schemes
O2 offers reward schemes to existing customers, wherein they can upgrade one or three months earlier, depending on their membership status. This will come in handy if you don’t want to wait another three more months for your contract to expire and enlist on a new one.

Freebies

Always, check for network perks. For example, Orange offers ‘Orange Wednesday’, wherein an Orange customer can get two cinema tickets for the price of one on Wednesdays.
Internet broadband Several networks also offers free Internet broadband for a period of time when you apply for a phone deal. Shops, like The Carphone Warehouse even extend these deal breakers by adding free gaming gadgets, laptops and home entertainment systems, whenever you sign up for a contract with them.