Phone price hikes have arrived, and as ever, Martin Lewis has hit our screens to make sure everyone knows just how easy it is to make big savings on your phone deal, and as ever, he’s quite right. According to Lewis, 14 million people in the UK are currently out of contract on their phone plan and are therefore likely to be massively overpaying on their bill, which doesn’t have to be the case.
Modern smartphones are lasting longer than ever, so you probably aren’t fussed about replacing the phone you might be reading this on – but making sure you’re not overpaying for your data is just as key. It’s likely that when you first started your current phone contract, your phone and airtime plans were combined. But, if you’ve finished your contract, chances are you are still paying for a phone that you’ve technically already paid off – leaving the amount you’re paying for just data at an extortionately high price.
The easiest way to fix this is simple; keep the phone you currently have, cancel your contract, and switch to a SIM-only deal. SIM-only packages are cheaper, the contracts are shorter, and the service you receive is no different from what you’d usually expect. This makes them a great way to save on your bill quickly. To help you make the switch, here are some top picks of SIM-only contracts for £10 or less that are available right now.
SIM only deals for under £10
Price Hikes FAQs
What are phone price hikes?
Phone price hikes are a yearly occurrence in the UK where some mobile networks increase their contract prices in line with inflation – using either CPI or RPI – plus a figure of usually 3.9%. This increase is – supposedly – to enable providers to manage rising business costs and continue to develop infrastructure to improve service, however, this has come under some scrutiny.
In recent months, Ofcom made it necessary that providers outline these price hikes in terms of pounds and pence, to increase consumer understanding and confidence surrounding the increases. However, this has been ineffective at tackling a practice which is continually tightening the purses of consumers. As of writing, we are yet to see any progress that would help end this regular occurrence altogether.
When do phone price hikes take place?
Phone price hikes take place on either March 31st or April 1st officially, depending on the provider in question, however, you won’t notice these increases till your bill at the end of April. This timing is so that providers can increase prices in line with the announcement of inflation for February, which falls in mid to late March.
Do all phone networks increase their prices
No, more often than not, smaller networks such as GiffGaff, Smarty, and talkmobile, will not increase their prices, instead offering cheaper deals that serve as a great alternative to the big four providers – EE, Vodafone, Three, and O2 – who all increase their prices every year.