Smartphone users happy with their handset could save over £600 on their mobile bill by switching to SIM-only.
- The biggest winners are iPhone 8 and Samsung S9 owners on expiring 24-month contracts
- The average one-month SIM-only deal would save consumers up to £28 per month or £673 per year
- Consumers can use ‘Text to Switch’ to change mobile providers and keep the same number, in only a few minutes
Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com says mobile phone contract prices have soared in recent years with improvements to functionality and features, but there are still big savings to be had.
The average mobile phone customer could save over £600 on their bill over the next two years, simply by switching to a SIM-only deal, according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service. The only caveat is that they would need to keep their current phone to do so.
With most mobile phone contracts running for two years, if consumers purchased a new phone in 2018 consumers could be in line for a significantly reduced phone bill. Comparing the two most popular mobile phone contracts from two years ago – the iPhone 8, and the Samsung S9 – consumers could save nearly £30 a month by switching to the average one month contract SIM-only deal.
iPhone 8
The average iPhone 8 (30GB data) deal in 2018 cost £913 over two years (or £38 per month). If consumers purchased this phone during its peak of popularity in June 2018 and the contract is now ending, they could switch to a SIM-only deal as of July 2020, and net a significant saving. For an equivalent data allowance, for instance with Smarty (£10 per month), they would save £673 (£28 per month) over the next 2 years.
Samsung S9
The average Samsung S9 (10GB Data) deal in 2018 cost £833 (or £34 per month). If a contract is now ending, consumers could switch to a SIM-only deal and gain both more data and a cheaper monthly bill. With the average one month SIM-only contract, they would save £593 (or £24 per month) over the next 2 years.
In both cases, they would get to keep the same high-quality phone, and pay out notably less per year.
“If you are coming to the end of your contract and are happy with your handset, it is worth shopping around for a SIM-only contract,” says Bhikha. “Check out your data usage and look for a package that matches your current usage – don’t forget to factor in that you may be using less data during the lockdown. You could end up saving hundreds – or even thousands of pounds over the coming years, as the monthly savings accumulate over time.”
The mobile expert suggests that if you decide to switch from contract to SIM-only, ‘Text to Switch’ is a simple service you may want to consider since it lets you keep your mobile number.
Your current provider will be in touch within a few minutes and their reply will include information about any early termination charges or pay-as-you-go credit balances, says Bhikha.
Find out how you could switch to SIM-only here.
For a look at SIM-only cost comparisons, click here.