NewMobile4me.com
Totally impartial advice on how to get the best mobile deal possible
Frequently Asked Questions
So tell me again why I can have all this for free?
How do I keep my number when I change contracts?
What if I want to stay on the same network?
What if I am on Pay As You Go?.
Are there pitfalls to look out for?
Are all my calls and texts really free?
When should I terminate my new contract and start again?
How long will these deals be available for
How can I thank you for this service?
So tell me again why I can have all this for free?
There are
six mobile
operators in the UK; O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin and 3. The intense
competition means the operators have to give away huge phone subsidies
and pay commissions to High Street stores to in return for signing up new
customers. Would you believe that in many cases these commissions are more
than the line rental they receive from you in the first year. The
Operators are willing to do this because they are banking on the fact that once
your are signed up, you probably won't bother to change your contract, and they
will collect your line rental for many years to come. It's rather like mortgage
lenders offering special deals to "brand new customers only" If you
haven't changed network since you bought your first mobile, you may see that
this is generally true.
The competition in the market has also spawned a number of internet-only outlets, these have much lower overheads than the high street stores, but they still receive those huge commissions. To entice you to sign up some online retailers are now offering to refund all of your line rental for the first year of the contract in addition to giving you a new phone. What they are not allowed to actively tell you is that after that first year, you are completely free to end the contract, and start a new one all over again.
Most people wouldn't think of
doing this because they imagine that they will have to change numbers, but we
have the Telecoms regulator Ofcom to thank here who have forced all the
operators to let you keep the same number, no matter which network you are on...
and you've guessed it transferring you number to a new network is free of charge
too. And don't feel guilty about not paying anything, in actual fact the
Operators still make money even if you pay nothing, because they get paid
via the other party when you answer your phone or receive a text. Of
course if everybody did this they would have to stop the free offers, but most
people won't bother, or will never find out.....I bet you are glad you have
found this site
this now!
So there you have it, select a phone deal via this site, transfer your existing number (if your wish) and enjoy free text and chats all year. At the end of the 12 month contract your obligations are over, you can end the contract and start over again. If you want to keep your number you will need to transfer to a different network, but the automated systems for this are all in place and the transfer will be seamless. After the second contract is up you can simply swap back. I've done this for 4 years on the trot between 3 and Orange with no problems. I would recommend selecting a package with a monthly allowance of more minutes and texts than you think you will ever need, after all they are all free and its a great feeling not to worry about the cost of using your phone when ever you like, you will hardly need your landline and it will bring you closer to your friends and family.
How do I keep my current number ?
If you want to keep you old number and get your
calls free you will need to change networks, as operators do not offer these
money back incentives to existing customers who keep their same number. Government Regulations state that
everybody is allowed to keep their old number when they move network whether
they are on PAYG or contract. Automated systems are in place to make the
switch smoothly as thousand of numbers are swapped between networks every day.
If you want the easiest switch I would strongly suggest choosing a phone from
Orange, T-Mobile, 3 or Virgin (these guys have the best deals anyway).
If you want to move
to one of the others, particularly Vodafone and 02, check the website of the
retailer you are purchasing from. Orange and 3 allow you to order you phone
first, have it delivered with a new temporary number, then change you number to
it when you are ready. To do this simply phone up your current operator now and
ask for your Porting Authorisation Code (PAC), most Operators will give you this
for free as long as you are outside any existing minimum contract term, and your
number is not disconnected. This PAC is valid for 30 days, although getting the
PAC does not commit you to anything at this stage. Be aware that once you ask
for a PAC, many operators will try and entice you to stay with them, with the
offer of a new handset, this will lock you in for a further contract term, and
you will have to pay your line rental with no rebates in prospect (heaven
forbid!) Once you have your new phone contact the new Network Operator and
give them the PAC, you will be given a date for the transfer to happen, and on
that day simultaneously to the transfer, you old phone will be disconnected and
the contract (if you had one) with the old operator automatically terminated,
and any direct debits to them automatically cancelled.
What if I want to stay on the same network?
If staying on the same network is more important to you than keeping your number, you are free to cancel your existing contract at the end of its minimum term, and buy a new one on the same network with all of the new customer incentives, in this case however you will not be able to keep your old number. Operators will try and entice you to stay with them by giving you a new handset on the same number, but you will have to pay full price for your line rental .... not very tempting really is it? You are much better swapping and coming back next year.
You are really loosing out! No free handset, texts at 10p each and calls to other mobiles at 40p a minute. You can't have a proper conversation with anybody without thinking how much it is costing or worrying that you will run out of credit. Even as a light user you are probably spending the equivalent of at least £20 a month on handset purchase and top-ups. Using this site you can find free contracts with massive call and text allowances, and of course you can transfer you existing number to your new free contract. Spend £20 a month on something else, and chat to your friends about it on your new free phone!
Here's a good example of why this is better than
PAYG. I have two teenage daughters
until last year they were o
n PAYG, and they spent most of the the £10 allowance I
give them every week on topping up their phones. On top of that every year they wanted a
new £100 phone for Christmas. This year for Christmas I got them a free
new phone on contract with 500 Inclusive texts and
500 minutes per month. (Yes 500 they are teenagers!) Instead of giving them £10 a week pocket money, I
pay the contract, and they get the line rental refunds as an allowance. If
they are mad enough to exceed their 500 texts, I will just deduct the excess from the
rebate (....it hasn't happened yet!). Result happy teenagers (is that an
oxymoron?) with money in their pockets. In this case because I chose a
huge inclusive call and text allowance, the contract is not completely free, it
actually costs me a total of £60 for the year, but that's less than the cost of
a new PAYG phone anyway.
Are there pitfalls to look out for?
Make sure you choose a contract that has plenty of inclusive minutes and texts, once you exceed the allowance you will pay for the extras each month (....and we can't have that can we!).
If you want to keep your
existing number be careful about choosing Vodafone or O2, they may not
accept your number unless you give them you PAC code at the time you order
the phone. With Orange and 3 this is not a problem, just phone them up
when you are ready.
You need to give 30 days notice to end your existing contract, you can do this in the last month of the contract, and it will happen automatically when you apply for and then give the PAC to your new operator. If you are not worried about keeping your number, just give notice, and buy your new phone on-line. (please follow this link to search for the best deals!).
Remember some calls are excluded from your free allowances, such as premium rate numbers, and calls to and from abroad.
You need to remember to claim your rebates from your retailer, typically you will get one automatically when you buy the phone, then send in your 4th, 8th and 12th bill. You will get all the information on where and when to send the bills, write it on the calendar so you don't forget!
Keep ALL your paperwork, including every bill and packing note that came with the phone. (I have a box file that I just chuck it all in). Retailers vary which paperwork you need for your claim, but if you keep everything, you are bound to have what you need.
The deals on offer can change very rapidly according to stock levels, if you see a phone / package that you really want I would advise you to grab it. I was disappointed on my last contract swap, when the phone I wanted went off a totally free contract on the day I went to buy it after watching it for two weeks previously. When I thought about it I wondered why I had waited, since on a free contract I wasn't saving anything, and ended up missing the phone I really wanted -lesson learned for next time!
Are all my calls and texts really free?
It depends on the deal you select, but if you choose a contract with full line rental rebate and don't exceed you monthly inclusive allowances, all of your charges will be recovered via the rebate scheme. Some deals don' t fully refund the line rental over the contract term, those with an expensive phone or very high inclusive allowances for example, but the net cost will still be very small. Alternatively you can choose a deal that gives you a free gift instead of the rebates..... its up to you. Always remember though, once your contract term is over, it will always pay you to revisit this site, and start again.
When should I terminate my new contract and start again?
You need to give 30 days notice to
end your existing contract, you can do this in the last month of the contract,
and it will happen
automatically when you apply for and then give the PAC to
your new operator. If you are not worried about keeping your number, just give
notice, and buy your new phone on-line. (please follow
this link to search for the best
deals!). Don't accept an upgraded phone from your current operator, you will be
tied in for another year with no rebates.
The optimum timing is to ask for your PAC at the start of your last month of your current contract, wait 2 weeks, then order you new phone, giving the new Operator the PAC as soon as your new phone arrives. Your number will then be transferred on the last day of your old contract. That said if you see a free deal that you like I would grab it while it's there, deals end without warning when stock levels go down. If you are not going to take out insurance with your new handset, ask your old operator to unlock your old phone, and keep it as an emergency spare (see below)
How long will these deals be available for?
The availability of these deals changes on a daily basis depending on current stock levels. The search site will always find you the very best deal available by looking across all the retailers for you. Once you get your phone, the deal is guaranteed over the term of the contract. When you come to the end of the contract, simply check back here to find you next deal! Please add this site to your favourites now and you will know where to find us again, (if my budget runs low my adverts will stop running)
You will be offered insurance when you take out your new contract, like all insurance whether you take it or not all depends on your attitude to risk. Probably the worst thing that can happen is that you loose your new phone during the contract, in that case you would contact the operator and have it barred so nobody can use it. The operator will send you a new SIM card (they will charge about £20) for this, but providing a replacement handset will be your responsibility. If you don't take the insurance (and I never do) I suggest you get you keep your old handset in a safe place when you change contracts, if the worst happens you can put your replacement SIM in it and carry on
How can I thank you for this service?
I run this site as a bit of a hobby experiment, if you follow the advice given it will could easily save you £500 every year. All I ask in return is that you please use the links on my site to find and order your new mobile online. The advert that bought you to this site costs me money which I need to recoup from the clicks that you make onto the mobile retailers, it's a fine balance but if you search and select you new phone via this site it should be possible to keep this service going. If you would like to thank me for this service in a more traditional way you can buy me a pint by following this link! to the secure Papal site and donate £2.75 (....... being the price of a pint in my local- cheers!)
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