Martin Lewis recommends sending a free text message 'INFO' to 85075 to check contract status, noting that if the response indicates no early termination or cancellation charge, users are free to switch. Approximately 14 million people in the UK are out of contract on their mobile phone bills and could switch with no penalty. To switch networks and keep their current number, users should text 'PAC' to 65075 to get a Porting Authorisation Code for their new provider.
However, Lewis cautioned that those on multiple-phone or joint family mobile packages cannot use the text 'INFO' method. Most cheap SIM deals are available only on comparison sites, not directly from mobile phone companies, and tend to be short-lived. A 'cheat code' method involves texting 'PAC' to 65075 if out of contract, which might prompt the current provider to offer a reduced rate to retain the customer.
If you're on a multiple-phone contract, you won't be able to do this.
50 per month, even mid-contract. Prices for new customer SIM deals have been decreasing, with examples like 50GB now available for about £3 per month compared to £9 two years ago. Most UK mobile phone contracts increase on or around April 1 each year.
Prices have been going up and up. At the same time the cost of new customer SIM deals have been plummeting. For 50gb two years ago you'd have been paying £9. Now you can get it as cheap as about £3 a month.
Look at that dispersal - you've got existing customers going up and up and up and new customers going down and down and down.
14 million people are out of contract on their mobile phone bill, which means you are free to switch.
You text 'info' for free to 85075 to check.
You're a free agent - you can go and get the cheapest deals, you can cut your costs.
Next, you do a cheap SIM comparison. Most of the deals are not available directly from the mobile phone companies because then they might have to give them to existing customers, and are only on comparison sites, and they tend to be short-lived.
Mobile contracts typically rise even if you're mid-contract around £2,50 a month. Here's what you do - three steps. Text INFO for free to 85075 to check if you're free to switch because 14 million of you are out of contract and free to switch.
What you're looking for is you'll get a text back in most cases. From a multiple phone contract, you can't do it. And if it says 'no early termination or cancellation charge' you are free to switch. If you're free to switch go on to a SIM comparison site.
Remember £2.50 is the average it's going up on the contract. Lebara 10GB Vodafone signal is the equivalent of over a year of £2 a month. Not going up £2 a month - paying £2 a month, 10GB, unlimited minutes, unlimited calls up to £5 a month. When I say equivalent, that's what actually happens is you pay £1 for 6 months on some of them and then £5 for 6 months and you get a voucher that goes in and you add all that in and divide it over a year ant it's £2 but it's so much cheaper than many are paying.
Talkmobile 100GB £9 a month or £11 a month, depending on which comparison site. If you're saying to me 'I need my signal' there are only 4 networks in the UK. All other networks piggyback on them. A good comparison site you'll be able to say 'I only want this network' show me all the different companies that use the same signal and I want to find the cheapest on that.
Finally, to keep your number text PAC to 65075 to give you a code to give to your new provider. But I have a cheat code here. I prefer you to do all 3, but if you don't want to and you're out of contract, just text PAC to 65075. What they often say is 'Here is your PAC code, we're sorry to hear you're leaving. How about if we charged you half what you're currently paying to stay with us - would you stay?' You never know, it might just work.