Mobile phones have become a necessity in our daily business and personal lives. So when the time comes to choose a new mobile contract, taking the time to make the right decision will avoid unexpected additional costs and charges later down the line.
Obviously the cost is an important factor and should influence the outcome, but it isn’t quite as simple as basing your decision solely on price.
Before signing on the dotted line you should always ask yourself the following questions.
Are you getting good value for money?
A reasonable price doesn’t always mean it is good value.
Bundles and tariff packages can be bought with a set allowance for calls, text and data.
These usually come at a reduced rate but you should remember expensive ‘out of bundle’ charges will apply if this agreed allowance is exceeded. Whilst you don’t want to be paying over the odds for free texts, calls or data that you’ll probably never need, it is important to be realistic about your expected usage.
Is a cash back deal incorporated into the contract?
Cash back deals are not always what they seem and the Terms & Conditions can make it difficult if not impossible to reclaim the full amount of advertised cash back. These should be examined in great detail and contact should be made with your sales representative to ensure you understand the initiative and have been provided with all documents and forms required to complete the claim.
What is the network coverage like in your area?
Coverage in an area will not be the same for all networks. For example, an ‘Orange’ customer may have significant mobile signal in an area whereas an ‘O2’ or ‘Three’ customer may have zero, or limited coverage. I would advise contacting the individual suppliers and provide them with your postcode to get feedback on coverage in your area.
How often are you going to want an upgrade handset?
Longer contracts can be tempting as the packages often include higher allowances of data, calls and texts for what seems to be a lesser price. But longer contracts usually mean a longer delay on upgrades so if you’re going to want an upgrade every time a new iPhone model is released; a shorter contract is probably for you!
How many contracts are you being asked to sign?
You are only required to sign one contract. This confirms your commitment to the preferred network for the agreed period of time. You should be wary if asked to sign a second contract as this often sanctions your commitment to the 3rd party provider for a significantly lengthier period of time than that of your actual network contract.
Mobile contracts are, like any other contract, legally binding and expensive to buy out of so getting it right the first time is crucial.