Believe it or not, there will be an estimated 6.1 billion smartphone users in the world by the year 2020, as mobiles finally overtake active, fixed-line subscriptions.
The universal popularity of smartphones has much to do with the advanced and capable nature of modern handsets, while the wide range of choice on the market is also appealing to customers.
While choosing your preferred handset and operating system can be challenging, however, it can be even harder to secure competitive mobile phone deals. In this post, we’ll look at some of the key considerations when appraising potential deals.
1. Seek out Deals with Unlimited Texts and Minutes
If you visit a site such as fonehouse, you’ll see a large range of deals across the very latest handsets. One of the first things you should consider is the terms of specific tariffs, including the monthly cost, your data allowance and the amount of minutes and texts that you’re entitled to.
This allows you to determine whether or not a deal offers genuine value for money, particularly in relation to the handset that you want to buy.
Deals that offer unlimited texts and minutes tend to provide the best value, of course, as this minimises any restrictions placed on the usage of your handset. So, even if you can source slightly cheaper deals, those that offer unlimited use will help you to save money over time.
2. Is there an Up-front Cost?
In most cases, you’ll have two choices when buying a mobile phone. You can either pay for the handset outright and seek out a SIM only deal (which in the case of a premium phone like the iPhone X will cost in the region of £1000), or you can enter into a contract with your chosen provider.
If you do choose the latter, it’s better to identify deals that do not require you to pay anything up-front.
This way, you can enter into a transparent and easy-to-understand deal that features only the monthly repayment sum and the length of the contract. You can also reduce the initial cost of your handset, which may be important when buying a premium smartphone.
3. Can you Get Cashback or Gifts through your Deal?
On a final note, it’s worth remembering that a rising number of today’s smartphone deals offer some form of cashback to the purchaser. The precise amount paid will depend on the value of the phone in question, but it’s not unknown for customers to receive up to £25 on handsets such as the iPhone X.
There are even some deals that include generous gift options, such as televisions, games consoles and high-end laptops. Although these deals are rare and usually available for limited periods only, they tend to offer exceptional value to consumers.
If your preferred deal does not offer cashback or any other form of gift options, you consider creating an account and purchasing your smartphone through a site like Quidco or Top Cashback. This will reward you with a cash sum based on the value of your purchase, which could be significant if you buy a top-of-the-range phone.
Poppy Watt