SIM Only Plans Explained
Take a stroll down any high street and you'll be bombarded by “amazing” phone deals as the major providers tempt you to sign up for an expensive phone contract. However, before you lock yourself into your next 18 or even 24-month contract, ask yourself a question; do you really need or want to spend £25, £50 or even more every month on your mobile phone? Is there another way?
The answer is yes. There is another way. Forget the bundled contracts that include an inflated cost for a new handset and take a look at SIM only plans. These give you all the benefits of bundled data, minutes and texts that the pricier plans offer, without the hefty price tag.
SIM only deals come with added flexibility. Rather than tying you to a long-term contract they often run on a monthly rolling contract or even as Pay As You Go. You then have the freedom to change providers if coverage isn't all it's cracked up to be or if a better deal comes along.
When choosing a plan, check the coverage for the area you want to use it in. As we've all learnt the hard way, some providers have better coverage than others depending on where you are. The big providers offer a Coverage Checker Service on their websites that should give you a good idea of whether their SIM will work for you or not.
User need is at the centre of SIM only plans. They come in a host of varieties offering a choice of texts, minutes and data. Just as with buying a phone contract, do your research first to make sure you get the plan that suits you. Think about what you use your phone for. Do you want unlimited texts or do you mainly make calls? Or do you need a huge data allowance to make your long commute bearable? If possible, take a look at some old mobile phone bills to see what your actual usage is. There's no point paying for masses of data if you only use a few MB a month. Likewise, you don't want to have a plan offering minimal minutes if you spend hours chatting with your mum every night.
Do you want a long or short contract? SIM only deals offer great flexibility here, with many offering a choice of monthly rolling or 12-month contracts. Others operate on a PAYG basis allowing complete control of how much you spend each month. These short contracts allow you to pick and choose across packages to make sure you're paying only for what you actually need. It's also less risky to try new companies offering great SIM only deals; try it for a month and if you're not happy, go back to one of the tried and tested providers.
There are a lot of choices out there for SIM only deals. Each provider offers numerous deals according to whether you are a light, medium or heavy user, or whether you rely on data rather than minutes and so on. Added to this are the many smaller companies that offer what are often cheaper deals. Luckily there are many comparison sites where you can compare the various deals on offer. These sites will often have reviews of user experiences which are worth taking a look at.
SIM cards come in a few different variations. In the quest for making streamlined, featherlight phones, the amount of plastic around the microchip has gradually been whittled away and we now have three different sizes of SIM. Older phones and basic models tend to use a standard SIM measuring 25x15mm, with newer phones generally taking a micro (15x12) or nano (a tiny 12.3x8.8) The size you need depends on your phone. Many networks provide a combi SIM combining a standard and micro SIM in one unit. If you need a standard SIM, just pop it in. If you need a micro, simply snap off the extra plastic and away you go! 3-in-1 multi SIMs are also being offered to customers which include a nano SIM as well as the standard and micro. The size of SIM you need should be stated on the packaging of your phone. If not, a quick Google search should provide the answer.
To get the best SIM only deals you need a handset that's unlocked, allowing you to use the services of any carrier. If your phone came as part of a contract it's probably locked to a specific provider. However, once your contract is over, you are free to get your device unlocked. The unlocking process is straightforward. Either phone your current provider and request that they do it, or take your phone to a professional who will be able to do it for you. Many providers will unlock your device for free, others may charge up to £20. Before getting any phone unlocked, do make sure it doesn't void any remaining warranty. If this is the case and you choose not to unlock, it's still worth looking at SIM only deals as there are plans offered by smaller companies who rent services from the main carriers.
SIM only plans certainly offer a lot to the mobile phone marketplace. Whether you want to cut your out-goings, keep your old handset or want complete flexibility in your communication plan, there'll be a SIM only deal that is right for you. As more and more people shy away from being locked into expensive, lengthy contracts SIM only deals are becoming ever more flexible and competitive. And switching to a SIM only deal doesn't mean you have to lose your phone number. Get your PAC code from your current provider and your new provider can port your number to the new SIM, giving you the best of both worlds – a flexible, cash saving SIM only plan with your existing number. Perfect.