Launch the iPhone price comparison tool

The Apple iPhone 4S launched today and it’s available for purchase on contract from 6 networks in the UK: Three, O2, Orange, Tesco Mobile, T-Mobile and Vodafone. Yet there’s a whole myriad of different tariffs to consider – each with differing monthly allowances, download allowances and each tariff different combinations of upfront and monthly cost. With this new price comparison tool, we hope to make searching for the right iPhone tariff easier.

• We’ll show you in one simple table what you’ll get on each tariff: minutes, texts, data allowance and any other key features of the tariff (same-network calls, BT Openzone, visual voicemail, photo messages, etc.)
• We’ll show you the “total cost of ownership” of each tariff. This is the total amount you’ll pay over the length of your contract (including both upfront and monthly costs). We think this is a much better way of comparing tariffs rather than simply looking at either the upfront cost or the monthly cost by itself – you’ll see exactly how much it costs you over the long run. Sometimes it’s better value to pay more upfront in exchange for a lower monthly charge.
• We’ll show you the download allowances included with each tariff. Whilst most tariffs offer 500MB internet, some tariffs don’t include internet whilst others include truly unlimited “all-you-can-eat” downloads.

Full tariff listing

For a complete listing of available tariffs (without filtering), select the model of iPhone 4S you’d like:

• 16GB iPhone 4S (96 tariffs available)
• 32GB iPhone 4S (91 tariffs available)
• 64GB iPhone 4S (68 tariffs available)

Please use the form at the top of this page to find the best value tariffs based on your monthly usage.

Your thoughts, feedback and suggestions.

We are continually looking at add new features to this price comparison tool. If you’ve got any comments, please drop us a comment below: we’d love to hear from you.

Related posts:

1. Compare Samsung Galaxy S II Mobile Tariffs: Price Comparison Calculator
2. The iPhone Tariff Price Comparison Tool – with 23 iPhone tariffs
3. Compare Pay As You Go Tariffs: Price Comparison Tool

One of the options available to O2 Pay & Go customers is the “Simplicity” tariff. Purchased from your airtime credit, O2 Simplicity gives you a set amount of airtime which lasts for one month. This can often be cheaper than “vanilla” Pay As You Go (without Simplicity) for reasonably heavy phone users but shop around: cheaper deals are out there too.

How does O2 Simplicity work?

O2 Simplicity is a Pay As You Go tariff from O2. Unlike traditional “vanilla” Pay As You Go where you’ll pay for each call you make and each text you send, O2 Simplicity customers pay a fixed amount each month (between £7.50/month and £25.50/month) which comes from your airtime credit. In exchange, you’ll get a fixed allowance of calls, texts and internet to use for that month.

A free O2 Simplicity SIM card is available from the O2 website.

A better value proposition from O2′s “Giffgaff” subsidiary

If you’re willing to consider an O2-based alternative which doesn’t carry the O2 brand, Giffgaff is a great value alternative. You’ll get the exact same reception and phone signal as on O2, only the service isn’t O2-branded.

Giffgaff is a fully-owned subsidiary of O2 targeted at the “no-frills” mobile market. Giffgaff customers have access to the exact same network as O2 customers but customer support is handled by Giffgaff. Giffgaff provide similar packages to O2 Simplicity but their packages are typically much better value. With Giffgaff’s Goodybags, you’ll get:

• £5/month – Unlimited texts
• £10/month – Unlimited texts, 250 minutes and unlimited internet
• £15/month – Unlimited texts, 400 minutes and unlimited internet
• £20/month – Unlimited texts, 800 minutes and unlimited internet
• £25/month – Unlimited texts, 1500 minutes and unlimited internet

Calls and texts outside your allowance are also cheaper on Giffgaff: 10p/minute for calls and 6p per text. They are 25p/minute and 12p per text on O2. You can get a free Giffgaff SIM card here.

Get free Giffgaff SIM card »

What are the Simplicity packages on Pay As You Go?

There are 3 “Simplicity” packages available on Pay As You Go:

• £7.50/month buys you unlimited texts
• £10.50/month buys you 100 minutes and 500 texts
• £15.50/month buys you 300 minutes and unlimited texts

For smartphone users, you’ll need to add one of O2′s 3 data packages which start at £3/month. The most popular data package is “The All Rounder” (500MB data allowance) which is an additional £6/month.

Note that there is also a variant of O2 Simplicity on Pay Monthly. This can often provide better value than the Pay As You Go variant, particularly when you sign up for 12 months.

Which data package should I opt for on O2 Simplicity?

If you’re a smartphone owner, you’ll need to add a data package. O2 offer a choice of 3 different data packages on O2 Simplicity Pay As You Go. These range from “The Basics” (100MB for £3/month) to “The Works” (1GB for £10/month). “The All Rounder” (500MB for £6/month) is recommended for most smartphone users.

For more information on what this means in practice, see our guide to what terms such as 100MB, 500MB and 1GB actually correspond to. We’ve also got a guide to O2′s data packages.

* Confusingly, the O2 website describes this as “UK Wi-Fi”. You’ll always be able to use your home wi-fi network regardless of whether you have a data tariff from your mobile operator. More accurately, this should refer to whether there is inclusive access to public wi-fi hotspots provided by “BT Openzone” and “The Cloud”. A fair usage policy applies to downloads through these public wi-fi networks but O2 have not specified the fair usage policy on their website.

Are there any other alternatives?

Giffgaff is the closest alternative – it’s still on the O2 network, it’s still Pay As You Go and it’s much better value than O2 Simplicity. For £10/month, you’ll get 250 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited internet. Giffgaff are currently offering free SIM cards through their website.

If you’re willing to look beyond Pay As You Go, there are some great deals to be had on Pay Monthly SIM Only packages. For example:

• £3.33/month – 500MB internet on T-Mobile
• £10/month – 300 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet on Three
• £15/month – 600 minutes, 3000 texts and all-you-can-eat internet on Three
• £20/month – 900 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB internet on T-Mobile
• £25/month – 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, all-you-can-eat internet & free tethering – “The One Plan” on Three

See our complete guide to the best value SIM-only tariffs.

How does O2 Simplicity differ from “Text and Web”?

The O2 Text and Web tariff offers you a free allowance of texts and internet to go with your Pay As You Go credit. You’ll keep all of the credit that you top up by. This differs from O2 Simplicity where you need to spend your airtime credit in order to buy your Simplicity package. For many smartphone users who send under 300 texts per month, this will make the “O2 Text and Web” tariff better value.

With O2 Text and Web, you’ll get:

O2 and Giffgaff share the same mobile phone masts.

You can switch to the O2 Simplicity tariff by calling 2202 from your O2 mobile phone. For added savings, consider Simplicity on O2 Pay Monthly or Goodybags on the O2-owned Giffgaff network.

I’m switching to O2. Can I keep my existing phone number?

Yes. You’ll need to ask your existing network for a PAC code and then to provide this to O2. The entire process of transferring your phone number should take no more than 24 hours. Our PAC Code Finder tool provides a step-by-step guide to transferring your mobile number to O2.

Where can I get an free O2 Simplicity SIM card?

You can get a free SIM card from the O2 website. This SIM card can be used with any of O2′s Pay & Go tariffs – you’ll need to select the “Simplicity” tariff when your new SIM card arrives.

O2′s Giffgaff has a separate form to register for free SIM cards: the order form can be found here.

Related posts:

1. O2 Simplicity SIM-only tariffs reviewed and compared
2. Free Pay As You Go SIM Cards – Listed, Reviewed and Networks Compared
3. Tesco Mobile Pay As You Go: Triple Credit, Reviewed & Compared

When you buy an iPhone, it’ll typically be locked to a mobile network. This means it’ll only work with SIM cards from that network (e.g. an iPhone locked to O2 won’t accept a SIM card from any other network). Most iPhones are sold locked: the exception is if you’ve purchased your iPhone directly from Apple without an airtime contract. In order to use your iPhone on another network, you’ll need to unlock it.

Unlocking your iPhone gives several benefits:

• You can save about £180/year by switching to a SIM-only contract. For example, iPhone 3G S users could switch to Three’s £15/month SIM Only deal which comes with 600 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet. You’ll probably be paying around £35/month on a standard iPhone tariff for the same deal so Three’s deal saves you £240/year. You’ll get 1GB internet included too – double the 500MB offered on standard tariffs. iPhone 4 users could switch to the £15/month micro-SIM deal which offers 300 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet on a 1 month rolling contract.
• You can use a local SIM card when travelling abroad. When using your UK SIM card internationally (roaming), you could often be paying up to £1.50/minute for phone calls, 50p per text message and £6/MB for internet when using your iPhone abroad. Whilst there are ways to cut your roaming bill, the cheapest option is to buy a SIM card locally in your country of travel. This will allow you to use the full feature set of your iPhone, including internet access, without having to worry about roaming bills. You’ll need an unlocked iPhone to use a local SIM card.
• You can pass on your old iPhone to a family member, friend or colleague. If you’re upgrading to a newer smartphone, you should unlock your old iPhone before passing it onto friends or family members. This will allow them to use it on the network of their choice and to benefit from the wide variety of SIM Only deals currently available.

Is it legal to unlock an iPhone?

Yes, it is perfectly legal to unlock a phone.

Unlocking your iPhone can open up a world of cheaper tariffs at home and abroad.

Mobile networks will often “lock” your mobile phone because they subsidise them. Because you can purchase a new iPhone at reduced price with a contract (subsidised by the network), they don’t want you to take their subsidised phone and to use it straight away on a different network. You can usually ask your network to unlock your phone so you can use it on other networks. Although they are under no obligation to unlock your phone, most networks will happily unlock it providing you pay an unlocking fee (usually no more than £20).

In this guide, I only discuss the official methods of unlocking your iPhone. You may find other unofficial methods of unlocking an iPhone on the internet. These methods might offer to unlock your iPhone by offering you a code or software. There is no guarantee that these methods will work: some of them are scams and some of them could render your phone unusable. Others will successfully unlock your phone but only temporarily: regular software updates from Apple often fix these loopholes and will return your iPhone to the locked state. At the very least, your warranty would probably be invalidated by unlocking your iPhone in an unauthorised manner. Please do your research very carefully and make sure you understand what you’re doing if you choose to unlock your phone another way.

How much money could I save with an unlocked iPhone?

Providing you’re no longer locked into a contract, you can usually save between £180/year and £240/year by unlocking your iPhone and switching to a SIM-only contract. The iPhone can be used on any SIM-only tariff with an inclusive data allowance.

The best deals are generally found on Three:

• £15/month for 600 minutes, 3000 texts, 1GB internet
  Available for iPhone 3G S only (12 month contract)
• £15/month for 300 minutes, 3000 texts, 1GB internet
  Available for either iPhone 3G S or iPhone 4 (1 month rolling contract)
• £25/month for 2000 minutes, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes, 5000 texts, all-you-can-eat data and free tethering
  Free mobile broadband service included when you use the iPhone’s tethering functionality (requires iPhone 4 and iOS 4.3 or later).
  Available for either iPhone 3G S or iPhone 4 (1 month rolling contract)

You can unlock savings of around £180/year by switching to a SIM-only tariff.

Aside from Three, other major networks including O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone also offer SIM-only tariffs which are suitable for use with an iPhone. However, they tend to be pricier than Three’s offerings.

When selecting a SIM-only tariff, make sure you choose a tariff with an inclusive data allowance. iPhone 4 users will need to make sure they receive a micro-SIM card rather than a standard sized SIM card.

If you’re changing network, you can keep your existing phone number by requesting a PAC Code.

How do I find the IMEI number on my iPhone?

During the unlocking process, your mobile operator will ask for the IMEI number of your iPhone. The IMEI is a serial number which is unique to every mobile device. You’ll need to provide the IMEI so that your mobile operator can unlock the correct device.

There are three ways of finding the IMEI number of your iPhone:

• Go to your iPhone keypad and enter *#06# (star hash 06 hash). Your iPhone’s IMEI number should appear on the screen.
• In the iPhone menu, go to Settings > General > About. The IMEI number should be listed.
• Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes. On the iPhone information page, click on your phone number. This will cycle through several pieces of information about your iPhone of which the IMEI number will be one of them.

How do I unlock an iPhone from O2?

Pay Monthly: Your iPhone can be unlocked free of charge at any time but you’ll have to honour the entirety of your contract (you aren’t able to cancel your contract early).

Pay As You Go: It costs £15 to unlock your iPhone. This comes from your Pay As You Go balance so you should top-up by £15 or more prior to requesting an unlock. If you unlock your iPhone within the first 12 months of ownership, you’ll lose the free Web & Wifi bolt-on that O2 gives you.

It takes up to 14 days to unlock an iPhone from O2. For more details and to begin the unlock process, see the O2 website.

How do I unlock an iPhone from Orange?

Orange will unlock your iPhone for a fee of £20 providing you’ve had it for at least 3 months. The unlocking process takes between 7-10 days to complete. According to Orange:

If it’s a pay monthly phone you’ll need to call 150 free from your handset, or 07973 100 150 from a landline (call charges may vary).

If it’s a pay as you go phone you’ll need to call 450 from your handset, or 07973 100 450 from a landline (call charges may vary).

Many readers have experienced difficulties in unlocking an iPhone from Orange (see comments below) although there are some success stories too. Please do share your experiences in the comments below too!

How do I unlock an iPhone from Three?

It’s been difficult to obtain any official information on how to unlock your iPhone from Three, but various reports across the internet have suggested it costs £15.32 to unlock your iPhone from Three. You can contact Three customer services on 333 to request an unlock.

If you’ve had any experiences unlocking an iPhone from Three (successful or not!), please drop us a comment below and share your experiences!

How do I unlock an iPhone from T-Mobile?

According to the T-Mobile forum moderator, T-Mobile charge £15.32 to unlock your iPhone. You must have held your iPhone for at least 30 days on Pay Monthly or 90 days on Pay As You Go. You should contact T-Mobile customer services by dialling 150 from your T-Mobile phone.

If you’ve managed to unlock an iPhone from T-Mobile, please drop us a comment below and share your experiences!

How do I unlock an iPhone from Vodafone?

Vodafone will unlock your iPhone for a fee of £15.32 on Pay Monthly or £19.99 on Pay As You Go. For Pay As You Go customers, the £19.99 charge is taken from your Pay As You Go credit so you should top up by at least £20 prior to unlocking your iPhone. It should take no more than 72 hours to unlock your iPhone. Requests should be made through Vodafone’s online form.

See the FAQ on the Vodafone website for more information.

I’ve made a request to unlock my iPhone. What’s next?

Once you’ve informed your mobile operator you want to unlock your iPhone and made the necessary payments, your mobile operator will inform Apple. Apple maintain a central list of unlocked iPhone devices and it can take up to 14 days for your iPhone to be added to this list. Once your device is on the list, you’ll need to connect it to iTunes to complete the unlocking process.

How can I check to see whether my iPhone has been unlocked?

The easiest way to test whether your iPhone has been successfully unlocked is to insert a SIM card from a different network. All of the UK’s major mobile networks offer free Pay As You Go SIM cards.

What about stores which offer to unlock your iPhone?

Some newsagents and shops may offer to unlock your iPhone. They will usually do this by “jailbreaking” your device. This is not the recommended method of unlocking as it isn’t a permanent unlock: you’ll need to jailbreak the phone every single time Apple releases a new software update. The only official way to unlock your iPhone is through your mobile network operator and the methods listed on this page.

Related posts:

1. Orange, Vodafone launch iPhone – hold off your iPhone purchase
2. Apple iPhone 3G on Orange, T-Mobile in the UK
3. Vodafone’s £25 iPhone SIM Only tariffs reviewed & compared to O2

24 months can be a long time to hold a mobile phone contract: you never know what’ll happen and how your phone usage might change over that time. If you’re currently stuck in an unsuitable mobile phone contract, you may still be able to change it mid-contract. Of particular note O2, Orange and Three will allow you to downgrade your mobile phone contract to a cheaper deal: something which should instantly shave about £60/year from your phone bill. In this article, we look at your options for changing your mobile tariff whilst still being mid-contract.

What options do I have to change my tariff mid-contract?

The options available to you depend on the type of tariff you’re on and what changes you’d like to make.

• If you’re on Pay As You Go, you’re able to leave at any time and join another network or tariff by requesting a new Pay As You Go SIM card. This means if you’re unhappy with your mobile network for any reason, you don’t need to stick with them. You can keep your existing phone number but you may need to unlock your phone first.
• If you’re on a SIM Only contract, the same rules generally apply as on Pay Monthly. However, the shorter contracts generally mean you have a lot more flexibility. If you’re on a one-month contract, you’re able to switch network or tariff at any time with 30 days notice.
• If you’re on a Pay Monthly contract, you have the minimal flexibility to change tariff as you’ll be tied in for 18 months or 24 months. You certainly won’t be able to change network mid-contract but there are options available to change your tariff by adding/changing features and the monthly price. If you’ve come to the end of your Pay Monthly contract, you should move to a SIM-only tariff instead of changing your existing tariff – this will save you about £180/year.

In the rest of this article, we discuss the options for Pay Monthly customers to change their tariff mid-contract. There are 3 main reasons for wanting to change your phone tariff mid-contract:

• You want a new phone.
• You’d like to add new features to your tariff.
• You’ve got too much/little airtime.

We’ll take these in turn.

Can I change my phone mid-contract?

Yes, there is nothing to stop you from changing your phone in the middle of your contract, for example if you’ve taken over someone’s old device or you want to replace your phone early. If you’d like a new phone in the middle of your contract, you’ll need to buy it “SIM-free” from a retailer such as Amazon.co.uk or the Carphone Warehouse. Expect to pay between £20 and £100 for a feature phone and at least £200 for a smartphone.

Because SIM-free phones are sold unlocked and without a SIM card, you can slot your current SIM card inside and continue using your existing contract with it the. There are no charges associated with changing your mobile phone mid-contract: indeed your mobile operator may not even know you’ve changed phone.

Note that if you’re moving to a smartphone, you’ll need to add an internet add-on to your current contract. If you’re moving to a BlackBerry, you’ll need to move to a BlackBerry tariff (this isn’t always possible mid-contract).

Can I add extra features to my tariff mid-contract?

A data plan needs to be added if you upgrade to a smartphone.

If you’re changing to a smartphone or would like to add additional services (e.g. internet access, travel or international calling bundles), you can usually add these as extra packages onto your tariff. These packages are called “bolt ons” on O2, “Flexible Boosters” on T-Mobile and “add-ons” on most other networks. Log in on your mobile operator’s website for a list of packages you can add:

• Three
• O2
• Orange
• T-Mobile
• Vodafone

I’ve got too much or too little airtime. Can I change the amount of airtime I’ve got?

If you regularly find yourself with loads of extra minutes left at the end of the month or you consistently incur charges for exceeding your airtime allowance, you’re probably on the wrong contract. Thankfully some networks give you the option to change your price plan mid-contract.

If you need more airtime, you should move up a price plan (“upgrade”). Although the monthly price of your contract will increase, you should no longer running up punitive charges for calls and texts made outside of your allowance. This means you could actually save money by moving up a price plan.

If you have too much airtime, you should move down a price plan (“downgrade”). This will typically cut £5/month (or £60/year) from your phone bill. You’ll have fewer inclusive minutes after a downgrade.

The options available to you depend on your network:

* Three allow you to downgrade your contract once you’re half way through your contract (i.e. 12 months if you’re on a 24 month contract). There may be an “admin fee” involved.
** O2 and Orange allow you to downgrade your contract once you’re half way through your contract, but only once.

Three

Three allow upgrade to a higher-priced or same-price plan at any time. You can also downgrade to a cheaper tariff once you’re half way through your contract although this may involve an “admin fee”. We’ve not had any feedback on the size of the “admin fee”: if you’ve downgraded please do drop us a comment and let us know!

You can move to one of our selected price plans of equal or higher value at any time during your contract, provided you’ve kept up to date with all the payments on your existing price plan. We could also move you to a lower monthly charge if you’re finding the cost too expensive. But you’ll have to complete half of the minimum term of your contract and pay an admin fee.

Source: Three: “How can I change my current contract”

O2

O2 allows customers to downgrade to a lower priced tariff once half-way through the contract. You can downgrade no more than once in the term of your contract.

When you sign up for, or upgrade to, a new a minimum term contract you will then only be able to move to the next available lower priced tariff (with a lower rate monthly subscription than the tariff you’ve joined on) once during your minimum term. You can only do this after you are more than halfway through your minimum term.

Source: O2 Pay Monthly Tariff Terms (March 2011) – Point 3

Orange

Orange allows you to upgrade to a higher priced tariff at any time. Like on O2, you can also downgrade to a lower priced tariff but only once half-way through the contract. You can downgrade only once during the term of your contract.

You may switch to a higher Service Plan at any time. You may switch once only to the next lowest Service Plan after one half of your Minimum Term has expired, unless otherwise stated. You may switch to an equivalent Service Plan at any time after one half of your Minimum Term has expired, unless otherwise stated.

Source: Orange Network Services Terms and Conditions – Point 15.1

T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s terms and conditions make no provision for you to be able to upgrade or downgrade your contract. However, we would expect T-Mobile to be sympathetic to the case of upgrading a contract as it brings in additional revenue for the company.

We don’t have to allow You to change Price Plan.

Source: T-Mobile Terms and Conditions (November 2010) – Point 2.7

Vodafone

Vodafone do not allow downgrades mid-contract. However, you can upgrade your tariff mid-contract.

Related posts:

1. Mobile phones: Contract VS Pay As You Go
2. How to conduct a 15-minute review of your mobile contract and save hundreds
3. Upgrading to Apple iPhone 4S: Transferring your Apps, Contacts & Keeping your Phone Number

Giffgaff, an O2-owned Pay As You Go mobile network, is currently offering a range of 6 different Pay As You Go “Goodybags” packages. The packages start from £5/month for unlimited texts or from £10/month for a bundle of minutes, texts and internet. As Giffgaff only provide airtime packages (all of their tariffs are SIM only), you’ll need to bring your own unlocked mobile phone to Giffgaff.

Who are Giffgaff?

Giffgaff is a virtual mobile network which runs on the O2 network. It’s a fully-owned subsidiary of O2 but doesn’t use the O2 brand name. According to Giffgaff, their unique selling point is that their network is “people-powered”. Giffgaff don’t provide any customer support themselves: instead Giffgaff members answer each other’s support queries on the Giffgaff forums. Members are also asked to promote the network by telling their friends about it and are rewarded with extra credit or cash for contributing to the network.

Another key difference between Giffgaff and traditional mobile phone networks is that they don’t provide mobile phones themselves. You’ll have to provide your own unlocked mobile phone to use Giffgaff. For more information, see our in-depth review of Giffgaff & Giffgaff tariffs.

If you’re not a Giffgaff member, you can order a free Giffgaff SIM card from their website.

What are Giffgaff Goodybags?

Goodybags are airtime bundles available to Giffgaff customers. The bundles range in price from £5/month to £25/month and are purchased with your Pay As You Go airtime credit. The “Goodybag” bundles give you a set allowance of minutes, texts and internet all of which last for one month.

Goodybags are directly comparable to O2′s Simplicity bundles and Three’s “All in One” bundles on Pay As You Go. These products are close substitutes to Pay Monthly SIM Only contracts although Pay Monthly tariffs differ in the fact your monthly payment is taken directly from your bank account rather than from your Pay As You Go credit.

What Goodybags are available?

Giffgaff currently offers a choice of 5 standard goodybags and the “Hokey Cokey” goodybag.

Once you’ve exceeded your inclusive airtime allowance, you’ll pay Giffgaff’s standard Pay As You Go rates of 8p/ minute for calls and 4p per text message. The £5/month Goodybag packages don’t include internet: instead you’ll need to pay 20p/day for 20MB internet.

Calls to other Giffgaff members are free regardless of whether you’ve purchased a Goodybag. To qualify for free Giffgaff-to-Giffgaff calls, you’ll need to have topped up in the last 3 months.

A complete Giffgaff price list is available on their website.

What’s the coverage like on Giffgaff?

Giffgaff uses the O2 network. You can check Giffgaff coverage in your area by using the O2 coverage checker as coverage for O2 and Giffgaff are identical.

Is there a fair usage policy for “unlimited internet” on Giffgaff?

According to the Giffgaff website, there is no fair usage on their “unlimited internet” packages. However, this comes with some provisos: “we are unlimited for personal mobile use – but not for commercial and automated use. Mobile Internet allowances exclude PC use and tethering.”

How do Giffgaff Goodybags compare to the alternative?

Giffgaff Goodybags generally provide much better value than rival Pay As You Go packages such as O2 Simplicity and Three’s “All in One”. Compared to vanilla Pay As You Go you’ll save a lot of money with a Goodybag. For example £10/month buys 250 minutes: this would cost £62 on a mainstream PAYG tariffs (25p/min) or £20 on Giffgaff’s standard PAYG tariff (8p/min).

However, if you’re willing to consider a Pay Monthly tariff and to commit for 12 months, there are couple of better deals to be had:

Of particular note, Three’s £25/month One Plan SIM-only tariff is a one-month rolling contract so comes with the same level of commitment as a Giffgaff Goodybag. You’ll get the bonus of free tethering – essentially a free mobile broadband service providing you’ve got a compatible phone. If you’re willing to commit for 24 months, a range of free handsets are available from £25/month on The One Plan.

Do Giffgaff provide mobile phones?

No. You must provide your own unlocked mobile phone. You could either purchase a new SIM-free handset, unlock your existing phone or use a friend or family member’s old handset. Goodybags of £10/month and above have inclusive internet so we recommend opting for a smartphone to get the most value out of your tariff.

Can I use a BlackBerry on Giffgaff?

Yes, but you’ll only be able to make phone calls and send text messages – features such as the internet, e-mail and BBM will not work. BlackBerry handsets are not fully supported on Giffgaff as they require a special data plan.

Can I use tethering on Giffgaff?

Tethering means sharing your phone’s 3G internet connection with another device such as a tablet, PC or laptop.

Unfortunately tethering is not permitted on Giffgaff. This contrasts with Three’s “The One Plan” and the most recent O2 and Vodafone tariffs which now include tethering. As an alternative to Giffgaff’s Goodybags, Three’s “The One Plan” provides all-you-can-eat internet (unlimited with no fair usage) with free tethering from £25/month.

I’m already a Giffgaff customer. How do I purchase a Goodybag?

Existing Giffgaff customers can purchase a Giffgaff Goodybag through the Giffgaff top-up page.

I’m switching to Giffgaff. Can I keep my existing phone number?

Yes. You’ll need to ask your existing network for a PAC code and then to provide this to Giffgaff. The entire process of transferring your phone number should take no more than 24 hours. Our PAC Code Finder tool provides a step-by-step guide to transferring your mobile number to Giffgaff.

Where can I sign up to Giffgaff?

You can order a free SIM card from the Giffgaff website. Remember, you’ll need to have an unlocked mobile phone for it to work.

Related posts:

1. Giffgaff offering half price “Goodybags” SIM-only packages, free internet
2. Giffgaff raise prices to 10p/minute and 6p/text; Giffgaff Goodybags remain unchanged
3. Giffgaff ‘Gigabags’: Data Goodybags for Smartphones, Tablets and Mobile Broadband Dongles

O2 have just launched the Android-powered HTC Desire S smartphone and it’s available for free when you take a contract starting from just £13.50/month. You’ll only get 50 minutes, 250 texts, 100MB internet each month but over the 24 months the total cost of ownership is £324 – far less than buying the phone itself (approx. £375 SIM-free).

What is the HTC Desire S?

The HTC Desire S is a smartphone running Google’s Android Operating System.

Announced in February this year, the Desire S is an updated version of the original HTC Desire with various hardware and software updates. Key specifications of the HTC Desire S include:

• 3.7-inch capacitive S-LCD touchscreen
• Google’s Android 2.3 “Gingerbread” operating system with access to 100,000+ apps through the Android Market
• 1 GHz Scorpion processor
• HTC Sense user interface
• 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash and geotagging. 720p high-definition video recording.
• GPS antenna with Google Maps and free GPS navigation
• 1GB internal memory & support for memory expansion through microSD card slot

The full specifications are available on the HTC website.

Cnet have a decent comparison of the new HTC Desire S VS the original HTC Desire and a review of the HTC Desire S.

What do I get for £13.50/month?

For £13.50/month, you’ll get O2′s bare-basics package:

• Inclusive HTC Desire S
• 50 minutes
• 250 texts
• 100MB internet (“The Basics” data package)
• £13.50/month on a 24 month contract

Whilst this package certainly isn’t suitable for those who make a lot of calls and send a lot of texts, it’s a really great price at which to enter the smartphone world. The 100MB data allowance is on the low side too but if you’ve got access to a wi-fi network at home and work, 100MB could be enough (see our guide to what 100MB really means).

At the end of the day, you’re getting a phone and some inclusive airtime for some £50 less than the cost of the phone itself. That’s not a bad deal at all providing you don’t exceed the airtime allowance and run up extra charges (35p/minute for calls and 12p per text message).

The package is available from the O2 website. Select the £16.50/month tariff and then change the data allowance to “The Basics” (this will subtract £3/month from the cost and bring it down to £13.50/month). It is possible to change your data allowance at a later date by calling O2 Customer Services.

What if I want more airtime?

O2 are offering the Desire S for free on 21 different Pay Monthly packages. You’ll need to select the amount of airtime you want (e.g. the number of minutes & texts you use each month) as well as a data package (see our guide on picking an O2 data package):

* Includes £5/month discount.

The full tariff listing can be seen here. Note that the prices on the O2 website are displayed inclusive of The All Rounder data package. You’ll need to subtract £3/month for “The Basics” and add £4/month for “The Works”.

For the 18 month tariffs, add £5/month to the price.

photo: Jeff Kubina

Which other networks offer the HTC Desire S?

• Three are offering the HTC Desire S free from £22/month
• Orange are offering the HTC Desire S free from £35/month (available from £20/month but with £150 upfront charge)
• T-Mobile are offering the HTC Desire S free from £35.75/month (available from £10.20/month but with £315 upfront charge)
• Vodafone are offering the HTC Desire S free from £30/month (available from £25/month but with £99 upfront charge)

I’m switching to O2. Can I keep my existing phone number if I switch to O2?

Yes. You’ll need to ask your existing mobile network for a PAC Code. Provide this code to O2 who will arrange the transfer of your phone number within 2 working days. Our PAC Code Finder tool will walk you through the entire process of moving your phone number to O2.

Where can I get this deal?

This deal is available from the O2 website.

Related posts:

1. Three launch UK’s cheapest HTC Desire contract – free from £17/month
2. Carphone’s TalkMobile offering cheapest Galaxy S & Desire S for £18/month with 300 minutes
3. Vodafone offering cheapest BlackBerry Torch – free with 500 minutes, texts, internet for £25/month

With O2′s tariff revamp earlier this month, they’re now asking customers to choose a “data allowance” or “data package” to go with their contracts. Customers signing up for a new Pay Monthly contract or a Simplicity SIM-only tariff are given the choice between “The Basics” (100MB/month), “The All Rounder” (500MB/month) and “The Works” (1GB/month). In this article, we outline the differences between each data package, discuss how much data you’ll need and how to choose the right data package for you.

What data allowances can I choose from?

There are 3 data packages to choose from:

* Confusingly, the O2 website describes this as “UK Wi-Fi”. You’ll always be able to use your home wi-fi network regardless of whether you have a data tariff from your mobile operator. More accurately, this should refer to whether there is inclusive access to public wi-fi hotspots provided by “BT Openzone” and “The Cloud”. A fair usage policy applies to downloads through these public wi-fi networks but O2 have not specified the fair usage policy on their website.

You’ll be asked to select a data package when ordering your phone through O2. Confusingly, some tariffs are advertised with a price inclusive of data whereas others are advertised with a price which does not include data. For clarity, the price of 24 month Pay Monthly tariffs are as follows (choose your desired airtime allowance and desired data package):

For 12 month contracts (upgrading customers only) and 18 month contracts, add £5/month to the price. For Simplicity SIM-only tariffs, subtract roughly £15/month.

More information on the data packages can be found on the O2 website.

What activities will consume data?

Making phone calls and sending text messages will not consume data. However, most other activities and applications on a modern smartphone will. This includes browsing the web, reading and sending e-mails, browsing Facebook and Twitter, sharing photos, downloading applications, downloading music, listening to online radio and watching videos on YouTube. Some smartphone applications will also consume data in the background even when you are not actively using it: for example a weather widget may use the data connection to download the latest forecast at regular intervals.

Which data tariff is the most appropriate for me?

On the whole, the average smartphone user downloads about 250MB each month so the best package for most people is The All Rounder (500MB download allowance). There are some exceptions though: if you will primarily be using your smartphone at home where you’ve got a wi-fi network, it may be possible to get by with The Basics (100MB download allowance). You’d save £3/month by downgrading to The Basics.

If you’re a heavy data user, The Works (1GB download allowance) could be more suitable for you. That said, heavy data users might want to look at Three’s “The One Plan” which has all-you-can-eat data starting from £25/month.

What do these data allowances actually correspond to in terms of real-world usage?

The download allowances for each data tariffs corresponds to the following:

Source of estimates: O2 [1, 2]. Online radio calculation assumes 128kbps bitrate.

Note that we’ve listed what these download allowances correspond to i.e. this is not a shopping list of what you can do with your download allowance. In other words, viewing 5000 web pages or 1 hour of video would uses up the entirety of a 500MB allowance (a 500MB allowance does not allow you to do both in the same month). Realistically, you’ll do a bit of everything in a month and each activity would contribute towards your data usage.

We’ve got a detailed guide & FAQs on mobile download allowances and what they really mean.

How can I check how much data I’m current using?

If you’re currently an O2 customer, log in to the My O2 website. The “My O2″ website will show you how much data you’ve used since your last billing date (usage information may be delayed by up to 24 hours).

Alternatively, you could see if your phone keeps track of how much data you use. iPhone users can find their data usage stats under in the menu under Settings > General > Usage. Meanwhile, Android users should download the “3G Watchdog” application from Android Market.

Note that data usage depends heavily on your phone: if you’re getting a new phone your past data usage is not necessarily a good guide to future data usage.

Can I change my data package during the course of the contract?

Yes. You’ll be able to change your data package once a month by contacting O2 Customer Services. For this reason, we’d recommend starting on “The All Rounder” before reviewing your data usage after a few months. If you’re consistently using less than 100MB, there may be savings to be had by switching down to “The Basics”.

Note that whilst it’s possible to change your data part of your contract, it isn’t always possible to change the airtime part (i.e. the minutes and the texts part).

Where can I get an O2 Pay Monthly contract?

O2 are offering their Pay Monthly and Simplicity SIM-only tariffs through the O2 website.

Related posts:

1. O2 increase Pay Monthly contract prices, introduces new data plans and free tethering
2. T-Mobile introduce ‘Basic’, ‘Standard’, ‘Extra’ and ‘Super’ data plans
3. Vodafone offer free tethering to Pay Monthly customers, raises monthly price

O2 have updated their range of Pay Monthly tariffs this week. There are price rises of up to 4.4% on last week’s prices as O2 uses January’s VAT rise as an opportunity to round up their prices. For example, the £30.64/month tariff (previously £30 before the VAT rise in January) has increased in price to £32.00/month representing a price rise of 4.4% compared to last week’s prices or 6.7% compared to last year’s pre-VAT rise prices (VAT only increased prices by 2.1%). This contrasts with Three and Vodafone who both absorbed the VAT rise.

The price rises apply to new Pay Monthly tariffs from this week. New and upgrading O2 customers will also now have a choice of data plans and will be able to use tethering for free on their phone.

What has changed in the new O2 Pay Monthly plans?

There are price rises of between 2.3% and 4.4% on O2′s Pay Monthly tariffs. The one exception is O2′s 100 minutes tariff: this has dropped in price from £25.53/month to £21.50/month but no longer includes unlimited texts. The following table compares O2′s 24-month smartphone tariffs before and after this week’s price changes:

* Previously included 750MB internet. This has now been cut to 500MB.

** Previously included 1GB internet. This has now been cut to 500MB. It is possible to upgrade to “The Works” which gives 1GB/month internet but you’ll need to add £4/month making it £67/month in total. This works out as an effective 9.3% price increase on the old tariff with like-by-like comparison with 1GB internet.

All prices (before and after the change) include VAT at 20%. It is possible to customise your tariff by changing the data/internet package:

• No internet – subtract £6/month
• The Basics (100MB per month) – subtract £3/month
• The All Rounder (500MB per month) – included
• The Works (1GB per month) – add £4/month

Which internet package should I choose? “The Basics”, “All Rounder” or “The Works”?

O2 offer a choice of three internet packages ranging from 100MB/month to 1GB/month. The typical smartphone user currently uses around 250MB per month. The available packages are:

• The Basics (100MB per month). According to O2, this is ideal for just browsing and e-mail. 100MB would give you roughly 1,000 basic webpages, 150 rich webpages, 100,000 basic emails or 20 MP3 files.
• The All Rounder (500MB per month). This is the default option and would be most suitable for most smartphone users who do not use tethering.
• The Works (1GB per month). This package doubles your monthly internet allowance to 1GB. If you’re likely to use more than 500MB/month on your phone or you’d like to use tethering, we strongly recommend checking out Three’s One Plan instead. It has no download limits at all and will probably be better value.

We’ve got a detailed guide to the real-world meaning of 500MB, 1GB and what these download limits mean in reality. If you choose not to opt for an internet package (subtract £6/month from the price), you can still use the internet on your phone for £1/day. This comes with a usage limit of 50MB per day.

All tariffs come with free tethering so you can share your mobile internet connection with a computer. One of the problems with using tethering is that you’re never sure how much data your computer will download from the internet: for example it could be set up to automatically download software updates and multimedia applications such as Spotify, YouTube and photo sharing applications will very quickly use up your download allowance. This could lead to charges for exceeding your download limit or the suspension of your internet service. With it’s restrictive download limits and excess usage fees, we would strongly recommend against tethering on O2 Pay Monthly.

If you’re looking for a tariff where you wouldn’t need to worry about download limits, Three’s “The One Plan” is a good bet. It comes with 2000 minutes, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes, 5000 texts, all-you-can-eat data with no download limits and free tethering. Unlike with O2, where download limits would make it difficult to use tethering practically, there are no limits on the amount of data which can be downloaded on “The One Plan” when tethering.

What is tethering?

Tethering means connecting your mobile phone to a PC or laptop and using it as a modem to access a 3G mobile broadband service. Tethering allows you to access the internet from your computer on the go wherever you have a 3G signal – and even when you are out of range of a wi-fi hotspot. You’ll need a phone which supports tethering such as the Apple iPhone 4 or the HTC Desire.

If you’ve got a phone running Android 2.2 or later, you’ll be able to take advantage of the “mobile wi-fi hotspot” (MiFi) feature. This feature allows your phone to create a personal wi-fi hotspot over which it shares your 3G data connection.

Do the prices on the O2 website include an internet package?

Yes, the prices advertised on the O2 website and in the table above include the price of the “The All Rounder” internet package (500MB data per month). If you decide to change your internet package, you should replace the price of the “All Rounder” package (£6/month) with the price of your chosen internet package.

photo: Jeff Kubina

How have the cost of the 18 month contracts changed?

Yes. The cost of 18 month contracts is the same as for 24 month contracts but with an additional £5/month charge. For example, a £37/month 24-month contract would cost £42/month if you opted for an 18 month contract.  There may also be a difference in the upfront charge for the phone.

I’m an existing O2 customer. Will the price of my existing tariff automatically change?

No. Your tariff will only change in price when you next upgrade your phone or if you ask O2 to move you to one of the new tariffs with inclusive tethering.

I’m an existing O2 customer. Can I now use tethering for free?

No. You’ll need to update to one of O2′s new tariffs to use tethering. You can do this by calling O2 Customer Services on 202 from your O2 mobile. Note that your monthly bill will increase when you change tariff.

I’m switching to O2. Can I keep my existing phone number?

Yes. You’ll need to ask your existing mobile network for a PAC Code. Provide this code to O2 who will arrange the transfer of your phone number within 2 working days. Our PAC Code Finder tool will walk you through the entire process of moving your phone number to O2.

Where can I see O2′s Pay Monthly tariffs?

Full details on O2′s Pay Monthly tariffs are available on the O2 website.

Related posts:

1. Vodafone offer free tethering to Pay Monthly customers, raises monthly price
2. T-Mobile introduce ‘Basic’, ‘Standard’, ‘Extra’ and ‘Super’ data plans
3. Three offer “all you can eat” data and free tethering on The One Plan

What is an O2 Guru?

As part of O2′s retail store refresh this year, O2 introduced technical experts dubbed O2 Gurus into most of their stores. With a large variety of smartphone handsets now available with different features and interfaces, O2 say that their Gurus will help customers to understand their new smartphones as well as helping to resolve any technical issues users experience with their handsets.

O2′s Guru service is loosely modelled on the “Genius Bars” found in Apple retail stores. It can also be compared to Carphone Warehouse’s telephone-based “Walk Out Working” service.

O2 recently extended the “O2 Guru” concept online by launching an O2 YouTube channel. The channel features video tutorials and several walk-through demonstrations of how to use key smartphone features.

What kind of videos can be found on O2 Guru TV?

As of March 2011, the Guru TV channel features 358 videos. The videos cover a range of O2 services including smartphones, home broadband, mobile broadband as well as more general “money saving tips”. O2 hope that the videos will help customers to get “up and running” with their new smartphones – for example new iPhone customers could find videos such as:

• How to activate iPhone 4. A discussion of how to open the micro-SIM tray on an iPhone 4 and how to use iTunes to transfer data from your old iPhone to a new iPhone 4.
• How to perform an iPhone backup using iTunes. This tutorial sets up synchronisation of address books, calendars and e-mails between your phone and your computer.
• How to extend iPhone battery life. Walk-through of how to extend battery life by disabling features such as GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Although disabling these features will extend your battery life, be aware that you will lose certain functionality (e.g. location-aware applications can no longer determine your position using GPS).

Whilst there is a decent selection of videos explaining the basic features of the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones, unfortunately content is slightly lacking for Android devices.

Where can I find the O2 Guru TV website?

There is a dedicated O2 Guru video channel on YouTube.

How else can I obtain support on using my new smartphone?

photo: photosteve101

• Read the (online) manual. Most smartphones don’t come with a printed manual these days: you can often find them on the manufacturer’s website in PDF format and sometimes on the phone itself when you connect it to a computer. Phone manuals tend to be very good at outlining the features which are available on a phone and how to access them but generally lack a lot of detail due to space constraints.
• Use the O2 Support portal. If you’re an O2 customer, O2′s support portal contains a lot of FAQs on how to use O2 services. This contains mainly information on O2 services and doesn’t contain much phone specific information. You could also contact O2 Customer Services with your query.
• Online forums. Online forums are fantastic for troubleshooting – using Google, simply enter the name of your phone followed by the error message or what you’d like to do (e.g. “htc desire set up e-mail”). There’s bound to be a discussion/guide somewhere. If you’ve got an Android smartphone and you struggle to find a solution (perhaps because it’s a bit obscure), try re-entering your query but replacing the name of your phone with “android” instead (e.g. “android how to backup phone”). Because most Android phones have similar interfaces and features, you can often apply the same instructions to your own phone.
• Use Ken’s Tech Tips. If you’re confused about things like download limits, how to transfer your phone number or the different types of tariffs available for your phone, Ken’s Tech Tips features hundreds of fully-researched articles on these topics.

Your thoughts on the O2 Guru service and O2 Guru TV…

Have you had any experiences with in-store O2 Gurus or the O2 Guru TV website? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop us a comment below.

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3. HSPA+ technology promises download speeds up to 21Mbit/s for UK mobile users

All of the UK’s major networks (3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone) currently offer a high-speed 3G service for smartphones and mobile broadband dongles. At present, all of these 3G services operate using radio waves of frequency 2100MHz following the 3G spectrum auction of 2000. With more and more people using 3G-enabled phones, OFCOM liberalised spectrum usage in 2010 so that the networks could begin using their old 2G spectrum (900MHz and 1800MHz are used for 2G services) to run 3G services as well. We’ve got a detailed guide to the key mobile technologies and frequencies used in the UK.

This week, O2 launched the UK’s first 3G service running at 900MHz. The new service is available in “key cities” including London, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester.

What are the benefits of a 3G service at 900MHz?

The main benefit of operating a 3G mobile network with lower frequency radio waves (900 MHz instead of 2100 MHz) is that the range of the 3G signals are increased. This is because higher frequency radio waves don’t travel as far – they are absorbed and reflected by the atmosphere much easier.

The BBC is an example of a organisation which wisely makes use of this property of radio waves: the BBC World Service is broadcast on a low frequency wave (198khZ; equivalently 0.198MHz) whereas BBC Radio 1 is broadcast at a much higher frequency (~98MHz). Considering that the World Service is aimed at listeners across the world, we see that the radio waves from World Service need to travel much further than those from Radio 1 which has a UK-based audience. Hence, a low broadcast frequency makes sense for World Service.

In the same way, mobile phone signals have a much larger range when they use lower frequency waves. Using 900MHz instead of 2100MHz for a 3G mobile service can increase the range of the signal fairly significantly:

Source: Ovum consulting for the GSMA [Source, page 21]

For consumers, the key benefits of a 3G service running at 900MHz should be “more bars in more places” (improved reception as well as reception in more places). For operators such as O2 it cuts the cost of providing a 3G signal as they need to use fewer masts to cover the same geographical area (this is especially important in rural areas where a low population density may have meant 3G at 2100MHz was economically unviable).

According to O2, the new 3G service at 900MHz will increase their network capacity by 50% and improve download speeds by up to 30%. It remains to be seen whether this results in a noticeable improvement for O2 customers.

Who will be able to benefit from O2′s new 3G service running at 900MHz?

According to O2, the new 3G service running at 900MHz has been turned on in “key cities” including London, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester with “other cities set to follow in the coming months”. Customers using O2 or one of O2′s virtual network operators (Tesco Mobile and Giffgaff) should be able to benefit from the new service providing they have a compatible phone.

Many modern smartphones including the iPhone 4, HTC Desire and Samsung Galaxy S are compatible with the new 3G at 900MHz service. To find out whether your phone is compatible with 3G at 900MHz, look for something along the lines of “HSPA 900″, “UMTS 900″, “3G 900″ or “WCDMA 900″ on the specification sheet of the phone.

What about customers on other networks?

Vodafone customers are likely to see a 3G service running at 900MHz soon. Customers of other networks won’t see a 3G service at 900MHz.

• Vodafone currently operate a 2G service at 900MHz & 1800MHz as well as a 3G service at 2100MHz. Vodafone have plans to launch a 3G service at 900MHz but there is currently no timeframe for this.
• Orange and T-Mobile currently operate a 2G service at 1800MHz and a 3G service at 2100MHz. As they do not own any spectrum in the 900MHz band, they cannot launch a 3G service at 900MHz. They may choose to launch a 3G service at 1800MHz but the benefits of 1800MHz over 2100MHz are much smaller and very few phones support 3G at 1800 MHz.
• Three only provide a 3G service at 2100MHz. Hence, Three will not be providing a 3G service at 900MHz as they do not have the rights to use the 900MHz spectrum.

Why are Three unhappy about O2′s new service?

Being a 3G-only network, Three are the only operator not to own any spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz ranges. They are unhappy that other networks are able to use their existing 2G spectrum to run a 3G service (“re-farm their spectrum”) without a new auction process. Three CEO Kevin Russell said in January:

By opening up these existing frequencies to 3G services without re-auctioning or re-allocating them, or making a clear commitment as to how similar frequencies will be made available in future, Ofcom and the Government are jeopardising the whole competitive environment that the 3G auction in 2000 started to establish… Ofcom and the Government must address the significant competitive distortions they have now created in pushing through the re-farm of spectrum currently used for 2G mobile services.

Three paid £4.4bn for their 3G license in 2000.

Whilst we believe that the opening of the 900MHz spectrum and 1800MHz spectrum for a 3G service is undoubtedly a good thing for O2 and Vodafone and their customers, we think it’s important to keep an eye on whether the UK mobile industry will remain competitive in the coming year. Given that only O2 and Vodafone can launch a 3G service at 900MHz and benefit from all the associated cost savings, it remains to be seen how Orange, T-Mobile and Three will respond to this competitive disadvantage.

Where can I find out where local masts are and what technology they use?

The OFCOM Sitefinder service will show you a map of phone masts in the nearby area and information such as the height of the mast, how much power they use and the frequencies/technologies used by the mast.

Where can I find out more about O2 and it’s 3G service?

O2 currently provide a range of 3G smartphone tariffs and 3G mobile broadband products which are available through their website.

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