[Closed] A month to go before phone contract expires - negotiating a new one...

Good luck negotiating a good deal, there's very little margin these days and you'll need to convince them you're going to generate a bucket of revenue for them to discount anything.

Have you looked at going SIM only (giffgaff would be my recommendation) and buying the handset separately, maybe pre owned?

G

On google you can buy the phone for £25 a month. Our pay as you go on o2 is £9 a month . Never used all my data (which rolls) over and unlimited calls and texts.
I’m sure Vodafone must do similar.

I've just checked that actually and annoyingly, the phone (Pixel 6) and Sim-only contract comes out at the same price...

I suspect I have got it as low as it will go and I'll just need to suck it up.

What length of contract is it? I know on O2 you can choose between 12 and 36 months which lowers the price significantly as you're paying the phone off over a longer period.

Mobile phones direct Vodafone £38 per month, no up front, pixel 6 40gb.

£30 up front and £35pcm, Vodafone,100gb etc

You just need to shop around a bit. Most of the reasonable 3rd party sites are very good for this and often better prices than direct.

I got my last one here. Mobiles.co.uk

25 up front and £30pcm for the same Vodafone 100gb (they also have a no upfront and £32pcm 150gb Vodafone deal so all your boxes)

Or get a less fancy phone. 6a is supposed to be out sometime this year.

My default is always to check on mobiles.co.uk* then ask Vodafone to match the deal or I'm walking. They've always matched it until last year when it was a flat no - so I gave my notice, ported my number to a non-Vodafone PAYG, bought new Vodafone SIM only contract from mobiles.co.uk, then ported my number back onto Vodafone. I did all this the day before the change was brought in regarding EU roaming charges to ensure I'd still have roaming included (new contracts now won't).

* part of the CarphoneWarehouse/Currys group so not dodgy.

https://www.mobiles.co.uk/google-pixel-6-128gb-stormy-black?filter_network_multiselect%5B%5D=vodafone&sort=total_cost_after_cashback_asc

Ah, pipped re mobiles.co.uk in the time it took me to type the above.

Looks like I'll be using mobiles.co.uk when my Vodafone SIM only contract is due for renewal. Thanks for the recommendations.

VOXI, Virgin, Asda, Talktalk are all virtual network operators that use Vodafone's network. Port your number over to one of them for a month, then go back to Vodafone as a new customer with better offers.

Very easy to port now, you don't even have to call anyone as you can do it with a text. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/switching/switching-mobile-phone-provider

If you are not serious about cancelling you won't get a good deal. Be prepared to walk. I usually start the conversation by asking for my PAC.

I've been on SIM only for over a decade now, gets cheaper every year and with more calls/text/data.

Unlimited for £12.54 on 3 and I buy the phone, current iPhone is +4 years old now - so under £20pcm all in for phone & SIM-contract, and obviously getting cheaper every month longer the phone lasts.

For some of the third party / independents it's worth checking what you get. For example, Tesco used to use O2 (I believe) but there were some features of the O2 network / service that Tesco Mobile users didn't get. Quite possibly an edge case but I am pretty sure there was something similar with the Virgin Mobile deals as well. If you can afford it, buying the phone separately and leaving you with just a time / data deal to find means you can get some pretty good deals - plus it helps to get you off the "new phone every 2 years" treadmill. If that's something that appeals to you

From my very recent experience, find a deal that you like with anyone. Make a note of it. Request the PAC code from your current provider. Within a few minutes you'll get a call from the customer retention team who may well be able to match the new deal you have found. Its just a whole lot easier to stay with the current provider if you can.

Thanks for the tips...will go do some surfing to check deals and then go back to have a chat with Vodafone.

So a Pixel 6 is £25 a month over 24 months to buy. YOu could get a cheaper phone I am sure if you pay the whole amount up front.

My current sim free deal (via plusnet, so not vodaphone but EE) is £6 a month for 7gb/unlimited minutes and texts. Not sure why anyone does anything but sim free these days?

The customer retention team will offer deals that you wont get by ringing them up.

Be prepared to walk.

Compare prices with the 'Vodafone network underneath' providers - Voxi*, Virgin Mobile* (1). Smaller firms: Asda Mobile*, Lebara Mobile*, Talkmobile* to see what they offer.

Buy handset and go SIM only - Talk mobile will do daft cheap deal at present.

I was with Orange then EE for years, the “upgrade” price whilst still in contract was always more expensive than waiting until the end.

Last time round I asked for my PAC code, had the call retention contact me, they could get close, I’m now on Plusnet sim only, rolling 1 month contract, for £6.27 per month for 10gb data, unlimited calls and messages, and I bought my iPhone SE2 direct from Apple at £18 per month interest free over 2 years.

Both my Boys are on Plusnet now, we’ve cut our mobile bills from over £100 per month down to less than £40. Boy2 needs a new phone soon, again it’ll be direct from Apple or refurbished if something tidy pops up.

I think there is good guide to negotiating a better deal on Which or Money Saving Expert website, have search around on those sites.

But essentially you need to do your research and find deals from competitors that are better than what your current provider is offering and then ask them to match the better deal.

For some of the third party / independents it’s worth checking what you get. For example, Tesco used to use O2 (I believe) but there were some features of the O2 network / service that Tesco Mobile users didn’t get.

There was a time when O2 was prioritising its own customers for 4G speeds (over E.g. Tesco). I don't know how much of a real-world issue that is/was but it's potentially wrong to assume you'll get the same service for less money.

As above, buy the SIM-only deal and get a separate phone. This seems to work well these days. Maybe I'm old, but I don't feel the need for an expensive new phone every 12 months. I remember when phones were demonstrably better / faster / more featured year-on-year but my iPhone X still absolutely rocks, 4.5 years on. People said I was mad for dropping £1k on it (alongside a £12/mo SIM only deal), but WHO'S THE CRAZY ONE NOW, BECKY?

been sim only for years with EE which is generally the best around here, a couple of times i've wanted a better deal so rung and asked for PAC and when asked said i was going to plusnet(i wouldn't as i want to keep wifi calling for when i'm downstairs at home).
both times there and then on the phone i've been offered a deal with more data than plusnet deal and £1 a month more.

Request the PAC code from your current provider. Within a few minutes you’ll get a call from the customer retention team

This.

Though porting numbers is easy.

MSE will likely recommend your most money saving approach is to buy a handset and get a SIM only. But they usually have a good deals list.

Move to Voxi, its Vodafone but marketed at the youngsters. £10 per month for 15gb, plus unlimited social media (if that's your thing). Then buy a phone.

Kids and wife are on voxi - no issues. I am on vodafone sim only with spotify for £20 pm and 10gb
I would buy phone on credit card if I was you.

WHO’S THE CRAZY ONE NOW, BECKY?

I assume this is some cultural reference....

USwitch have a great comparison tool for all SIM/Phone deals on all (most?) networks - that is filter-able and list-able by price / data / etc

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/