Mobile Phones Buying Guide

Don't be mystified by jargon or fooled by hype. Our comprehensive Buying Guides help you choose the right products.

What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies:

CHOOSE A PLAN

UK networks are constantly competing to bring you bigger and better deals. From free minutes to free gifts, you'll be bombarded with more incentives than you can get your head around. To get the best deal, decide what you're looking for, then stay focused.

The first thing to take into account is your budget. Mobile phone bills can eat away at your bank account faster than Takeru Kobayashi at the world hot-dog eating contest. Networks are extremely good at putting deals up that look great, but end up sucking the joy and money out of your life.

Before you sign up for the deal that's on display in the shop window or flashing in an online advert, comb through the network's Web site or tariff brochure looking at all the deals. Sometimes you can find the perfect tariff hidden away, and even if you don't get the phone you want with it, your bank balance will be a lot healthier.

The standard plans are divided into monthly contracts or pay-as-you-go deals, although there are some new plans that mix and match depending what you need.

Pay-as-you-go plan | Monthly plan

Pay-as-you-go plan

A pay-as-you-go plan lets you put credit on a SIM card and then make calls and send texts until the credit runs out. You can purchase credit by buying vouchers in a shop, using your credit card over the phone or via a cash point. The main disadvantage of these plans is that once you run out of credit, you can't make any calls or send texts until you 'top up' or add more. Some, but not all, networks offer free texts and calls on pay-as-you-go tariffs, so shop around before you part with any cash.

Pay-as-you-go plans are great if you don't make many outgoing calls, because you won't get charged for incoming calls and there's no set monthly fee.

Monthly plan

A monthly plan involves signing a contract, usually for 12 or 18 months, and paying a monthly fee that entitles you to some free minutes and texts. Once you've used up your allowance, you're charged for each additional call or text. Unlike a pay-as-you-go plan, you're charged automatically rather than needing to top up and you won't get cut off after you use up your free minutes. This is useful as pay-as-you-go plans have a tendency to cut out when you most need them. Monthly plans can be expensive, though -- the main problem is that you're obliged to pay the monthly fee even if you don't use your phone at all.