Rob Barnes, Tuesday February 26, 2008
UK consumers are wasting an estimated £8bn every year- just because they fail to find the cheapest mobile phone tariff. We round up the best deals on mobiles which could give you some serious savings - and a free gift too.
Why talk when you can text? That seems to be the view of an increasing number of mobile phone users as the texting phenomenon continues to grow.
As a nation we send more than 40billion texts a year, according to figures from Government watchdog Ofcom. Independent research carried out for price comparison website moneysupermarket.com found that individuals send an average of 133 texts a month - yet many of them exceed the number of 'free' texts that are included in their tariff.
The study estimates that consumers are wasting some £8.45bn every year through paying more for texts and mobile minutes than they need to - that adds up to an additional £130 on the average annual phone bill.
Find the right tariff
These extra costs can easily be avoided if you find the right tariff for your needs. There are so many good mobile deals available now that there really is a product for everyone and such is the competition in the market at the moment that providers are also throwing in freebies such as televisions and game consoles to attract new customers. So if your mobile phone bills are too high, it really is time to switch to a cheaper deal.
Orange is offering a free 32-inch high-definition TV if you sign up for its Dolphin 35 tariff. It costs £35 a month and you must sign up to an 18-month contract, but you get a free Nokia 6300 handset and the tariff includes 500 minutes of calls to any mobile network or landline and unlimited text messages - perfect if you are a heavy texter.
Alternatively, if you would prefer a games console to a television, 3 has another deal that is ideal for those who send a lot of text messages. The £20 Texter tariff, which unsurprisingly costs £20 a month, includes an LG U300 Orange handset, 1,000 text messages and 100 voice minutes as well as a Nintendo DS White Lite. Again, to qualify for this deal you must sign up for an 18-month contract.
If these offers don't suit your needs then you can easily find one that does. Try using online comparison tools such as moneysupermarket.com Online comparison tools take away the hassle of trying to work out which tariff offers the best value for your circumstances.
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