Mobile phone deals guide

When looking for a new mobile phone deal it's important to take into account more than just price or you might end up with a tariff that's not suitable for your needs. Here's a quick check list of what to look out for when comparing the wide range of mobile phone deals available and a few tips on how to save some hard earned cash.

Firstly think about whether or not you need a new mobile phone handset or if you are happy with your existing mobile. If you are happy to keep using your existing mobile phone then your current provider will usually offer you a much lower monthly contract price if you are happy to keep your current phone. This is because with most mobile contract deals the cost of a new phone, which can be up to £500, is spread across the price of the monthly contract and by not taking a new phone you can save a significant amount on your monthly bill. If you're happy to keep your current mobile phone but want a new deal from a different network then sim only deals could be the answer which will allow you to use your existing phone with a new network, usually on a 30 day contract, simply by receiving a new sim card. These sim only deals are much cheaper than traditional mobile phone deals where a new phone is included as part of the contract.

When choosing a tariff look at your previous bills and try and estimate the number of monthly minutes and texts you need as there's no point in paying for a new mobile phone deal which has more minutes or texts than you will use or picking a cheap deal with to few minutes or texts which may prove to be a false economy. Many mobile phone deals offer free or cheaper calls to people on the same network so it's worth noting which network the people you call most often are on as it's likely you will be able to lower your mobile phone bill by choosing a mobile phone deal from the same network that your friends and family are on.

Whilst you might save money moving to a new network it might prove a false economy if the coverage is poor. When comparing mobile phone deals, in addition to checking coverage maps, consider whether or not you have had bad experiences with other networks in the area you live in, for example if friends on certain networks have struggled to get a signal in your home then it's worth avoiding these networks. If you plan to use the internet on your phone this is particularly important as with poor mobile reception this can be frustrating at best.

This is a guest article by mobile phone comparison site http://www.mobilephone-expert.co.uk/ where you can compare the latest mobile phone deals and handsets.