Byrnesys Blabberings

TIP 2: Contract Length There has been a worrying, and subtle rise in the last few years in the length of contracts. A few years ago if you took out a mobile phone contract it would be for 12 months, but as the market has become more competitive and mobile phone service companys are pressured into stocking the latest phones AND having to give them away with their contracts they have lengthened the contract rate to ensure they DO get their money back. Mobile Phones have come out with more gadgets, extras and capabilities, so the prices have gone up.

These days the base rate for most contracts are 18 months, and the best "deals" are for 24 months, but this is actually a false economy because although they can give you better prices the longer you’re contract is with them, you are paying the money to THEM for that length of time, so over the whole contract you may have paid more than a shorter contract. "But" I hear you say, "You’ve also got more months of service from the company", This is true but in 24 months time, the deal they give you today will be easily beaten, such is the way the mobile phone market is going! So the shorter the contract, the less time you have the same phone, and the same deal, ideally you would change mobile phone contracts monthly (if you could) because you’d get a new phone and a better deal) so just think of it like that, and keep your contract length to the absolute minimum. Often when you push for things like this a sales person will refuse saying they dont offer 12 month contracts anymore, that is basically a lie, because I got one after pushing a bit the other day.

This tip is also somewhat linked to the last one, in that when it comes to bartering for a mobile phone contract (which will be in a later tip)  you’ll want to have picked the cheapest phone so that they can knock more money off the line rental, because remember thats what you’ll be paying for, for the length of the contract.

Related: Top Tips for Mobile Phone Contracts Part One