Mobile phone plans

Mobile phone plans in depth

Mobile phone plans are sometimes referred to as talk plans or monthly plans, or even as your mobile package.

A mobile phone plan allows you to pay a fixed monthly fee for a set amount of talk time and texts. They also usually entitle you to a mulitmedia messaging and data usage allowance too.

Why choose a mobile phone plan?

As part of your monthly mobile phone plan, you will not only get inclusive minutes and texts, but will have an agreed set price per text and per minute for any calls you make or texts you send over the amount included in your mobile plan.

You can sign up for a mobile phone plan with your chosen mobile phone network. In the UK, this will mean that your mobile phone plan is with one of the following carriers:

• 3
• O2
• Orange
• T-Mobile
• Tesco Mobile
• Virgin Mobile
• Vodafone

Mobile phone plans often have very little to do with the mobile phone handsets. Most networks allow you to choose the handset and then pick a mobile phone plan to go with it.

You may find that some networks place a minimum monthly payment on some handsets. If you want to get the very latest handsets, then you may have to opt for a premium priced monthly plan.

Compare the very latest mobile phone handsets Latest Mobile Phones

However, if you don't have a preference for a particular type of mobile phone handset, you will find that you can get some fantastic deals on a monthly mobile phone plan and get a free mobile phone too.

Compare the latest free mobile phones Free mobile phones

Choosing the right mobile phone plan for you:

The mobile phone plan you choose will reflect the kind of mobile user you are. For example, if you are someone who prefers to send a lot of texts with their mobile, it would make sense to go for a mobile phone plan that gives you unlimited texts.

If you're a smartphone owner who uses your phone to surf the web and download media and apps regularly, it's a good idea to choose a plan with a generous data allowance. Although the days of completely 'unlimited' allowances being commonplace are gone, Three's One Plan offers all-you-can-eat-data with both contract and pay as you go mobile plans. You can also find plenty of keenly priced plans that offer usage of up to 1GB per month.

Mobile phone plans with unlimited texts could mean massive savings for heavy texters. Almost all the major networks offer mobile plans with unlimited texts and those that don't normally offer an add-on to their standard plans that gives you a great deal on unlimited texting.

Compare great mobile phone and free text deals Mobile phones & free texts

For the more traditional phone user, who prefers to make calls with their mobile, a mobile phone plan with loads of free call minutes is perfect. As with texts you will find you can get a great deal on a mobile phone plan with unlimited or at least a generous amount of free texts from almost any network in the UK.

Compare the latest mobile phone and free calls deals Mobile phones & free calls.