Ciara O'Brien
With the cost of living rising and continuing to put the pinch on
consumers, it's time to start taking a hard look at your services and
what you are spending on them every month. Mobile phones have become a
big part of our everyday lives. More than two decades ago landlines were
a common fixture in Irish homes; but that has been declining in recent
years and now voice traffic on fixed lines is only a fraction of the
mobile minutes that Irish consumers are clocking up.
But getting value for money is still key. While you can ditch the
landline and save yourself a few euro, the cost of mobile phones and
their associated plans can be more than you'd think. Call it
complacency, or fear of the unknown, but there are some mobile customers
that stick with their network rather than shop around for the best value
deal. So, if it is time to wave goodbye to your current provider, what
should you be looking at?
Pay for what you need
There are plans that include everything: high speed internet, unlimited
calls, unlimited texts. But if you don't need all that you can go for a
slightly cheaper plan. For example, GoMo customers are currently being
offered the chance to get 5G services added to their mobile accounts.
It's free of charge for customers already on the company's €15 a month
plan. However, those who signed up early and got the €10 and €13 plans
for life that the mobile virtual network was offering in its first few
months of operation will have to move to the €15 plan to get the high
speed services.
The catch here is that although the 5G roll-out is ongoing, it is not as
widely available as 4G and 3G services. If you don't see the benefit to
having the new technology for now, or your main area of residence and
work is currently underserved by 5G services, you can skip the "upgrade"
for now.
Having said that, some networks offer services such as wifi calling to
help improve your mobile network coverage indoors; these might be worth
considering.
Coverage
It's not just about getting the cheapest price but also making sure that
the service is suitable for your needs. For example, if you need high
speed mobile internet access make sure that your chosen operator has
sufficient coverage in the area where you will need it most. ComReg's
tool for mobile coverage (coveragemap.comreg.ie/map) will give you a
good idea of what is available in your area.
However, coverage maps will only tell you so much. If your mobile
network isn't up to scratch you might want to change providers again.
The good news is that any coverage deficiencies may be obvious quickly,
and if you signed up over the phone or online you have a 14-day cooling
off period. If you are waiting on a phone to be delivered that period
begins the day you receive the phone.
However, if you decide to cancel after the 14-day period, or if you
signed up in person, then there may be fees associated with cancelling
the contract.
The lesson? Do your homework in advance of signing any legally binding
agreement.
Look ahead
What is your network provider's policy on price increases? Some mobile
customers may have got a bit of a shock when their network decided to
increase prices significantly in recent weeks, in line with inflation
plus a few per cent extra to cover investment.
That extra few euro a month adds up over the year, and given the current
cost-of-living crisis, it may be a hike too much for some consumers.
There are ways around it, such as signing up for a new contract. for
example, or going for a plan to which the hikes don't apply. But not
everyone will be in a position to take those courses of action, stuck
mid-contract and with some months left to run.
And that won't be the end of the price increases. Some networks -
Vodafone and Three, for example - have committed to regular price
increases for customers to keep pace with inflation. That was signalled
some months ago but the reality of it is probably only setting in now.
Go sim only
If you have a phone that is still in good condition and isn't in need of
an upgrade, you could decide to go sim-only and take your existing phone
with you. That means you don't have to pay for a new device, and you can
get a more flexible 30-day contract.
If the price goes up or the service doesn't suit your needs, you can
move to a different plan or a different company. It also opens up the
virtual networks that only offer mobile plans and don't provide contracts.
Check out bundles
If you are with certain companies, you can bundle your mobile services
with your existing telecoms subscriptions and take advantage of discounts.
For example, Eir broadband or TV customers can add a mobile subscription
to their account. The catch is that you have to already be an Eir
customer to get that deal. Virgin Media offers something similar but, as
with Eir, you have to be an existing customer.
So that's the mobile plan sorted. But what about the phone? There are
plenty of options out there that don't need to have a massive impact on
your wallet.
Cheap fixes
Why do you need to upgrade your phone? If it is because the phone is
hopelessly out of date or is no longer working that is one thing. But if
there is still plenty of life left in the phone, and it is simply an
issue of battery or a cracked screen, you could simply pay to have the
device repaired. In the long run, this will work out as a cheaper fix
than buying a new device, and it won't tie you into a more expensive
contract.
Last year's model
Smartphones have evolved significantly in almost two decades but the
pace of innovation has slowed.
So while it is nice to have the latest and greatest device, you often
don't lose much by taking advantage of offers on the previous year's
device.
Once the new devices hit the market, the discounts on the older models
could well be enough to tempt you.
Consider refurbished
Refurbished technology is becoming increasingly attractive to consumers.
Not only are the devices a bit cheaper than buying brand new but they
also have an eco-friendly appeal, with fewer emissions created by the
process to get them ready for a new owner compared to creating a brand
new device.
There are a few options. Swappie, for example, offers refurbished
iPhones at a discount to users. It has its own factory to spruce up the
devices, and offers a 12-month warranty with the phones, putting them on
a similar footing to buying a new device.
In fact, that's also a protection offered by European regulations
meaning that if you buy from a trader as opposed to a private seller the
device is covered by consumer protection rules - it must be fit for
purpose, it must be as described, and consumers get a warranty they can
depend on.
The value of refurbished technology is being recognised in the
mainstream. Tech marketplace Refurbed, which launched in Ireland a
couple of years ago, offers a 12-month warranty with its refurbished
devices.
All its products undergo a 40-step refurbishment process to bring them
back to factory settings, and they are cheaper. The company has
partnered with mobile network 48 to offer refurbished devices to customers.
Security support
One thing to consider before you spend money on a phone - new or
refurbished - is to check out how long the device is supported. That
doesn't mean just operating system updates, but rather how long the
manufacturer will issue security updates for the device.
The latter is more important, and will help keep your device safe. Make
sure that whatever phone you are using is still adequately protected and
that the company will offer security protection for a couple of years of
use.
https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/2023/03/16/if-it-is-time-to-say-goodbye-to-your-mobile-phone-provider-what-plan-should-you-be-looking-at/
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