Choosing the right mobile plan

If you are thinking of signing up to a mobile phone plan, you should note what you want from the plan and then shop around. The last thing you want is to be tied to a poor value plan, paying for “bonuses” you won't use. Instead, it's vital to seek out a plan that closely suits how you use your phone.

Mobile phone plans: Things to consider

Mobile phone service providers have a range of plans tailored to suit most users. These plans offer incentives such as free or discounted call and SMS rates and in some cases free or very low cost new handsets. Some good features to look out for are:

Heavily discounted or free calls to others on the same network
Discounted call rates to other network users
3G network features (compare download costs and data allowances)
A free or discounted phone if you need a new one

If you opt for a plan that includes a free or greatly discounted phone, take into account that you will actually be paying for the phone – you'll just be doing so over the course of your contract rather than up front. However, contract plans can make higher priced phones much more affordable, if you're not put off by a long term commitment.

Calls to the same network & other networks

Plans offering discounted or free calls to the same network are handy if the majority of people you call share your provider. If you mainly use your phone for calls you may be lucky enough to find a plan that also offers heavily discounted rates to other network users – however you may find that other services are more expensive to compensate. With some plans, call prices may be very cheap to some networks and very expensive to others, so be sure to review all costs before selecting a plan.

Selecting a phone plan

As well as deciding what you need from a mobile phone (just calling and texting, a good camera, lots of storage, long battery life, etc, etc), you'll also need to weigh up how you use your phone. However, regardless of what your phone can do or what extra features your plan provider is offering, the main thing you need to consider is almost always going to be cost.

It's worth bearing in mind how a monthly plan will affect your overall budget; there's no point opting for an expensive plan if it delivers little extra true benefit. If you can, tailor your plan to fit your lifestyle. Most networks allow some flexibility and, as they have a number of plans to choose from, will surely have one that matches your usage and finances.