In: Root » Electronics and communication » Mobile cell phones
As the name suggests, with a SIM Only deal you just get a SIM card and have to provide your own handset. The SIM card, or Subscriber Identity Module, stores data such as a customer's mobile phone number and address book contact information. It allows you to easily transport your phone numbers and contacts to a new phone simply by removing the card from one phone and inserting it into another. Standard monthly contracts include a SIM card and a handset, which can usually be upgraded to the latest model every 12 or 18 months, depending on the length of your contract. By offering SIM-only deals, networks don't have to cover the cost of new handsets so they can offer cheaper deals. One of the main attractions to these deals is the great value on offer and invariably the mixture of minutes and texts is much cheaper than if you were tied into a contract as the network is not subsidising the cost of the handset as part of the monthly contract. -Pay-as-you-go SIM Only deals are also available on a pay-as-you-go basis. These deals don't have a fixed monthly set cost but instead you provide a handset, buy a SIM card and pay set prices for calls and messages. Customers are required to 'top-up' their credit with vouchers instead of receiving a bill. SIM Only mobile deals generally come with excellent tariffs and offer great flexibility, such as allowing people to keep their existing number and phone and requiring them to give only 30 days' notice. "Pay-as-you-go SIM Only offers are even more flexible as they work on a top-up basis, and are an alternative to get cheap international calls." -Keep your number Switching to a SIM Only deal doesn't necessarily mean you need a new phone number. If you are switching to a deal with your current network and are not tied into a contract, your provider will be able to switch your number to a SIM Only plan. SIM Only deals are suitable for many people but anyone who wants to save money will find them particularly beneficial. And if you want the latest handset as soon as it comes out, a SIM Only deal could also prove your best option. By opting for a SIM Only deal, you can buy a new handset as soon as it's available, rather than wait for your contract to expire so you can upgrade or switch to a deal offering the handset you want. -The cons However, there are downsides to SIM Only deals. The most obvious is that a handset is not included so you will have to supply your own, either by using an old one or buying a new one. Using a phone more than a year old will often mean it's out of warranty and you'll have to pay for any necessary repairs. You will also need to make sure the handset you want to use is unlocked. When you buy a handset it's normally 'locked' to the network that supplied it and will not accept SIM cards from rival networks until it has been unlocked. Compare the latest SIM only deals from Orange, Vodafone, T Mobile, 3 Mobile and O2
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