It's a decision that we all face at the end of our minimum term contract period, do I upgrade my existing line and keep my current operator, tariff and mobile number or do I 'port' my number to a different network?
Of course you do not have to necessarily do anything once your contract runs out, if your phone is working fine and you are happy with your existing pay monthly plan then why try and fix what is not broken?
For those that do want to get their hands on a new phone, whether it be because their old phone is playing up or they simply want one of the latest mobile phone releases there are the two options available, we take a look at the pros and cons of each.
Upgrading:
You'll find little loyalty from your existing network operator when the time comes to upgrade your phone, unless you are an extremely heavy user who they wish to retain it is likely that you will end up paying for a half decent phone or being fobbed off with a low specification device for free.
If you are looking for a top end model the best course of action is to call your network supplier, ask for the upgrades team and get a price for your new phone. Once you have this information, have a scout about the numerous price comparison websites and see just how cheap the phone is for new customers.
With this new information you can then approach the upgrades team once more and state that you are not happy with their quoted price and that you wish to leave the network in favour of taking advantage of 'new customer' deals with a rival network.
You'll be forwarded to what they say is their 'porting' team where in theory you should be able to request your PAC code to allow you to transfer your number to a different network, but in fact this is the retentions department who's job it is to give it one last go to keep you on board by reducing the price quoted for your chosen phone.
If this still is not to your liking then request your PAC code and go get those 'new customer' deals from a different network.
Porting Your Number:
When you port your number to a different network you are treated as a brand new customer, this entitles you to all of the deals you'll find on price comparison, networks and retailers websites.
You'll need your PAC code to hand when ordering as you'll be prompted for this during the ordering process, it usually takes around 7 working days to move your number to the new network, however OFCOM have just ruled that network need to change this to just 24 hours.
As a new customer you can now take advantage of an amazing number of deals, these include free phones, free gifts and cash back deals. If you are not overly organised then always opt for an automatic or instant cash back deal as many require you to redeem vouchers at set periods throughout your new contract period.
Conclusion:
If you are happy where you are and with your current price plan and the price of your chosen new handset as an upgrade suits your wallet then staying put is fine, if you want the latest deals and to keep your number then 'porting' is the way forward.
A little known fact is that although most people now own a mobile phone, each network reports to its shareholders quarterly how many 'new' customer they have gained, in fact these are not always new customers but people who like to take advantage of the best deals by moving their mobile number from network to network every year and have probably been a customer of that network before.
For more information on the latest mobile phones such as the recently released HTC Sensation and the latest deals please visit our website at PhonesLimited.co.uk