3 introduces the Sim Zero £0 contract

Posted by David Walker on Mon 15 Jun 2009

Free Skype and IM if you sign on the line

Contracts are not just getting cheaper, they're even down to free - at least, if you sign up to the newly launched Sim Zero £0 per month contract from 3.

Available from June 17th, Sim Zero genuinely offers you something for nothing. Ok, you don't get free calltime or indeed, free text messaging. But you do get free Skype-to-Skype calls and instant messaging without paying a single penny. How does it actually make money? By charging for those other things that you're almost certain to use sooner or later.

So that means 20p per minute for all standard calls, 10p per text and 30p per MB of data (outside those IMs and Skype calls). If you start hammering the phone at those rates, 3 is likely to be quids in. To make the most of free Skype on 3, the network recommends you use the sim in a 3 handset like the INQ1 or the 3 Skypephone S2, both available for an additional £69.99.

Andy Nuttall, Head of Pay Monthly at 3 added: 'For customers who are fearful of commitment, SIM ZERO has minimal ties. Customers can try us out and if they don’t love being with us, they can leave with just one month’s notice.' Although if you have bought the phone too, that could be an expensive month, unless the handset is refunded as part of the deal.

Link: 3

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