The cost of living crisis in the UK is hitting people hard. Inflation, combined with Brexit and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is squeezing already tight finances harder.
To help out, Tesco has announced a new tool that compares various smartphone tariffs and contracts with Tesco Mobile's. The company says it is the only major carrier not raising prices at the moment.
From April 1, phone companies are expected to raise rates and prices for almost all services. Tesco says O2 and Virgin Mobile contract tariffs will rise by 11.7%, compared to 9.3% for EE and Vodafone and 4.5% for Three.
"This year, mid-contract mobile price hikes are at their highest ever and they couldn’t come at a worse time," says Tesco. "We know that phones are a lifeline which is why the price our customers pay when they sign up, is the price they pay for the duration of their contract."
"What’s helpful about our money saving calculator, is that families can find out exactly how much other networks are taking out of their pockets, making it easier for them to plan their finances for the future.”
T3's Advice
Given the importance of smartphones to everyday life, the rise in price is going to hit some consumers especially hard. Tesco's calculator at least goes some way to making sure that consumers are aware of what's coming.
Our advice would be to check out SIM only deals and buy a handset outright, which often works out to be cheaper in the long run. We've found the best cheap phones that compare well to the best smartphones.
Buying the smartphone often makes the contract cheaper because carriers charge more over time. Data, calls, and texts are relatively cheap in comparison.
The Nokia 3.4 is a good example of an incredibly cheap smartphone that does what it needs to do.
- We've found the best Android phones
