How to choose the best iPhone tariff

Written by admin on December 22, 2009 – 6:53 am

If you’re planning to treat yourself to an iPhone ready for 2010 then the good news is there’s never been so much choice.

O2 no longer has the iPhone exclusive. In fact Orange and Tesco are offering it in time for Christmas, and Vodafone will have it on the shelves early next year.

Naturally all this choice means there are some excellent iPhone tariffs available and you can see a wide range over on the newly revamped moneysupermarket.com mobiles channel.

If you’re not sure what deal is right for you then read on.

3G or 3GS?

Of course, before you pick the tariff, you had better work out which model you want. The 3G may no longer be top of the range, but it’s still innovative and extraordinarily useful.

The alternative is the iPhone 3GS, the fastest, most powerful iPhone to date. It comes with 16GB or 32GB of memory. It has a built-in video camera, longer battery life, voice control and even a compass.

If you pick the 3GS, you will pay more for your phone and for many people, the 3G iPhone will do all they need and more.

Gadget fiends may want the latest all-singing, all-dancing model but if you’re trying to keep costs down then the 3G phone still has all the main features that made iPhone such a success.

I want to keep my monthly bills low

You can get an iPhone on a contract that costs as little as £20 a month, but you will have to pay out a lump sum for the phone.

Tesco’s 12-month contract is one such tariff and gives you £60-worth of calls and texts for that price. You’ll pay £320 upfront if you want the 16GB 3GS and a hefty £407 for the 32GB model.

If you’re happy with the 8GB 3G phone, Tesco charges £222.

The phone does cost more but you’re only tied in for 12 months, when many of the competitors want you to sign up for two years.

I’d like a free phone

There are many providers offering a free phone, but this is to encourage you to sign up to a longer contract, usually with higher monthly charges.

Having said that, if you are going to use the minutes and texts, and you don’t mind being locked into your contract for up to 24 months, there are some really competitive deals out there.

Tesco has a £60 a month tariff with unlimited texts and minutes. This comes with a 16GB 3GS for free, although you can upgrade to a 32GB model for £50.

For £73.40 a month, Orange offers a free top-of-the-range iPhone with 3,000 texts and 500 minutes a month.

There’s a lot more choice if you’re wanting a 3G handset as opposed to the 3GS. Orange offers customers a two-year contract that charges £29.36 a month for 150 minutes and 250 texts, or you can pay £34.26 for 600 texts and 500 minutes.

Alternatively, Tesco has a 24-month £60 contract with a free handset and unlimited calls and texts.

I don’t want to be tied in to a long contract

Technology can change a great deal in two years, so not everyone wants to be tied to the same phone for that long. The iPhone £20-a-month tariff from Tesco is your best bet for a 12-month contract.

I want unlimited calls and texts

If you’re always calling and texting then having unlimited calls could be a relief as you’ll never be hit with an unexpectedly high bill.

However, you will pay a high price for this peace of mind. Tesco offers a free 3G phone or 16GB 3GS for £60 a month, with no cap on calls and texts.

For £122.34 a month, Orange will give you any model free along with unlimited use. Both those contracts last for two years.

Bear in mind, of course, that these monthly charges will rise slightly at the start of 2010 when VAT goes back up to 17.5%.

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