When your mobile phone starts to slow down and it generally begins to look a bit tired, you may be looking to upgrade to a new handset. But how do you make sure you’re getting the best out of your upgrade?
My phone’s beginning to look a little scruffy around the edges. There’s a gouge in the glass where my keys have bitten into it, the silver trim is tatty, and the memory is stuffed to the brim with apps and games.
Fortunately, I’m on a contract and it’s nearly upgrade time. A pristine and glamorous new handset is just around the corner.
Mobile providers want to keep you
Like Christmas, upgrade time only comes around once a year. Or once every two years if, like me, you’re on a long 24 month contract.
It’s an opportunity for your mobile provider to tie you in for another stint, guaranteeing them your hard-earned cash for at least another 12 months. And because binding you into a renewed contract is so important to them, they’re willing to dangle a nice upgrade in front of your nose to keep you sweet.
Nothing new here, I hear you cry – but what about taking advantage of their eagerness to keep you? What about trying to upgrade your upgrade?
Upgrading your upgrade
What do I mean by upgrading your upgrade? Well, your mobile provider will be giving you a better phone, but will you be getting a better deal?
The last time I upgraded, my provider offered me unlimited texts, 600 minutes, but only a minuscule amount of data. As data is the most important bit to me, I bartered with them and secured double the amount of data for the same amount of money. It wasn’t easy – I had to threaten to sever our relationship, citing deals with other providers to frighten them into action.
Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to upgrade your upgrade and report back your top tips for getting the best deal going. Or if you’ve previously had success haggling, let us know what bargains you managed to bag and whether you scooped any monthly savings as well. The best response will be featured in Which? magazine!
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