Three ways to get a handset, the single calculation that settles any offer, and the month in which most households quietly begin overpaying.
Written July 2026 · no prices published · nothing for sale
| Route | What it means | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Combined bundle | Handset and airtime as one monthly figure; does not fall at term end | Most networks |
| Split contract | Device credit ends at repayment; airtime billed separately | O2, Sky Mobile |
| Outright plus a SIM | No credit agreement at all; money needed upfront | Anyone |
Whichever you choose, the outright route is the benchmark to measure the others against — even if you do not take it.
Cost slides between the upfront payment and the monthly figure like a see-saw. That is exactly why two shops can show completely different structures for the same handset and both call theirs the cheapest.
Nothing happens automatically when a minimum term ends. On a combined bundle you carry on paying for a handset you already own, indefinitely. On a split contract the device payment does stop — but the airtime continues at full price until you reduce it.
Within days of that date, do one of three things: move to SIM-only and keep the phone, upgrade deliberately after doing the calculation, or leave.
| Matter | What to know |
|---|---|
| Trade-in value | Swings with condition, storage size and season — take the maker's quote and one independent one |
| Before despatch | Erase the handset, unlink every account, photograph it in case of dispute |
| Delivery promises | Believe the stock line on the product page rather than the banner |
| Cooling-off | Online orders carry a period, commonly fourteen days |
Use that window properly: test signal at home and at work room by room, test the battery across several ordinary days rather than one charge, and keep the packaging complete until you have decided.
Ring us and we will go through it with you. Nothing is offered for sale at any point.
We hold no arrangement with any network, take no commission and sell nothing at all. If your question is not answered here, telephone and ask.
How we are placed. thurlowvance is an independent information service for mobile customers in the United Kingdom. We are not a mobile network. We have no affiliation with, endorsement from, appointment by or connection to Three, EE, O2, Vodafone, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile or any other provider, and no commercial arrangement with any of them. We do not sell, supply, arrange or broker SIM cards, contracts, handsets or services of any kind, and we take no commission from anybody. Everything here is general information; a provider's own current terms always take precedence.
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