Early Upgrade message

rrm7 · ‎20-01-2026

Hello,

I keep getting this message on both app and website.

When I click on it it lets me choose an upgrade and the upgrade fee is waived in the checkout stage. I was thinking of upgrading anyway as it would end up cheaper with the Samsung cashback offer so this would help me make that decision.

I am just wondering if this message is real and the fee waiver will go through or not or if its a mistake? When I text 150 it just gives a standard message about visiting their website or calling and nothing about the free early upgrade. Just scared I will put the order through and it either won't go through or it will randomly charge me.

I can also see its only letting me choose Flex pay as an option which I have never seen before. I am guessing that does a hard credit check which is probably okay but will that tank my credit score? Not sure what to do. In two minds about it.

bristolian · ‎20-01-2026

On the specifics of FlexPay and your "credit score"...

EE's traditional contracts have one single monthly payment covering all your services - both airtime & hardware/device/phone. This provides one single contract on a minimum-term basis where payments will continue until you explicitly make a change.

FlexPay splits the two elements out, you have a fixed-term finance loan for the device/phone loan & a rolling minimum-term agreement for your airtime. The finance loan naturally ends once repaid, hence the fixed-term description. The airtime continues for at least the minimum-term, but otherwise until you make a change - hence being similar to a SIM-only.

In theory, your airtime agreement would be a continuation of your existing plan with EE, whereas the phone loan would be a new finance agreement - which could well involve a new credit search. The term "credit score" is widely misunderstood, but as most people understand it is just a marketing scheme by the main credit reference agencies and ultimately meaningless. Individual lenders score you against their own internal criteria, these are the only scores that matter and are rightly confidential.

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bristolian · ‎20-01-2026

On the specifics of FlexPay and your "credit score"...

EE's traditional contracts have one single monthly payment covering all your services - both airtime & hardware/device/phone. This provides one single contract on a minimum-term basis where payments will continue until you explicitly make a change.

FlexPay splits the two elements out, you have a fixed-term finance loan for the device/phone loan & a rolling minimum-term agreement for your airtime. The finance loan naturally ends once repaid, hence the fixed-term description. The airtime continues for at least the minimum-term, but otherwise until you make a change - hence being similar to a SIM-only.

In theory, your airtime agreement would be a continuation of your existing plan with EE, whereas the phone loan would be a new finance agreement - which could well involve a new credit search. The term "credit score" is widely misunderstood, but as most people understand it is just a marketing scheme by the main credit reference agencies and ultimately meaningless. Individual lenders score you against their own internal criteria, these are the only scores that matter and are rightly confidential.

rrm7 · ‎20-01-2026

Thank you for this. I was so confused about it all! Makes a lot of sense about the Flex Pay and actually seems easier. I was worried about credit score aspect too so it was reassuring to read that. I put my order through and it seemed to go through with the free upgrade! Thank you.