Free Phone Upgrade

[mazferg]

I get a free upgrade every 2 years and have never had to pay for a new handset (just sign up to a new contract) but it looks like that's changed and I now have to pay for the new phone is that right? 

[Schockwave]

Hello @mazferg ,

Welcome to the community,

As phones are so much more expensive, depending on the type of phone, you will have to pay an upfront cost, which would have shown, when you upgraded to the new contract, this has been like this for a number of years, depending what one you have chosen.

[bristolian]

The entitlement has always been to a fee-free upgrade after your 2year minimum term if you so wished, but the phone itself was always potentially chargeable - you may have chosen zero cost ones.

As mentioned already, the cost of newer devices are increasing and thus there may be no or few zero-cost options anymore. Out of interest, is there a problem with your current phone?

[Chris_B]

@mazferg  Your tariff covered the cost of the handset but now you can have that cost split in two. One for the air time and the other for the device itself.   The device contract can be paid over 24 or 36 months and the air time contract is 24 months.  So at the end of the air time contact you could go sim only for 12 months if you pay the device contract over 36 months.  You can pay off the remaining term of the device contract at the 24 month if you wish so you can upgrade to a new device and air time contract.