Price difference between phone plan and SIM only plan

[ryan125hst]

I'm currently on a rolling SIM only contract and I'm tempted to upgrade my phone and SIM plan. I have the Samsung Galaxy S23 currently and I'm considering upgrading to the Samsung Galaxy S25+. Looking on EE's website, it seems the phone price and data plan price are now separate and so I could pay more or less upfront and the monthly price will vary accordingly. However, it's the data plans that I'm confused about.

The Unlimited Full Works plan on SIM only is currently on offer at £29 a month (with price increases each April) for 24 months. I would get unlimited minutes, texts and data, the ability to gift data to family and friends, no-charge roaming in EU and further, unlimited data for your watch, priority coverage in busy areas, uncapped speed and an inclusive extra.

However, the same plan with a Samsung Galaxy S25+ is £48 a month and seems to be identical. The only thing that the phone plan mentions is 5G Standalone.

My questions therefore are:

• Is there a difference between the SIM only plans and phone data plans or are all features identical?
• Would I still get access to 5G Standalone if I had a compatible device in an area where it is available with a SIM only plan?
• If I was to upgrade through EE's website or app, would I get a new SIM card (which I believe is needed for 5G SA)?
• If the answer to the above question is yes, could I transfer my existing number to the new SIM card?

It seems to be more cost effective to buy the phone outright from Samsung and then get a SIM only plan, but perhaps there is something I won't get if I do this?

[bristolian]

You make repeated references to "phone data plans", but I presume you mean "phone plans". Data-only plans are distinct from voice & data plans.

I believe that a plan needs to specify 5G/5GSA access, but as far as SIM compatibility goes - you only need worry if your existing SIM was activated before 2021. SIMs prior to that cutoff will support 5GNSA but not SA.

[ryan125hst]

Yeah that probably wasn't the best terminology to use, it's the phone plans I refer to here.

I've got a feeling my SIM might pre-date that as I think it was from 2020 when I got my last phone on contract. At the end of the contract I converted it to SIM only and kept the same SIM. I then had to buy a new phone as the camera module was playing up in it about 6 months after so I would have put the existing SIM in my new phone (purchased from Samsung).

Would they send out a new SIM in this case or just update my existing SIM with the new plan?

[bristolian]

If you move to a plan that includes 5G-SA and find that you can't use SA services when you should otherwise be able to, then a check of your SIM is part of standard CS troubleshooting.

A replacement SIM can be supplied if required.

[Chris_B]

@ryan125hst  Just to point out you can only gift data to other contract tariffs on your account.  You can not gift data across accounts. 

[ryan125hst]

Well I was too slow for the Unlimited Full Works offer as that has now gone up to £48 a month but the Unlimited All Rounder plan offers more or less the same (other than beyond EU roaming and fewer extras) for £27 so I've gone for that. 

@bristolian As it happens they send out a new SIM anyway so it will be compatible when I decide to upgrade my phone to a 5G SA compatible device.

@Chris_B Thanks Chris