Sim Only Deals Are Better Than Package Deals

[ryzo_11]

Hi Everyone,

Looking at upgrading my phone (iPhone 11) from a Sim-Only to the iPhone 15. I have been looking at deals for the phone & when I do the sims seems to be as high as £45 a month, yet there are sim-only deals that are less than half this price.

It doesn't make much sense to me because you would think that packaging the phone & sim would result in better sim deals, as opposed to the opposite.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

[bristolian]

Not sure I'm following. Are you comparing SIM-only plans with the airtime-element of FlexPay?

[ryzo_11]

Yes, the airtime deals are awful in comparison. Shouldn't the package deal bring the cost down?

[Chris_B]

@ryzo_11  With a flex pay contract you pay for the device separately.  It’s two contracts one for the airtime and one for the device.    Any price increase is only applicable to the airtime contract not the device contract. 

Sim only has always been a better option if you supply the device yourself.  

[ryzo_11]

I just don't get why The Unlimited Essentials is £35 per month when you want to buy a phone, but you can get it as a Sim Only at £23 per month. What is the logic in not getting a deal when you get a bundle?

[Slough]

Yes it's still the same in 2025, makes no sense at all to me, probably going to go else where, shame bt don't do mobile phones any more

[Matt_124]

EE Broadband customers or BT Broadband Customers switching to EE (which can be done mid-contract) can get their airtime significantly discounted under EE One.

Depending on the device and type of tariff chosen, the airtime deals can start anywhere from £10pm for Unlimited Data (although the £10 plan is speed capped, there are other options available for £13, £16, £22 and £28 with increasing speed caps and extras such as EU Roaming, Further Roaming, TNT Sports/Netflix/Apple One.)

Don't know if this applies in your case, but worth a mention especially as you mentioned BT.