A new website has launched which aims to end rip-off mobile phone contracts by splitting the phone and SIM purchase and monitoring the best deals from month to month.
Unshackled.com is independent from the mobile phone networks, and looks to ensure its users always get the best possible deal on their mobiles; the key feature is that you can buy a mobile SIM via Unshackled.com from any of the main networks, and then swap your deal at any time.
For example. you could try a monthly O2 deal one month, and then switch to an EE deal the next month. You’re able to do this as you’re not signing up to a lengthy contract. Unshackled.com’s MobileWatch service also monitors the mobile market for the best deals, and then notifies you when there is a better deal than the one you’re currently on. You’ll even be alerted when you’re due a mobile upgrade.
Here’s some examples of the level of saving Unshackled.com suggests you could achieve with their current deals:
iPhone 6S
- EE: you pay £0 upfront and £45.99 per month for 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 2GB data. This costs £1,103.76 over the 24 months.
- Unshackled: you can get the same phone and 2GB data for £19 upfront and £32.37 per month (£23.37 per month for phone at headline 9.7% APR and £9 for SIM from iD mobile) for 500 minutes, 5000 texts and 2GB data. This costs £795.88 over 24 months, a saving of £307.88.
- If you were to buy the phone outright for £529 you would save £358.76.
Samsung Galaxy S7
- EE: you pay £9.99 upfront and £50.99 per month for 4GB and unlimited texts & minutes. This costs £1,233.75 over the 24 months.
- Unshackled.com: for the same phone you can pay £19.99 upfront for 500 minutes / 1000 text & 4GB data, and then £37.50 a month, bringing the total to £919 – therefore a total saving of £314.75.
- If you were to buy the phone outright for £619, you would save £374.75.
Here’s a comparison against buying the Samsung Galaxy S7Â from O2:
- O2: you pay £59.99 upfront and £41.50 per month for 3GB data and unlimited calls and texts. This costs £1055.99 over the 24 months.
- Unshackled.com: for the same phone you can pay £19 upfront and £37.50 per month for 4GB data, 500 minutes and 5000 texts. This costs £919.00, therefore saving the customer £136.99.
- If you were to buy the phone outright for £619, you would save £196.99.
As you can see, over the lifetime of a normal contract (2 years), there are some decent savings to be made. Whilst the savings on the handsets themselves are comparable with other providers, such as GiffGaff, the key point is the ability to switch deals whenever a better deal appears, rather than remaining stuck on the same contract for months.