Carrier I Was Wrong About Keeping A Phone For 5+ Years

[Andeddu]

So I have been championing such behaviour as keeping your phone for 5+ years as updates are incremental now and all that really needs replaced is the battery every 2-2.5 years. I was always of the belief that a SIM only contract was the way to go as it removed you from the never ending upgrade treadmill. I just wanted to have a phone, be happy with it and keep it until it was no longer supported by Apple.

I was wrong. I pay around £22 ($27) per month for my SIM only contract consisting of unlimited data, calls and texts. That’s £528 ($644) per 24 months.

Turns out I can get a nice 128gb 13 with the same contract and carrier for £864 ($1054) over 24 months which is £36 ($44) per month.

I can also get a 64gb SE3 with the same contract and carrier for £624 ($761) over 24 months which is £26 ($32) per month.

My current phone is a 12 Mini which requires a battery replacement that will cost £69 ($84). The phone itself can be sold on the second hand market for around £200 ($244). That’s £269 minus the cost of a new phone.

The overall cost of a brand new 13 would therefore set me back £67 ($81) and an SE3 would net me £173 ($211) profit.

I don’t know which deal to go for as I like both phones.

I am just surprised (and disappointed!) that our consumer based society has made it unviable to hold onto technology for longer than 2 years.

Oh well, I am probably going to order one of those phones tomorrow and sell/trade in my trusty 12 Mini.

 

[Fat_Guy]

Get a 14 Pro Max and be done with it for at least two years. You still get a physical sim and probably not next September.


I’d keep both phones as two factor authentication can be a nightmare if your regular phone goes down in a way where you can’t switch it fast like you can with two phones and a physical sim. If you do business with your phone, a two phone set up with the same apps is a must!


Without getting that text message to your phone you may not be able to do simple things like getting emails. I saw this in action personally and now rock a 12 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max now!

 

[JPack]

Much of it comes down to the competitive landscape of where you live and the cellular rates. You can get 50GB data per month for $5 in many parts of Asia. In your case, it sounds like the $27 base rate is relatively high, so it makes sense to go with a new phone rather than BYOD.

 

[Andeddu]

Get a 14 Pro Max and be done with it for at least two years. You still get a physical sim and probably not next September.


I’d keep both phones as two factor authentication can be a nightmare if your regular phone goes down in a way where you can’t switch it fast like you can with two phones and a physical sim. If you do business with your phone, a two phone set up with the same apps is a must!


Without getting that text message to your phone you may not be able to do simple things like getting emails. I saw this in action personally and now rock a 12 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max now!

I’d obviously like a 14 Pro however the cost goes way up with the newest phones, even the regular 14 is considerably more expensive than the regular 13.

I do plan on selling my 12 Mini as it is presently still worth something. I have other worthless phones which act as emergency backs ups such as an original SE, 6S and 8.

 

[Andeddu]

Much of it comes down to the competitive landscape of where you live and the cellular rates. You can get 50GB data per month for $5 in many parts of Asia. In your case, it sounds like the $27 base rate is relatively high, so it makes sense to go with a new phone rather than BYOD.

It doesn’t seem like it’s cheap for decent SIM only deals over here in the UK so people are mostly incentivised to enter into new phone contracts. I mean there are cheaper contracts but I do use a lot of data so the current contract I have is the one I would like to stick with.

 

[saber32au]

I was wrong. I pay around £22 ($27) per month for my SIM only contract consisting of unlimited data, calls and texts. That’s £528 ($644) per 24 months.

Do you actually need unlimited data? There is a fair bit of money to be saved if you opt for a data limited plan from the various MVNO's who run on say the Vodafone, EE and O2 networks (can't recommend the 3 network; never had decent data speeds and reception is poorer compared to the other three operators in my experience).

For example, Voxi (which runs on the Vodafone network, and is for all intents and purposes Vodafones no frills offering without the instore customer service and fancy TV advertising Vodafone users pay for) has a plan which offers 15GB, unlimited calls and text for £10/month. Over 24 months the £12 saved per month really adds up (ie 24 months x £12/month = £288 saved).

EDIT: The Voxi plan I quoted above is currently on sale, and is now 30GB/month for £10GB.

 

[Andeddu]

Do you actually need unlimited data? There is a fair bit of money to be saved if you opt for a data limited plan from the various MVNO's who run on say the Vodafone, EE and O2 networks (can't recommend the 3 network; never had decent data speeds and reception is poorer compared to the other three operators in my experience).

For example, Voxi (which runs on the Vodafone network, and is for all intents and purposes Vodafones no frills offering without the instore customer service and fancy TV advertising Vodafone users pay for) has a plan which offers 15GB, unlimited calls and text for £10/month. Over 24 months the £12 saved per month really adds up (ie 24 months x £12/month = £288 saved).

EDIT: The Voxi plan I quoted above is currently on sale, and is now 30GB/month for £10GB.

I can go up to 30gb per month so I’d like to keep that as my minimum. I also work in an area that’s rural where there is very little O2 or Vodafone coverage. Three is perfect as I am able to stream videos on 4G with very few blacks spots.

Cheers for the advice anyway, I have went ahead with the Three contract & regular 13. I may consider a cheaper contract after 24 months if I can stick with Three.

 

[saber32au]

I can go up to 30gb per month so I’d like to keep that as my minimum.

Fair enough!

I also work in an area that’s rural where there is very little O2 or Vodafone coverage. Three is perfect as I am able to stream videos on 4G with very few blacks spots.

3 having decent rural reception? Thought I'd never see the day! But if 3 works for you in the area you're based in, then you'd be silly not to use them as they offer excellent data allowances...

I may consider a cheaper contract after 24 months if I can stick with Three.

I'm like you in the sense that I keep my phones for several years (all phones purchased second hand...I've never bought a brand new iPhone), but I don't need a large data allowance (15GB is generally enough for me, let alone 30GB!). I'm fortunate that both places where I spend the most time (home and work) have wifi, so that greatly reduces my cellular data plan...

 

[Andeddu]

Fair enough!


3 having decent rural reception? Thought I'd never see the day! But if 3 works for you in the area you're based in, then you'd be silly not to use them as they offer excellent data allowances...



I'm like you in the sense that I keep my phones for several years (all phones purchased second hand...I've never bought a brand new iPhone), but I don't need a large data allowance (15GB is generally enough for me, let alone 30GB!). I'm fortunate that both places where I spend the most time (home and work) have wifi, so that greatly reduces my cellular data plan...

Yeah, I think Three and EE use the same cell towers so they both have good signals in my area.

30GB is the top end of my usage, tbh. I reckon I hit 20-25GB on an average month. I do stream a lot of media videos on apps such as YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ and Prime which probably accounts for my high data usage.

I will definitely look into a capped data plan after my new contract is up. If I am able to keep the iPhone 13 for as long as possible, I will. I see no point in upgrading all the time as the difference between phones is so minimal these days. I don’t reckon I’d see much of a difference between an iPhone 11 and 14, for example.

 

[AlixSPQR]

Yes, yes, buy new and throw away the ”old”! Apple has a global recycling service... 😈

 

[Andeddu]

I am now a proud owner of an iPhone 13! 😁

 

[HDFan]

I pay around £22 ($27) per month for my SIM only contract consisting of unlimited data, calls and texts. That’s £528 ($644) per 24 months.

Turns out I can get a nice 128gb 13 with the same contract and carrier for £864 ($1054) over 24 months which is £36 ($44) per month.

Phone and unlimited data for $44 a month? Guess I should move to the U.K. I pay 1.8 times that monthly just for service, a ton more if you include the phone.

 

[Aoligei]

View attachment 2143093View attachment 2143092

I am now a proud owner of an iPhone 13! 😁

Type it on 5 years old Google Pixel 2XL.

Consider yourself lucky. No way in the hell I am paying $45 per month for iPhone 13 in addition to my $38 dollar cellphone plan. No thanks.

In the boxing day, I got deal where as I got $200 prepaid Mastercard and $5 per month for Google Pixel 6A. So I am only paying 120 dollar for 24 month for Pixel 6A. There is absolutely no promotion for iPhone.

I am now using Pixel 6A as my daily driver where as iPhone 12 as my secondary phone.

P.S. I don't know how much of all you need for a new phone. With 5 years old Google Pixel with Pixel Experience rom, I can get Android 13 with lastest security updates. This phone still does whatever I needed to do. Pixel 2XL still able to capture some decent photos and video thanks to Google's computational photography.

 

[casjohnr]

I always do SIM only, I've never had an actual phone on 'contract'

Used to be on EE who were great but the price just kept creeping up and up, in the end it was about to go to £22.85 a month with the 24 month contract ending (it originally started around £16 a month!)

Over Christmas 3 did a 12 month deal, £10 a month for 100GB data/unlimited calls and texts PLUS £66 cashback so I'm essentially down to £4.50 a month, their signal certainly isn't EE level but the way I see it 80% of the week I'm either at home or somewhere with WiFi available anyway!

After 12 months I'll look around again for another deal, a major positive these days due to new regulations is you simply text PAC to 65075 and you receive a switching code to keep your number without having to spend hours on the phone to the mobile operators begging you to stay

I treated myself to a iPhone 14 Pro Max 256GB with AppleCare Theft and Loss direct from Apple which I'm paying over 24 months at 0% which based on my previous iPhone history will probably be sticking around 4-5 years

 

[Andeddu]

Phone and unlimited data for $44 a month? Guess I should move to the U.K. I pay 1.8 times that monthly just for service, a ton more if you include the phone.

Depends where you stay, I guess. Like JPack said, SIM only deals are cheap in Asia but appear to be expensive elsewhere. It’s a shame you’re getting ripped off. I am happy I am basically getting a £750 phone for next to nothing.

 

[Andeddu]

P.S. I don't know how much of all you need for a new phone. With 5 years old Google Pixel with Pixel Experience rom, I can get Android 13 with lastest security updates. This phone still does whatever I needed to do. Pixel 2XL still able to capture some decent photos and video thanks to Google's computational photography.

I was using a brand new SE 2016 as my daily driver which I picked up on eBay from April last year until around December before going back to my 12 Mini. I know old phones can still pretty much do everything newer phones can do. The difference is really multitasking and speed. There are quality of life upgrades too such as surround sound speakers which are loud and clear, OLED panel, MagSafe, etc…

 

[Andeddu]

I always do SIM only, I've never had an actual phone on 'contract'

Used to be on EE who were great but the price just kept creeping up and up, in the end it was about to go to £22.85 a month with the 24 month contract ending (it originally started around £16 a month!)

Over Christmas 3 did a 12 month deal, £10 a month for 100GB data/unlimited calls and texts PLUS £66 cashback so I'm essentially down to £4.50 a month, their signal certainly isn't EE level but the way I see it 80% of the week I'm either at home or somewhere with WiFi available anyway!

After 12 months I'll look around again for another deal, a major positive these days due to new regulations is you simply text PAC to 65075 and you receive a switching code to keep your number without having to spend hours on the phone to the mobile operators begging you to stay

I treated myself to a iPhone 14 Pro Max 256GB with AppleCare Theft and Loss direct from Apple which I'm paying over 24 months at 0% which based on my previous iPhone history will probably be sticking around 4-5 years

That’s a great deal from Three. I will definitely try to shop around again after my 24 month contract is up to see if I can go down to £10-15 for a SIM only. I wouldn’t mind keeping this 13 as it’s pretty much the perfect phone so far and I prefer it over the 12 Mini.