So you’ve decided to sell your soul to the devil and upgrade to one of the brand-spanking new smartphones. That’s absolutely fine if you’re just days away from your contract renewal date, but more than often that’s rarely the case.
You’ve spotted the mobile you want to get your paws on and don’t think you can wait the weeks, months or possibly years until your contract ends. Those pesky network operators probably managed to lock you into a two year deal, didn’t they?
Well, breaking your contract is nothing to feel guilty about by itself but the cost of doing so might make you feel bad for a while – at least until your shiny new phone arrives through the door. In the meantime you might want to cash in on your current mobile before splashing out on a new one.
Buy a new handset
Although most of us do buy our smartphones through our network operators, it’s not the only way to get a new handset. You could buy the handset by itself from the manufacturer or other retailer.
It only costs a few quid to get a phone unlocked these days, so you can just pop your SIM card into your new mobile and get going straight away.
Take out a second contract
Perhaps the most expensive option is to just take out another contract. This is sometimes preferred to buying a handset because you won’t have to pay a lump sum; instead the payments are made every month as normal.
Think wisely before entering a second contract though as you don’t want to end up trying to find a way out again in just a few months’ time.
Pay the termination fee
Your mobile network operator will be more than happy to cancel your contract, even after just a couple of months – provided you pay the extortionate fee.
This fee could be a set price, likely to be at least a few hundred pounds or it could be the equivalent of a specific number of monthly payments. Either way, it will cost a bomb.
Early upgrade
Some mobile phone companies do allow their customers to upgrade their mobile phone prior to the renewal, so it’s worth checking before trying any of the other options.
Some contracts allow for upgrades as far as six months in advance. Who knows, you could only be a few weeks away from that new iPhone rather than months!
Wait until your contract ends
Of course, the cheapest way to upgrade to a new swanky smartphone is to wait until your contract ends. Unfortunately, few of us are able to resist the lure of a sleeker, smarter and sexier smartphone, so this option will probably be ignored. After all, who has got that sort of time to waste?
There are a number of mobile phone recycling companies out there on the World Wide Web that will happily allow you to sell Samsung Tocco Lite handsets and all sorts of outdated models. At least this way, you’ll be able to generate some cash to put towards your new purchase.
Lucy Blackwell is a consumer technology enthusiast committed to helping you get the best deal for your mobile. Getting out of a long contract can be difficult and expensive, so she recommends offsetting the cost by choosing to sell Samsung Tocco Lite phones and other old devices.