What happens when my phone contract comes to an end?

Once your phone contract comes to an end, you’re free to switch to another network.

You will own your current phone outright, assuming you haven’t missed any monthly payments. You won’t need to return the phone, and it will be yours to keep forever.

If your phone contract comes to an end and you don’t do anything, the plan will automatically be moved to a 30-day rolling contract. You’ll pay the same amount and will get the same allowances, including data, minutes and texts, until you decide to either upgrade, renew or end your plan.

However, even if you’re happy with your network and the current plan you are on, it’s always a good idea to upgrade and renew your contract, since it’s likely you’ll be able to get an even better and cheaper deal. As the network will do the most to keep you as a customer, you’ll be able to haggle and get an exclusive deal by talking to them directly.

How can I find out when my phone contract is going to end?

The easiest way to find out when your phone contract is going to end is by texting INFO to 85075 for free.

In accordance with Ofcom regulations, all UK networks are required to provide this service, free of charge. You’ll receive a text message within a couple of minutes, confirming when your phone contract is going to end and explaining your options, such as upgrading, renewing, leaving and cancelling.

In addition, Ofcom rules state that networks must automatically send you an end-of-contract notification, between 10 to 40 days before your contract is due to come to an end. This is usually sent by post, email or text message.

The end-of-contract notification will include several important details:

• When your current contract is due to come to an end
• The current monthly price you are paying for your contract
• The monthly amount you will pay if you don’t do anything once your contract comes to an end
• Offers if you wish to stay with the network, including upgrade and renew deals

Once your phone contract comes to an end, you will receive an out-of-contract notification, reiterating many of the details from the end-of-contract notification. You will also be reminded that you are free to switch to another network.

Can I keep my contract once it comes to an end?

Once your contract comes to an end, you can keep it. If you don’t do anything, you’ll automatically be moved to a 30-day rolling contract.

You’ll pay the same amount in most cases, and you’ll get the same allowances per month, including data, minutes and texts. The 30-day rolling contract will last until you choose to upgrade, renew or end your plan.

However, if you’re on a phone contract that doesn’t have separate agreements for the device and plan, but is instead combined into a one contract (like with iD Mobile phone contracts), you’ll essentially be paying for a device that you already own and that has been paid off. This is because the monthly payments that were agreed upon when you signed up for your contract factored in the cost of the device for the duration of the contract.

With all being said, regardless of the type of phone contract you are on, you should still consider upgrading or renewing, even if you are happy with your current plan. Networks will be willing to offer you a better deal to keep you as a customer, so you could get a discount for the same plan.

Contact your network directly and haggle with them. Remember, you have the upper hand in this situation. For more information, see our detailed guide on how to upgrade your phone and get a better contract deal.

Can I switch to another network once my phone contract comes to an end?

Assuming you don’t have any outstanding payments to make, you are free to switch to another network once your phone contract comes to an end.

It’s surprisingly easy to switch networks, and can be done with a single text message.

Make sure you inform your network that you intend to switch at least 30 days before your contract is due to come to an end, or else you may be charged an additional month on your current plan if the switch doesn’t happen on time.

If you’re happy with your current phone, you can switch to a SIM only deal on another network and use it with your current phone. In most cases, this will save you a lot of money, as you’ll only be paying for a SIM card with a plan, without paying a monthly fee for a device.

This is possible, as Ofcom rules since December 2021 state that providers cannot lock phones to their own network, meaning you’re free to use any SIM card with your phone at any time, without restrictions.

Do I still need to pay for the phone after the contract ends?

Once a phone contract comes to an end, you own the phone. It’s yours to keep forever.

However, if you’re on a phone contract with one of the UK’s 4 major networks (Vodafone, O2, Three or EE), the contract is typically split into two separate agreements - one of the tariff/plan (essentially the SIM card, which includes monthly allowances for data, minutes and texts) and one for the device.

With such phone contracts, it’s possible for the plan contract to come to an end, with the device contract still ongoing.

This is because the plan is always a 24 month contract, but it’s possible for the device contract to be longer, for 36 or 48 months.

In such cases, once the plan contract comes to an end, it’s automatically moved to a 30-day rolling contract. This means you’ll be able to cancel the plan or switch to another network at any time.

However, even if you end the plan, you’ll still need to fulfil the monthly payments for the remaining duration of the device contract.

Once you pay off the device contract, you’ll no longer pay any monthly payments for the device. The device contract will automatically come to an end, and you’ll own the phone outright, so you’ll be able to keep it forever.

Note that it’s possible to get a phone contract with two separate agreements for the device and plan, with both being 24 months in length. It’s not always the case that the device contract is longer, however most networks give you this option to help spread the cost over a longer duration.

Networks cannot offer plan contracts for longer than 24 months in accordance with Ofcom rules. However, they can offer longer device contracts, as these are technically credit agreements, which is similar to a loan.

Should I upgrade my phone contract once it comes to an end?

If you’re happy with your current network and plan, and you don’t mind starting another contract, you should consider upgrading, as you’ll almost certainly be able to get a better deal compared to your current contract.

Contact your network and inform them that you wish to upgrade. You can do this around 30 days before your contract is due to come to an end, or you can do this once your contract ends. However, we recommend doing this before your contract ends, otherwise you will end up paying an additional month for the same amount based on your current contract.

By speaking to your network directly, you’re likely to get an exclusive deal that you won’t find on their website or on comparison websites. Remember, a network will try their hardest to keep you as a customer, so you have the upper hand to haggle and get the best possible deal.

On the other hand, you might be able to get a better deal if you switch to another network. Make sure you look around and compare all the latest deals.

If you’re happy with your current phone, you should consider upgrading or switching to a SIM only deal to save yourself even more money. You won’t get a new phone, but you can pair your current phone with any SIM only deal, even if it’s from a different network. This way, you’ll only be paying for a plan, and not for a new device that you don’t necessarily want.

Of course, you don’t have to upgrade once your contract comes to an end. You can choose to end your plan or switch to another network, for whatever reason. This may simply be because you don’t want to sign up for another long term contract, or you’re not happy with the service provided by your current network.