It’s common to joke about how expensive the London lifestyle has become. Unfortunately, clever quips don’t pay the bills, so more practical measures must be taken to keep monthly budgets from dipping into the red before payday.
Accessing the internet through a smartphone has become an essential part of daily life for Londoners, for so many reasons. Millions of commuters rely on digital maps to find their way via public transport. Without a sufficient data plan, and good coverage, lots of productive hours would be wasted.
Phones are also becoming everyone’s preferred way of paying for tube rides, coffees, meal deals and digital entertainment like playing mobile casino games. Pay by phone online casinos are making waves as well, as more Londoners deposit at casino sites via phone bill to stay safe from ransomware.
So, lowering mobile costs might seem out of the question when combing through a budget for clues on how to cut back. This line of thinking is faulty. It’s actually very possible to save a little more each month if you re-evaluate your current contract and consider switching to a better, more affordable one. Here’s a handful of mobile phone provider deals available right now to give you an idea of what’s currently out there.
Option 1: VOXI
While the options detailed in this article are in no specific order, VOXI, which is partnered with Vodafone for coverage, is first because of its compelling SIM-only options. Starting from just £10 a month for 20gb of data, VOXI deals won’t force you to purchase a new phone, and have a particularly interesting extra perk for social media fiends. Choose this option to keep enjoying unlimited access to apps like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, even after the 20gb is used up. Notably, TikTok has been left off that list, so be sure to read the fine print and make sure the social media access actually matches your browsing preferences.
Option 2: EE
EE is massive in London and the rest of the UK too. When Orange and T-Mobile merged to form EE, it cemented its coveted spot as the provider offering the largest mobile network around. Today, the service is quick to point out that it covers almost 100% of the country. According to Which?, EE consistently scores very high in customer satisfaction surveys. The 25 million users currently with them can’t be wrong, so if you’re looking for impeccable service, take a look at EE’s current deals and summer sale. With the sale, a brand new iPhone 15 can be nabbed from £45.21 a month, depending on the data plan you choose with it. Their site suggests this deal offers a saving of up to £216.
Option 3: O2
Along with EE, O2 is considered one of the big four mobile service and phone providers in the country. Right now, they’re offering an interesting value-for-money deal with 10gb of data on a 12 month SIM only-contract at only £5.99. Unlike VOXI, this deal doesn’t include social media, but any unused data left over at the end of the month does roll over. So anyone with this deal can hoard their data for times when they’ll need it most.
Option 4: ASDA Mobile
ASDA, known as a one of the biggest supermarket chains in the UK and for contributing to charitable initiatives in London, the brand also offers some affordable mobile phone deals. Its offering might be limited when it comes to new phone models, but for existing ASDA customers on tight budgets, that doesn’t matter. Right now their cheapest 12 month contract gives people 3gb of data with unlimited minutes and texts for only £3. That’s good enough if every penny simply needs to be pinched.
Option 5: Lebara
Which deal a person goes for will naturally depend on many different variables. A young London professional fresh out of university might need more data. A grandmother living with her grown-up children may not need a deal offering more than unlimited minutes and good customer service. If you travel a lot for work, Lebara might be the best option because its current SIM-only deals come with a combination of UK and international calls. In India, roaming is free for UK Lebara customers. Right now, one of their most popular £5 deals includes 5gb of data a month, 1000 UK minutes and texts, and 100 international minutes to around 40 countries.
Option 6: Lyca Mobile
Last on this list is Lyca Mobile. Known for its incredible past sales, this mobile phone provider currently has a double data promotion which effectively means that a person will get more data for less for three months if they take out a 24 month deal right now. Their 5gb offer will give you 10gb of data for the first three months for just £4 monthly. The deal also comes with unlimited calls and texts, 2.5gb EU roaming and 100 international minutes, much like Lebara.
