We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
MSE Question of the Week: Can I take a mobile phone contract holiday?
Options
Former_MSE_Archna
Posts: 1,903 Forumite
in Mobiles
Q: I'm going to the USA for four months. What should I do with my monthly phone contract? It's £35 per month. Alan, by Twitter.
MSE Archna's A: Tricky one, this. First ring up your provider and ask if it offers a contract holiday. Some providers give you a payment break of up to six months, but your contract will be extended for the same amount of time. Sometimes this is only for those in the armed forces, but there's no harm in asking.
Remember this also means you won't be eligible for an upgrade as soon.
If it won't do this for you, see if it will downgrade your package to something cheaper for the time. Again this may affect the upgrade you're able to get at the end of the contract.
Anyone got other ideas? Please click reply to add your ideas.
MSE Archna's A: Tricky one, this. First ring up your provider and ask if it offers a contract holiday. Some providers give you a payment break of up to six months, but your contract will be extended for the same amount of time. Sometimes this is only for those in the armed forces, but there's no harm in asking.
Remember this also means you won't be eligible for an upgrade as soon.
If it won't do this for you, see if it will downgrade your package to something cheaper for the time. Again this may affect the upgrade you're able to get at the end of the contract.
Anyone got other ideas? Please click reply to add your ideas.
0
Comments
-
Daughter2 has a contract with Three which finishes in August.
She is currently on a Uni course abroad for 10 weeks.
She asked about suspending her contract while she was away.
They said that it *was* possible, but she would still have to pay the monthly bill!
:rotfl:0 -
No, I would be very surprised if they'd entertain this.0
-
Does your contract include free texts? I had an O2 contract which deducted 4 msgs from my allowance for each msg I sent while roaming. You won't necessarily get full value from your contract for this time but if your contract works this way you can keep in touch with home without affecting duration of contract.0
-
The only time I have seen this is for servicemen going on operations.This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0
-
Just wondering if this was an area where MSE's talents could be put to use ? Why can't the call/text portion of the monthly charge be used as credit if the phone is used overseas ? Surely it is inevitable in this global market that a world wide tariff is just a matter of time particularly with the impact smart phones have had. The time I need to use my apps the most is when I am overseas and am unable to do so as prohibited by extortionate data roaming charges.Regards
Chris0 -
Although not exactly "on topic". DEFINITELY don't use your UK SIM in the USA.
I travel to the USA on business a lot and until recently used an AT&T GoPhone SIM (PAYG). I say until recently because it previously cost $2 per day for unlimited US/CA calls and I could add local Text and Data bundles to it. Recently they changed it so that to have Data, you need a $25 monthly plan (plus package costs) which has fixed US/CA minutes. You can switch plans at any time but any bundles get cancelled in doing so.
My latest research suggests that T-Mobile SIM's in the USA offer better value but I haven't used all my AT&T credit up yet and so not needed to switch.
You can do all this research in the UK via the web. SIM's are widely available at RadioShack as well as Mobile company stores.
Make sure that your phone is "unlocked" before you go though (of course).
Another tip is to enable Skype-Out on your Skype account. You can use your US mobile to call a US number which puts you in to your Skype account where you can dial home (or anywhere else) at a combination of the your US plan cost (no more than $2 if on AT&T GoPhone $2 per day) plus Skype rates. Don't forget to set your Skype account to auto top-up on low balance
0 -
My sister went away to a university in Denmark in January. Orange allowed her to 'deactivate' her account. She had to give them a rough idea when she would be reactivating, and simply has to give them a ring when she gets back. Her number will then be up and running again and she willl be back to paying a bill as per usual.0
-
I did an exchange year in canada as part of my degree course and orange let me suspend my phone contract during that time with minimal hassle (at first). There was an issue because I was originally told it was okay to reconnect when I came home for christmas, then disconnect again, but then it turned out to be a pain to disconnect again as they then said they couldn't do it. Sounds like you shouldn't have this issue though. The main thing was that they said I could disconnect for a maximum of 6 months at a time.
Its definitely worth ringing up and asking!0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 351.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.7K Spending & Discounts
- 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
- 599.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177K Life & Family
- 257.6K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards