Can you upgrade a SIM only contract to a regular phone contract? (EE)

Jlawson118

I'm currently on a contract with O2 to which I'm disappointed with a number of things and plan to move to EE when my contract is due for renewal around October time.

I'm doing quite a lot of European travelling this Summer and I'd like to have access to my data for maps, public transport schedules etc. But last year when I did some travelling to Germany and Switzerland, O2's 3G network was very unstable, and upon recent research, it doesn't appear things have improved too much, whereas I've seen good feedback regarding EE's.

I'm thinking of signing up for a SIM only contract with them, and I was pricing things up to which seem good value to me for the next few months.

However, I know Sim only contracts usually tie you in for around a year, though I'm wondering if joining now, if EE would allow me to upgrade to an actual phone contract come September time? I remember around five years ago when my step-dad was paying for my SIM only, they let me have the new iPhone a few months later, and having the SIM only prior also allowed for a slight discount too.

Would this work out?

Browntoa

They do 30 day SIM only contract's

https://shop.ee.co.uk/pay-monthly-phones-30days

But that said there's a good chance they would let you upgrade to a full phone contract even on a 12 months sim only

Anthorn

Already answered on the EE Community and the answer is dated August 2016. Apparently you have to wait six months.
https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Can-I-upgrade-my-sim-only-contract-to-a-phone-contract-after-a/td-p/464617

However it does appear strange to me that they should have a rule that reduces their potential profit. Also in my current sim-only contract with BT I was offered an upgrade to a phone contract after a month and the same was true of O2 previously.

Perhaps ask EE directly.

Jlawson118

Anthorn wrote: »

Already answered on the EE Community and the answer is dated August 2016. Apparently you have to wait six months.
https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Can-I-upgrade-my-sim-only-contract-to-a-phone-contract-after-a/td-p/464617

However it does appear strange to me that they should have a rule that reduces their potential profit. Also in my current sim-only contract with BT I was offered an upgrade to a phone contract after a month and the same was true of O2 previously.

Perhaps ask EE directly.

Yeah I was just thinking whilst I was reading your response that I think different rules apply to different people you're in contact with over the phone/in branch. My step-dad essentially shares a contract with himself and my mum, to which my mum upgraded about a month ago, and found all her data was being eaten up. And on the phone to customer services they somehow gave my mum a tonne more data and also cut the bill by quite a lot of money! We couldn't understand it :rotfl:

I'm just thinking back to when we upgraded mine though and come to think of it, it was 6/7 months, but this was back in 2014. We'd upgraded from an Orange SIM Only to an EE 4G one around February time because I needed to change my number. And around May my step-dad had tried to put a new battery in my iPhone 5 and he'd done a small bit of damage, and he was going to buy me a new one but I just asked if we could wait until the 6 was out that September as it was only minor damage, and therefore he phoned them up and they upgraded.

But I agree, I can't see why they would ruin their own profits so to speak

pmduk

I suspect it will always depend on just how attractive* a customer you are to them at the time

* For attractive read profitable.

[Deleted User]

Anthorn wrote: »

Already answered on the EE Community and the answer is dated August 2016. Apparently you have to wait six months.
https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Can-I-upgrade-my-sim-only-contract-to-a-phone-contract-after-a/td-p/464617[/url

Although Plusnet don't advertise the fact, you can buy phones from them, but only after being with them on a rolling monthly contract for at least 6 months. From memory I think they said it's in effect a 6 month credit check over and beyond the initial one. Do credit checks have various levels?

Jlawson118

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

Although Plusnet don't advertise the fact, you can buy phones from them, but only after being with them on a rolling monthly contract for at least 6 months. From memory I think they said it's in effect a 6 month credit check over and beyond the initial one. Do credit checks have various levels?

I'm not sure as to if credit checks themselves have various levels. But I suppose if you've paid your bills on time and consecutively for six months then it suggests to a company that you're trustworthy

Jenny_EE

Jlawson118 wrote: »

I'm currently on a contract with O2 to which I'm disappointed with a number of things and plan to move to EE when my contract is due for renewal around October time.

I'm doing quite a lot of European travelling this Summer and I'd like to have access to my data for maps, public transport schedules etc. But last year when I did some travelling to Germany and Switzerland, O2's 3G network was very unstable, and upon recent research, it doesn't appear things have improved too much, whereas I've seen good feedback regarding EE's.

I'm thinking of signing up for a SIM only contract with them, and I was pricing things up to which seem good value to me for the next few months.

However, I know Sim only contracts usually tie you in for around a year, though I'm wondering if joining now, if EE would allow me to upgrade to an actual phone contract come September time? I remember around five years ago when my step-dad was paying for my SIM only, they let me have the new iPhone a few months later, and having the SIM only prior also allowed for a slight discount too.

Would this work out?

Hello,

If your a new SIM only customer you must have been active for at least 6 months to be eligible for an upgrade to a device.

Thanks, Jenny