24 month contract but 30 payments required

dazzammm

Hiya
I'm looking to get my first contract phone for years.

I'm on the verge of signing a 24 month contract with Sky Mobile but I will be making 24 monthly payments followed by an additional 6 monthly payments.

What are my options in this additional 6 month period? Am I still in contract? Is this really a 30 month contract?
Thanks

prowla

Well, I'd say that it is indeed 30 months, as that's the contract...

grumbler

I think only business contracts can be longer than 24 months. More information is needed about "additional 6 monthly payments"

DCFC79

I read it as a 30 month contract.

keith1950

As the phone and tariff are treated as two separate things....it is a 24 month contract with a 30 month loan to pay off the phone.
So you would be 'out of contract' as far as the tariff goes but would be paying for the phone for an extra six months.

[Deleted User]

dazzammm wrote: »

Hiya
I'm looking to get my first contract phone for years.

I'm on the verge of signing a 24 month contract with Sky Mobile but I will be making 24 monthly payments followed by an additional 6 monthly payments.

What are my options in this additional 6 month period? Am I still in contract? Is this really a 30 month contract?
Thanks

From what I can see you're in contract for 24 months for the phone itself with an additional 6 months at a slightly reduced cost (may depend on the phone re. cost) however if you wish you can stop the monthly payment after 24 months as long as you pay off the last 6 months. They actually use the words 'may be charged' in the T&C's for some reason.

The tariff deal is for 12 months minimum only.

Frozen_up_north

It makes the phone very costly and you are tied to the airtime contract for 2 years. Have you looked at buying a phone separately and taking a 12 month (or 30 day) SIM only contract, you have a much greater choice and usually can save significant money by doing so.

I don’t know of anyone on here who would recommend a combined phone plus SIM package deal, unless they work in a phone shop.

keith1950

This is very similar to the O2 model where they talk about an "airtime " plan and a "device" plan except I think O2 are more upfront in their explanation. If you opt for a longer device plan it is an expensive way to fund a phone .

pmduk

keith1950 wrote: »

If you opt for a longer device plan it is an expensive way to fund a phone .

It would depend on how it works. Virgin have a similar deal, you receive an interest-free loan to buy the phone which you pay off alongside a SIM only deal.

The crunch comes when you look at how much they're charging for the phone.

20aday

From their Terms and Conditions (using a Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 as an example):

Subject to status and credit check. Swap24: 30 month interest free loan required. Data Plan required for duration of Swap plan, subject to 12 month minimum term. Option available to buy devices without a loan. Direct Debit required. Devices subject to availability. 18+. Terms apply. See sky.com/swaphelp for details. Free Unlimited Calls and Texts: 12 month minimum term. Free unlimited calls and texts will end on cancellation of TV subscription and standard published prices will apply (currently £10 a month). Inclusive calls to standard UK landlines (01, 02 and 03) and inclusive calls and texts to standard UK mobile numbers (07). Sky TV from £22 per month plus £20 set-up cost. Subject to our fair and acceptable use policy at sky.com/mobileterms. Further terms apply. Data plan subject to 12 month minimum term.

So as Colin_Maybe points out for months 25 to 30 you'd pay slightly less a month, down from £18 to £14 in the above example, if you wished to keep the handset otherwise Sky Mobile offer a 'swap price' based on the condition of the device etc.

andyh260

I just ended my 24 month part and handed phone back. Sky are expecting the phone to be in as new condition or they will charge you for handing it back!
My phone was in excellent condition yet sky recon it has severe screen burn.... new to me!
Next time I wont bother and will pay the redused payments from month 24 to 30.
It's all just a scam!