Want a phone-and-tariff contract instead? Take a look at some of the best on the market at our dedicated comparison page. If you're out of contract and happy with the phone you've got and don't want to upgrade to a newer model, it's smart to switch to a SIM only deal. Otherwise, your network will continue to charge you the same monthly premium as when you were still paying for your handset.

So going SIM only is a very good way to cut your outgoings and save some money. More and more people are also opting to buy their phone outright and off-contract, then signing up for SIM only deal for data, minutes and texts. This can work out much cheaper than a standard phone contract. But, of course, the catch is that you'll need hundreds of pounds to hand to be able to buy a smartphone outright if you don't already have one.

That depends on how heavily you use your phone. That'll be fine for general usage. The smartest and best way to check you're choosing a SIM only deal with enough data is to open up your network app on your phone. Here, you'll find a month-by-month breakdown of exactly how much data you've been using. Use this as a guide when picking a SIM only deal and you won't go too far wrong.

Unless, of course, you're planning to start using your phone a lot more in future. Whether your phone is locked to your network depends on the network you're with and even on which handset you've got and which plan you bought it on. For instance, all phones bought on EE and Vodafone are locked to their networks. So if you want to use another network's SIM, you'll first need to unlock your handset. Conversely, when it comes to O2 phones sold on pay monthly plans, only some are unlocked. But if you got a pay-as-you-go phone from O2, all models are unlocked. If you're with Three, the good news is that all phones they sell are unlocked.

That applies irrespective of the model you own, the plan you bought it on or whether you bought it on pay monthly contract or pay as you go. All sounds complicated, right? But the good news is that there's a simple to check for sure whether your phone is unlocked. You could borrow a friend's or family member's just to test it.

In the event that your phone accepts the SIM and you've got a mobile-phone signal, your phone is unlocked and you won't need to get it unlocked. If there's no signal, your phone is locked. If that's the case, you'll have to call your network to ask them to unlock your smartphone and may have to pay a charge. That's good news. That means you're good to go. The next step is to find a SIM only deal that suits you. The best way to do is that by using the uSwitch comparison tables above.

For some guidance as to which network to choose, take a look at all networks that picked up prizes at the uSwitch awards in the section below. Below, you'll find all the mobile networks that scored highly at the uSwitch Mobiles Awards , whether that's for customer service, coverage or roaming. Determined by consumer research as well as the decisions of a panel of judges, comprising technology journalists and industry expert, we're confident that the awards represent a seal of quality. The best way to do this to ring your network.

Your SIM card should arrive within two days. If your phone is locked, you'll also need to ask them to unlock your phone. You may find you're encouraged to stay by their customer retentions department. If you are it's important that you're firm with them and insist that you're determined to switch.

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A charge may apply for unlocking your phone. Once the phone is unlocked you can insert your new SIM and you're all set. If you want to keep your number when you change networks, you'll need to ask for a PAC code from your current provider. To get your PAC code you can either phone or email your network or use a PAC code request form that you can fill on your network's website.

To begin the number transfter you need to ring or email the network you're joining and supply them with your PAC code. You must do this within 30 days of the PAC code being issued.

In the meantime, leave your old SIM in your phone. To check if the transfer is complete, just insert your new SIM in your handset and see if your new number is registered on your new network. If you are, everything's gone according to plan. Find out more about keeping your number when you switch network. The process of moving network has been designed to keep the time you're without a service down to a minimum. In fact, you're probably one of two people if your thoughts are indeed turning to SIM only:. It can be. It's usually the case when a flagship phone hits the market and contracts are made deliberately expensive.

Not all the savings you can make are as extravagant, and on big data it's frequently more cost effective to dive into a contract instead. But if you can afford to splash a few hundred pounds up front then the savings over the next couple of years could well be worth it. The times have passed since most phones were locked to a network and you had to pay a dodgy backstreet 'engineer' to unlock it. Nowadays, it's standard practice for networks to let you use whatever SIM you want in the phone as soon as you've paid up the original contract or earlier if you pay them a fee - and Three ships all its handsets unlocked from the outset.

The exception, alas, is Apple iPhones. They're generally sold locked to the original network that you purchase them with for the life of the handset.

Very frustrating if you're looking for a tasty SIM deal once your 24 month sentence is up. The good news is that your iPhone or any other mobile before the end of your contract can be unlocked - the bad news is that most networks make you pay for the privilege. Insert a friend or family member's SIM into your phone to see whether it's already unlocked and, if it isn't, look for your network below to see how to cut ties with them:.

There are three sizes of SIM card that you can get for your phone, and the one you need will depend on your handset. It's been a while since the traditional, so-called standard SIM 15x25mm has genuinely been the staple in new phones. Instead, any phone you've bought within the last five or so years is much more likely to require a micro 12x15mm or nano 8.

Before you purchase your new SIM, double-check the manufacturer's website to see what size you require. And if you're simply not sure, most networks now simply send out a triple SIM, so you'll get one of each size. Ever heard of PAC codes and wondered what a classic 80s arcade game had to do with telephone numbers? It actually stands for Porting Authorisation Code, and it's the set of digits that you need to grab from your old network to let you transfer over your existing mobile number. If you're on one of the major networks, you can see what phone number you can contact them on here:.

If you want to grab a bargain SIM only plan above, but it's on your existing network then your network won't release a PAC code and you'll be forced to take a new phone number.

At least you would have, if it wasn't for this clever if convoluted work-around. You have to order a free pay-as-you-go SIM from another network. Once you have it, you can tell your old network that you're moving and they'll give you that precious PAC code. Then, once your number is registered to the substitute network, simply get another PAC code from them.

Take that to your old network, and they'll move your number to your new contract. Simple - kind of! Unlike with a contract, there's a lot more flexibility available when it comes to how long your SIM only plan will last. Two year commitments are virtually unheard of, with the norm being either one year or rolling one month contracts for ultimate flexibility. You can often get better prices if you tie yourself in for 12 months, especially on larger data tariffs.

But sticking to one month at a time means that you can effectively hand pick a new plan to suit you every 30 days or so. Because you can change your plan up more regularly than a normal, lengthier contract, it's less crucial to get this nailed from the start.

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But if you're thinking of grabbing a monther or just put a personal pride on getting things right first time, then we'll help you pick out the sweet spot of data for you. Firstly, check your phone to see how much data you've been using to date, and whether you have the tendency to use more than your current allowance every month.

Then, if you're still unsure, check out our guidance: Call it practicality, call it greediness, call it what you want - it's human nature to want 'unlimited' anything if offered.

Best 30 day SIM-only deals

But you should think genuinely about whether you really need it in a world where the likes of WhatsApp and Skype let you call and text for free over wi-fi or 4G. If you decide that a few thousand monthly minutes and texts should do you, then you could shave off some cash from your bill.

iPhone XS Finally Support Dual SIM Card - But There's a Catch !!

While EE, O2, Vodafone and Three are generally considered the major four networks for contract plans, when it comes to SIM only there are some other key players are well worth a look. See what we think of them below, and whether you'll get any free perks to help persuade you to sign up. Plus, we'll tell you about a couple of other SIM sellers that might be able to wrangle you an even better deal. It's one of life's many little frustrations - you sign up with a network, get your SIM up and running and then discover that you get no coverage at all in your house.

Well this little pain in the neck can be avoided by using the dedicated coverage checker that most networks provide. Enter your postcode and you'll see whether your address has 2G calls, texts and email , 3G the basics plus picture messaging and faster web browsing and 4G all the powers of 3G, plus faster downloads, online gaming and media streaming coverage. See our pick of the best deals at EE.

O2's best claim for your contract is with its Priority rewards - from cheap lunch deals and pre-order privileges on gig tickets, to ad-hoc discounts and competitions. Plus, they have s of Wi-Fi hotspots in shops and cafes that you can connect to for free and save your precious data. See our pick of the best deals at O2. Vodafone seems to have been around since mobile phones were cumbersome bricks, but they remain a major player.

See our pick of the best deals at Vodafone. Three is still the only network to offer unlimited data and it often features unbeatable deals on other big data plans - that makes them a natural choice of many a data hungry smartphone addict. And it has has just started getting generous with perks - you can get cheap dinners and free coffees through its Wuntu app.