What should you do after your cellphone contract ends?

A contract expiry is a good time to review more than your next handset. A few simple checks can help you compare your options before you start another monthly commitment.

Your cellphone contract can reach its expiry date while the debit order continues. Before accepting an upgrade or allowing your account to continue month to month, check the expiry notice, recent bills and the condition of your phone.

Start with the expiry notice

Section 14 of the Consumer Protection Act requires that a supplier notify you, as the consumer, 40 to 80 business days before your fixed-term agreement expires. Unless you cancel or renew, the agreement continues month to month under the terms disclosed in the notice. Ask your provider to confirm the monthly price after expiry, device balance, insurance, paid extras and cancellation process in writing.

Expiry does not force you into another handset deal. It separates the mobile service from the phone you already own, which makes the full cost easier to judge.

Check your last three bills

Record your data use, call minutes, out-of-bundle charges and recurring extras. A clear view of the settings and habits using your mobile data could show whether a proposed package could exceed your recent usage.

Compare prepaid, SIM-only and month-to-month prices using those figures. Check your coverage at home, work and other places where you use your phone regularly.

Decide whether you need to replace your phone

Contract expiry might not always mean that you should replace your handset. Check the battery, storage, screen, camera and software support before you consider another phone. Compare the cash price with the total payable under a new contract. Current prices for phones outside the premium price bracket give you a figure to compare with the handset part of the deal.

Price the full agreement

Multiply the monthly fee by the number of months. Next, add the upfront payment, connection fee, insurance and every paid service attached to your account. Finally, compare the result with the cash price of the phone plus mobile service bought separately.

Separate phone data from home internet

Using one phone for laptops, televisions and other household devices places all usage on the same data allowance. A portable mobile Wi-Fi setup could give your household data its own connection and package.

A cellphone contract expires on a date. The decision that follows has nothing to do with the calendar. It has everything to do with what you need, what you use and what you are willing to pay.

Many people might spend a lot time comparing new phones instead of reading the agreement attached to one. A few minutes with your recent bills could reveal whether another 24-month commitment makes financial sense. Expiry is not necessarily a deadline to upgrade; you could see it as opportunity to choose while having the full picture in front of you.