Last updated on December 13, 2015
We all want to be able to get the best possible deal while not sacrificing benefits. Now that 4G is offered by all of the major UK operators, competition in the market place has been increased.
For a year there could be no competing as only EE were able to offer the service. Now that Vodafone, O2 and 3 Mobile have joined in, there is a healthy competition which will only be of benefit to us as consumers.
We can now expect a variety of options when picking a tariff and 4G contract, and as I have always said: A life with no options is really no life at all.
The Search for Perfection
There are many points to consider as you begin your search for the perfect contract on 4G. The first consideration must surely be to make sure that you can actually get the service where you live.
EE cover most of the UK now and the other three operators are not too far behind, you should have a look at all of their individual coverage checkers to make sure that your town has not been forgotten. If you are a city dweller then you can pretty much guarantee service from all of the operators now.
Which Phone?
So you have the coverage, that much is certain, but now you need to find the right phone for you. There are so many different smart devices on the market now that it really seems hard to understand the difference for many of us.
The truth is that much will come down to the OS (Operating System) which you feel more comfortable with. Android has made considerable improvements to their system in recent years and has capitalised on the uncertainty surrounding the future of Apple in the wake of the sad loss of their leader Steve Jobs, a pure visionary who brought so many of the ideas and technological advances that we now take for granted.
The Apple iOS is still the overall best system for many users because of its simplicity, coupled with the massive volume of Apps that you can download.
Windows now also have an OS which is aimed at business users predominantly and the introduction of their system also paved the way for Nokia to re-enter the phone market as they signed up to become the main provider of handsets for this Operating System.
You then must consider the look and the size of the phone. Some of the handsets can measure up to six inches which is not exactly pocket size and for most of us would be slightly over the top. Many phones now boast quad-core processors and great cameras with various other features like fingerprint readers for security and large amounts of memory to store all of our vital information and documents.
The Bundle Requirements of Your 4G Contract
Next to consider will be your usage requirements. As with the phones, there are a whole host of different bundles available. Some concentrate on call time and texts, others offer unlimited data and there are options which provide an even spread across all three.
You need to work out what your own personal requirements will be, but if you are looking for 4G then it is a relatively safe bet that you are going to want some decent amounts of data. There are unlimited data deals out there which are often coupled with unlimited texts and minutes.
Price vs. Options
Let us not forget the budget which you have per month. Many of us would consider £50 per month to be slightly excessive for a contract over a couple of years, so set your limitations in terms of the amount you have available to spend. Once this has been decided upon you can then choose your phone, look at the coverage checker to make sure that you can actually get 4G service, and then try to find the best amount of minutes, texts and data for your chosen phone.
It sounds like a long and drawn out process but there are so many comparison websites out there that will be able to do all the hard work for you. Just choose your parameters and hit the search button and watch as the results come flooding in.
Operator Reputation
There are four companies who provide 4G coverage and some of them have struggled with various aspects of providing a decent overall service to their customers in recent years. EE were the first to introduce 4G to the UK, and while the speed of the connection and the pace at which they rolled out the coverage to the UK was undoubtedly impressive, many find their customer service and tariffs to be sadly lacking.
On the other hand, O2 have a great reputation for customer service but they cannot quite boast the same speeds in terms of connectivity yet. Given that they only entered the market in August however, we are likely to see a good increase in the next few months to bring them in line with EE.
Vodafone and 3 Mobile have also struggled with various aspects of the launch but have now teamed up in an attempt to get the product out to as many of us as they possibly can before they get completely swallowed up by the other two.
A Different Option
There are some good options away from a contract which should not be overlooked. GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and ASDA all provide excellent options for 4G service on a month by month basis. You will not get a handset but you can usually get all the data, calls and texts you will need for around £15 per month.
Despite the initial outlay for the phone of your choice, over the course of the next two years the savings you will have made in comparison to the cost of a two year deal to which you will be tied in completely, will surpass any expectations you could have.
Phil Turner was not a huge user of the Internet on his smartphone but still needed a fast connection. He went online to find out if there was another alternative to a long 4G contract such as a pay as you go option.
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