Best phone networks for perks including free music streaming – you could save over £600 a year
IF you’re signing up to a new mobile phone contract – then you might be able to bag freebies that add up to more than £600 a year
As well as fun perks such as free coffees and sweets, contracts can help you slash costs on services such as Netflix and Apple Music.
Simrat Sharma, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, said: “There are a number of mobile providers who offer rewards and incentives as a part of their plans, from free coffees and breakfasts to free cinema tickets and music subscriptions.
“If you’re already a big user of features such as TV and music streaming or frequently visit the cinema, these incentives can really stack-up and help you save money in the long run.
“Sky Mobile was the public’s choice when it came to ‘Best Network for Perks’ in this year’s Uswitch Telecoms Awards thanks to some really handy features like data rollover as well as the ability to stream Sky TV content using mobile data without it coming out your allowance.
“Overall, perks can really cut your personal costs down when selected carefully, as part of your mobile package.”
However, there is a warning you need to be aware of.
Simrat Sharma added: “It’s important to remember, the saving only applies if you plan to spend on these things anyway – don’t be swayed by something that sounds like great value, but that you wouldn’t normally use.”
It’s important to check the terms and conditions of any contract you’re thinking of moving to and your current contract to ensure you won’t be hit with surprise costs such as a hefty exit fee.
Compare prices of contracts and only go with one with added perks if it will save you money on services you already pay for.
Here’s what perks and freebies each major mobile network is offering at the moment – and the best could save you £612 a year.
Virgin Media O2, perks worth around £342.94 a year
O2 Priority offers a huge range of perks to its customers from free food and drink to priority access for major event tickets.
Some of the more everyday perks include a free Greggs coffee and breakfast roll every week, as well discounts at PizzaExpress and cut price cinema tickets.
O2 Priority also gives members the chance to purchase tickets to shows in O2 venues 48-hours ahead of general release.
There are also perks for those attending events at Twickenham Stadium, including priority queueing and money off food and drink as well as entertainment giveaways such as six free months of Disney Plus.
O2 Priority also holds regular competitions to win cash prizes, holidays or cars.
Vodafone, perks worth around £612 a year
Vodafone’s VeryMe Rewards loyalty programme offers a variety of perks from discounted tickets at Odeon cinemas to exclusive high street offers.
Vodafone also issues 25,000 supermarket vouchers every year to help customers with the price of their weekly shop.
Every Friday it releases exclusive high street discounts and freebies as well as offering discounted passes for fun family days out and holding regular prize draws and competitions.
Customers on a Red bundle can also access entertainment from content providers – including YouTube premium, Spotify premium and Amazon Prime, as part of their mobile plan.
Vodafone also offers a number of other benefits including a free content transfer to your new handset as well as a free courtesy phone if your handset needs to be sent off for repair.
Three, perks worth around £576 a year
Three customers using the Three+ rewards app can access offers from brands including Zizzi, Caffè Nero, Bloom & Wild and Go Ape.
Every week, customers can get a barista made drink at Caffè Nero for just £1.
When The Sun checked the offers available also included a Zizzi pizza for £5, £3 Cineworld tickets and 10% off at Nike.
EE, perks worth around £59.94 a year
One of the biggest perks offered by EE is six free months of Apple Music for all pay monthly mobile customers.
Pay-as-you-go customers do also get some rewards, including free minutes, texts or data every three months, with those freebies getting bigger the longer you stay with EE.
EE also offers smart number technology at no extra cost, allowing you to use your number across devices.
The provider also has exclusive discounts for NHS employees including 20% discounts and fast-track repairs.
Lebara
Lebara offers sim-only deals using the Vodafone network.
Its rewards package includes:
- 20% off refurbished phones
- Discounts on broadband and insurance
- 60% off your first Gousto box and 25% off all boxes for two months
- Get £5 off your first Iceland order when you spend £45 or more
USwitch said that for customers on its 1GB rolling one-month plan, which is just £3.95 per month, these perks could be worth more than 20 times the monthly cost of the plan.
Voxi
Voxi runs on Vodafone’s network and offers unlimited data for social media, meaning you can use Snapchat, Instagram, and WhatsApp without eating into your monthly data allowance.
But, that’s not the only perk available.
Video can be also be streamed without eating into your data and all plans charged at £12 or above also offer unlimited music, so you can stream from your favourite provider without denting your data allocation. .
Voxi also has Voxi Drop, which gives users access to freebies and discounts every month.
Offers have included Candy Kitten sweets and two Odeon cinema tickets for £8.
Plus if you refer a friend to the network you will both get £20 in Amazon vouchers.
Smarty
Smarty’s major perk is reimbursing customers for their unused data.
For every GB you don’t use the network will take £1.25 off your next bill.
And every time you refer a friend to the network you’ll both receive a £10 voucher.
You can also get up to £30 off a refurbished device and a free case from Reboxed.
BT Mobile
BT Mobile, which is powered by EE, allows you add to add a free content service to your contact.
Options include TNT Sports (previously BT Sports), Microsoft 365, Netflix, a Roam Abroad Pass or an Xbox Game Pass.
BT also allows you to add additional sims to your contract at a cheaper rate – great if you’re looking for a deal for the whole family.
Sky Mobile
Sky Mobile allows you to roll over unused data at the end of each month.
This is stored in an online piggybank for up to three years at no extra cost.
Customers will also get the Sky Go Extra app for free on up to four devices, allowing you ro stream live and catch up TV from your Sky package on your device.
Existing Sky TV customers can also get free unlimited texts and calls on a SIM-only deal.
Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile customers can collect Clubcard points for every £1 they spend on their monthly contract or credit top-up.
Pay monthly customers with more than one contract on their account can also add a free perk every month, with each contract holder able to choose from extra data, minutes, Clubcard points or money off their bill.
Meanwhile Tesco Mobile customers on pay-as-you-go deals can triple their credit every month.
If you top up £10, Tesco Mobile will give you an extra £20 of credit for free, giving you £30 in total.
The free credit will last for a month and can be used for calls, texts, and data.
How to save on your mobile phone bill
NOT happy with your current mobile phone deal?
If you’re outside the minimum term of your contract then you won’t need to pay a cancellation fee – and you might be able to find a cheaper deal elsewhere.
But don’t just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you’re currently paying.
Take a look at how many minutes and texts, as well as how much data you’re using, to find out which deal is best for you.
For example, if you’re a heavy internet user it’s worth finding a deal that accommodates this so you don’t end up spending extra on bundles or add-ons each month.
Also note that if you’re still in your contract period, you might be charged an exit fee.
Ready to look elsewhere? Pay-as-you-go deals are better for people who don’t regularly use their phone, while monthly contracts usually work out cheaper for those who do.
It’s worth using comparison websites, such as MoneySupermarket and uSwitch.com, to compare tariffs and phone prices.
Billmonitor also matches buyers to the best pay-monthly deal based on their previous three months of bills.
It only works if you’re a customer of EE, O2, Three, Vodafone or Tesco Mobile and you’ll need to log in with your online account details.
There’s also MobilePhoneChecker, which has a bill monitoring feature that recommends a tariff based on your monthly usage.
If you’re happy with your provider then it might be worth using your research to haggle a better deal.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories