Mobile phone dealers in the UK

Why buy from a mobile phone dealer?

The biggest potential benefits of buying from a dealer instead of a mobile network apply in respect of pay monthly / contract phones. And the best deals are typically offered online rather than in dealers' high street shops.

When buying a contract mobile phone from a dealer, it's possible that you'll either a) be able to buy it more cheaply than from a network or b) have the option of receiving a free gift as part of your contract deal. Note that we said "potential" benefits. Also, some gifts described as being "free" may best be considered as "included within the price" - read on below for more about popular mobile dealer offers.

Our site features links to six online mobile phone dealers, each forming part of either Phones4U or The Carphone Warehouse. We've chosen these mobile dealers because they are large, well established and open about financial information (CPW is part of a PLC and Phones 4U's holding company publishes accounts online). These characteristics matter because, in the past, many smaller dealers have gone out of business, leaving customers to face much higher overall costs than they were expecting.

See the left hand panel to learn more about our featured mobile dealers. Or visit their online shops now by clicking the logos below:

Phones4U:			Carphone Warehouse:

Up to 12 months free line rental

Mobile phone dealers often offer discounted or free line rental for part or even the whole of a minimum contract period. If you cancel at the end of your contract and successfully receive your full discount, then you may well get the phone you want for a lower overall price than by buying from a network.

However, beware of potential pitfalls. Line rental discounts are usually offered as cashback. You'll normally have to pay for line rental in full each month, then claim money back from the dealer in stages. It's vital to submit claims correctly or you could lose your entire cashback entitlement. Such mobile phone deals are only as good as they are because mobile dealers assume that some people will either forget or not bother to claim or make other mistakes, meaning they don't have to pay everyone's cashback.

Some dealers - including Phones 4U - also offer mobile phone deals with automatic cashback. The total price (over the full contract period) may not be as cheap as deals involving manual claims, but the main benefit of automatic cashback is that you don't need to make any claims to receive your payments.

Another point to consider is that dealers can go out of business, which is bad news if they owe you cashback. We feature only larger dealers, which we believe represent a much lower risk than others.

Mobile phones with free gifts

Other incentives offered by mobile phone dealers include "free gifts" such as games consoles, LCD televisions and even laptop PCs. Bear in mind that nothing in life is usually really "free"! Check the monthly cost and the minimum contract period and see how much it would cost to get that same phone either with the same dealer or elsewhere without the gift. The difference in overall price may be more than the value of the supposed freebie.

Of course, if the deal really does stack up - or you simply consider it a fair overall price for things that you definitely want and might otherwise need to buy separately, then a mobile phone deal with a free gift may be perfect for you. But do check the figures first - our price comparison tool might prove helpful.

Mobile dealers vs networks

The UK's mobile networks are offering increasingly competitive deals, especially online. If you don't fancy the hassle of claiming cashback or would rather deal directly with a network, visit their online shops before you buy. Networks now offer a full range of products online including contract and pay as you go mobile phones, mobile broadband and SIM card only deals.