A pay monthly deal is where you pay a set amount of money each month for a phone that has a monthly allowance of minutes, texts and data. Normally this’ll be over a period of 24 months, but you can get 18-month contracts, 12-month contracts and even 1-month rolling contracts.

You can choose either a 12, 18 or 24-month contract.

You’ll be charged a fixed monthly fee for:

•         Line rental to your chosen network
•         A set amount of minutes, texts and internet data

Some deals require a one-off charge for your phone upfront.

We’ll ask for a credit check before you can take out a contract.

The main advantage of a pay monthly contract - compared with SIM free or pay as you go - is that you can get one of the latest phones without paying the full amount. The cost of the phone is covered by your monthly payments, and you pay it off over the course of your contract.

If you love talking, texting and going online, you can get a bigger bundle of calls, texts and data on a pay monthly contract than a pay as you go one. So you’ll always be connected. And there’s no topping up, just one monthly hassle-free payment by Direct Debit.

Lots of pay monthly contracts also come with free gifts and treats, especially for newly released handsets - so keep an eye out for them!

When you buy a smartphone on contract from Carphone Warehouse, you spread the cost of the handset over the entire length of the agreed plan. On top of that, you pay a set amount per month to cover your use of minutes, texts and data.

On the other hand, SIM Only plans are for those that already own a phone, or who’re looking to buy one outright. As the name suggested, a SIM only plans means you’re only paying for a SIM card.

Not always. But with some pay monthly phone deals, you’ll need to pay an upfront cost when you sign up.

The more expensive the phone, the more likely it is to have an upfront cost attached to it. This is why most newly released phones require an upfront payment. Older models, on the other hand, quite often come with no upfront cost.

If you’re only 14 days into your contract there might be a cooling-off period in place that lets you cancel for free. These cooling-off periods are usually only found on contracts taken out online or over the phone, as opposed to ones signed up for instore – so it’s worth checking before you buy.  

If you’re looking to upgrade to one of the best new phones around, head over to our mobile phones page. You can check out our best-selling iPhone and Android deals, and view the latest phones from the biggest brands. Best of all, you’ll be able to try out our new quick upgrade deal finder to get the phone that’s right for you.

Not many mobile networks have these types of plans. But the good news is that we do currently offer fantastic Vodafone unlimited data SIM only and pay monthly deals online!

Alternatively, if you think you need a lot of monthly data, you should be able to find pay monthly phone plans with 100GB data quite easily at Carphone Warehouse.  That’s a serious amount of data! According to recent reports, the average amount of mobile data being used in the UK each month is a mere 2.5GB.

With 100GB you can stream movies from Netflix and listen to music streaming services (such as Apple Music or Spotify) regularly each day. Even watching 24 hours of HD quality Netflix in a month doesn’t use up 100GB!

Check out the network coverage in your area before you choose your network. All the big networks cover most of the country, but if you live in a signal black spot or in a remote location then use our coverage checker tool before you decide which network to go with.

And while you’re at it, check out the network benefits that you can get!

O2 has its famous O2 Priority promotion, packed with benefits and freebies including half price entry to tourist attractions, and access to gig tickets up to 48 hours before general sale.

EE offers 3 months free BT Sport on your mobile, and 6 months free Apple Music.

Vodafone has Red Entertainment packages with up to 24 months of Spotify Premium, NOW TV or Sky Sports.

And with iD Mobile, you get free data rollover, bill capping and inclusive roaming in 50 destinations.

Before you sign up we ask for a credit check, so you have to be 18 years or older – or you could ask an adult to take out a contract for you. This means the credit check and bills will be in their name.

If you’re buying online or over the phone, your credit or debit card can be used as proof of identity,

If you’re buying in-store, a valid Chip and PIN credit or debit card can be used as proof of your signature and address. You’ll need the relevant PIN for your card.

The billing address for your card and your pay monthly contract must be the same.

Please note that in some stores, it might be possible to pay with a different card to the one used as proof of identity. Ask in-store for details.

You don't need to be a British citizen, but you do need to have lived in the UK for at least three years before you can take out a contract.

Your network will be able to provide this information if you give them a call. But before you do this, check any paperwork you were given when you originally joined the network. The contract end date might be on there. Or if you use a network app, see if there’s an option on there to view your contract details.

When your phone contract ends, don’t worry - it doesn’t just switch off. You’ll just carry on with your network provider on the same tariff until you upgrade or cancel the contract.

There’s no better place to upgrade to a new plan than at Carphone Warehouse, whether you’re looking for a new Pay Monthly Plan,  SIM only deal or a Pay As You Go phone. We compare the widest range of network deals to make sure you get the best one for you. To discuss your upgrade over the phone, call us on 0800 049 6248.

If there's something wrong with your product, you can visit any one of our stores to discuss a repair or exchange. Alternatively, give us a call on 0370 111 6565. We'll let you know if you are eligible for a return, exchange or repair. For example, 

• In the unlikely event your handset develops a manufacturer's fault within the first 30 days, providing you're eligible we'll happily exchange the product for you.
  
  
• In the unlikely event that your handset develops a manufacturer's fault after 30 days, providing you're eligible under the manufacturer's warranty, we'll happily repair the product for you.

It depends on the network you’re on. Most mobile networks let you do this, but some networks don’t, as they tie the contract to the person they run a credit check for.

If you’re network does let you transfer a phone contract to someone else, it’s usually quite an easy process. You may need to fill out a form or call them to organise it.

There’s isn’t a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to this question. It depends on your network, so you should check with them before you do anything with your phone.

For example, some mobile networks will say they still own the phone for the first six months of the contract, and during this time you’re forbidden from selling it or permanently giving it to someone else.

If your network’s terms and conditions state that you’re unable to sell the phone, we recommend that you keep it for the duration of your contract.

If you are allowed to sell your phone by your network, remember that you’re still responsible for paying off your contract each month. If you stop payments for some reason, the network could blacklist the device, which would obviously be a problem for the buyer and may leave you open to legal action from them.

We have to carry out a credit check if you want to sign up to a pay monthly mobile phone contract. Our mobile phone and internet providers use them to decide whether to offer you a contract.

If you're signing up online we'll send you an email if your application has been declined. If you don't hear anything you can assume your application has been accepted. If you’re buying in-store we'll let you know there and then if your application has been accepted.

If your application isn't accepted, we'll do our best to find a different product that suits your needs. Don’t try to buy a Pay Monthly contract online again - taking lots of checks can harm your credit rating. We've loads of great deals on Pay As You Go that don't require a credit check.