Millions of Brits could be missing out on more than £100 every year by not switching mobile provider

• One fifth of UK mobile phone users (19%) have never changed their mobile network provider and nearly half (48%) say cheaper monthly payments would be their biggest driver for switching

• Many remain with four operators in the market (EE, Vodafone, O2, Three) who have implemented mid contract price rises of up to 17% this year

• Brits are missing out on a potential £1bn worth of savings each year and with it only taking 60 seconds to be ready to switch mobile providers, Sky has partnered with personal finance expert and author, Iona Bain, to provide people with useful tips and advice for switching 

New research shows that nine million Brits could be missing out on substantial savings on their mobile phone bills by remaining with their long-term mobile phone operator. ¹ 

One fifth of UK mobile phone users (19%) have never changed their network provider and over a quarter more (28%) haven’t switched mobile provider for more than five years. However, Brits could be overpaying, with those that switched and saved in the last three years saying they saved more than £100 a year on average. In fact, more than three quarters of a million people saved upwards of £240 a year. ² 

Many are unaware of the savings they could be making with nearly a fifth (17%) saying the reason they don’t switch is that they don’t think they would save any money, and one in ten say it’s too much hassle (10%). 

£1bn industry knowledge gap 

Almost a quarter of mobile phone users (24%) are with their current provider because they were lured by a good deal when they first signed up and a fifth (19%) say they use their current provider just because it’s who they have always used.

However, people are not checking that their deals remain competitive – over a fifth (21%) let their contract renew without ever shopping around. 

A big reason is that many feel tied to EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. 33% of all mobile phone users are unsure what they would gain from switching, going up to 35% of O2 users. Similarly, 17% worry they wouldn't get good signal with other providers, going up to 25% of Vodafone users.

However, mobile network operators that are disrupting the market - those outside of these four players - often offer much cheaper tariffs and actually use the same networks, with Sky Mobile providing 99% coverage across the UK. The same as EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three.

This knowledge gap is resulting in Brits missing out on a potential £1bn worth of savings each year.³

Paul Sweeney, Managing Director at Sky Mobile, said: “The traditional mobile market has been disrupted by new players, but many mobile users do not realise the benefits that can be had from switching to these newer providers, particularly relating to cost. Half of Brits say they want cheaper mobile bills – and they could save £100 a year if they switched.”

“To further encourage people to switch we are launching a football inspired ‘Switching Window’ from now until the 1 September, encouraging people to switch by Transfer Deadline Day, giving them the Summer to discover what operator and deal is right for them.”⁴

Switching apathy

Switching inertia stretches across all areas of life, with half of the nation admitting they dislike making changes in their daily lives (50%), and a similar percentage (54%) feeling nervous and apprehensive about those changes.

Sky Mobile has partnered with personal finance expert and founder of the Young Money Blog, Iona Bain, to provide people with advice on how and when to switch, and insights into the benefits of doing so. She says: “Switching things in life can be a daunting prospect which is evident in Sky Mobile’s research which highlighted that a staggering 47% of us actively try and avoid making changes in our lives.

“However, to save money, it is important to always be checking for the best deal, whether it’s with your utilities, gym membership or mobile phone service provider. Cutting corners or not being prepared to do the research can tie you in to a more expensive contract that prevents you from saving. I was shocked to hear that over a fifth of UK adults let their mobile contracts renew without shopping around for a better deal. Saving has become increasingly difficult over the past 12 months, so if you are soon to be out of contract, shop around, and assess the market”.

Iona Bain shares five top tips for people when it comes to switching:

1. Review how you use your phone. Our phone habits evolve over time, and you might now be overpaying on your contract if you’re not using your full data, text or call allowance.  

2. Get organised. Figure out when your contract is coming to an end and put that date in your diary – you can then get switching in the 30 days leading up to your contract expiring. 

3. Know your rights. You can switch mobile contract if your network raises prices above the retail price index (RPI) rate of inflation and this isn’t mentioned in your contract, or if you’re in the first 14 day cooling off period of a new contract you started online or over the phone. Some providers, like Sky Mobile, don’t implement mid contract price rises.   

4. Budget right. When signing up to make monthly payments for 12, 18 or even 24 months, make sure you can set aside the amount for contractual payments even if your financial situation changes. 

5. Don’t put it off. Switching contracts is really easy – you simply text PAC for free to 65075 on any network to get your porting authorisation code (PAC), then you simply give that switching code to your new provider within 30 days. You’ll then be switched within one working day.  

Find out more about Sky Mobile coverage at https://www.sky.com/shop/mobile

Notes to editors

Sky Mobile has a 'no mid contract price rise' promise

¹ Consumer polling conducted by Opinium between 24-26 May 2023 of 2,000 UK adults 

The 9m figure was calculated by people in the UK aged 18 or over [53.1m according to ONS population estimates] x the percentage of Brits that have never changed their network provider [0.1750] = 9.3m

²39% of mobile phone users switched in the last 3 years, 46% said they saved and 4% of this group said they saved at least £20.01 per month. This equates to 1.45% of the total UK population. 1.45% of 53.1m is 770,211. 
³The £1bn figure was calculated by: the above 9.3m calculation x the £100 average saving among those who switched and saved in the Opinium survey. 

⁴ Sky Mobile offers deals throughout the year and mobile users are able to switch at any time, however this summer Sky Mobile has partnered with Sky Sports to mark the football Transfer Window, with Sky Mobile deals across June, July and August to give customers even more of a reason to make the transfer/switch this summer. Sky Mobile enables customers to stream Sky apps – including Sky Sports on Sky Go - without using any of their data.