Martin Lewis has advised mobile phone users to send a free text message to check if they can reduce their bills. The Money Saving Expert highlighted that many people are overpaying on contracts, especially as April price hikes loom.
From April, mobile contracts are set to rise by roughly 6% or £2 per month, depending on the contract. However, Ofcom has banned mid-contract inflation-linked price rises for new contracts taken out from January onward, where customers were told the exact increase in pounds and pence.
Lewis warned that millions on older contracts taken out before January will still face inflation-linked rises. Many may be 'out of contract' without realising it, meaning they could avoid the increase by switching. When a handset is fully paid off, bills should drop significantly, but companies often continue charging the same amount.
He urged viewers to text 'INFO' to 85075 for free to check their status. Customers on Three, iD Mobile, or Smarty will need to confirm their date of birth. The service will reveal if there are early termination charges; if these are £0, the user is out of contract and free to switch.
Lewis also advised using comparison sites to find cheaper providers on the same network. For those wanting to keep their number, texting 'PAC' to 65075 provides a code to give to the new provider.
