Mobile Network Comparison

So the iPad mini was announced yesterday and, as predicted, it requires a nano-SIM card. While most of our Top 10 mobile networks provide their own nano-SIMs, Giffgaff haven’t got theirs ready yet. So if you want to use an iPad mini on Giffgaff you’re out of luck … until now, that is 🙂

We are using specialist equipment to produce Giffgaff nano-SIMs and are offering them free to all our readers. If you want to try out Giffgaff and save money with an iPad mini, order one today. Best of all, our nano-SIMs all come with £5 free credit included.

The iPad mini is the cheaper, smaller cousin of the latest tablet offering from Apple, the new iPad. It weighs in at only 308g and is wafer-thin with a thickness of just 7.2mm. The display is a generous 7.9″ and it comes with the same great 5 megapixel camera supported by the full-sized iPad which shoots lush 1080p video. Best of all, it’s much much cheaper than the new iPad with prices starting at just £269. And luckily, now you can get a cut-priced nano-SIM to use with it and benefit from £5 free credit to start you off.

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EE – the specialist 4G network run by Everything Everywhere/Orange/T-Mobile has finally released its 4G pricing plans. It’s opted to keep it all very simple – all plans come with unlimited calls and unlimited texts. The only choice you have is how much data you want.

Contract prices range between £36/month and £56/month putting them about £5/month more than the equivalent 3G plans on Orange or T-Mobile. Unfortunately no unlimited data tariffs have been announced yet – the most data you can get is 8GB/month. Without further ado, here’s the options that are available.

Our first reaction is that the extra cost above standard 3G services isn’t too bad. Compared to the iPhone 5 prices with Orange and T-Mobile on 3G, you only have to pay £5/month extra. For example, an iPhone 5 on Orange or T-Mobile will cost £36/month for unlimited calls, unlimited texts and 1GB data allowance on top of the subsidised price of the handset (which depends on the model you want). With EE you’ll be paying £41/month for the same deal but with superfast 4G internet.

EE is clearly playing tactically here – making the price more than 3G but not imposing too great a premium. This way they can emphasise the advantages of having a 4G connection in your pocket while not introducing too great a psychological barrier to entry.

The SIM-only deals are a bit of a surprise but are very welcome. They aren’t too expensive either saving you £15/month over the standard contract-with-handset tariffs. This equates to £360 over the course of a two year contract. As an iPhone costs about £360 more unlocked and SIM-free than with a contract on T-Mobile or Orange, this seems about right. We can definitely see the pricing being tempting for some though although it would probably be more due to the unlimited calls than the paltry data limits.

And while we’re on the topic of the mobile internet allowances, let’s spend a little more time thinking about what you’re actually getting. The lack of any unlimited data tariff was expected (they want to rinse as much money out of 4G as possible) but it doesn’t make it any more welcome. Mobile networks are still getting away with charging completely unrealistic amounts for mobile bandwidth and 4G seems to only be making things worse. The costs incurred by the networks are negligible compared to the prices they are charging.

As for the proposed limits, we would be tempted to call them ludicrous. What’s the point of having an ultra-fast 4G LTE connection on your mobile phone if you’re limited to 500MB every month? Using a conservative download speed of 100 Mb/s (and ignoring any uploading) you could power through your limit knowingly or unknowingly in less than a minute. Effectively, if you use the full potential of the 4G connection you’re paying a premium for, your monthly allowance can be gone as fast as it takes a smartphone to turn on! Who really thinks that’s reasonable for £36/month?

Okay, so admittedly that’s not the most usage scenario. Let’s consider things people are more likely to be using their shiny new 4G phones for such as watching TV. Let’s also splash out a bit and go for the 3GB/month option costing us £46/month. That will last about 4 hours watching shows on iPlayer – that’s two episodes of Strictly Come Dancing or only about 8 minutes of TV a day. And each hour long show will cost you £11.50. Are there any shows you think are worth paying £11.50 an hour to see?

Overall, we think it’s quite unreasonable for mobile networks to still be charging this much. What’s makes it even worse is the fact there are no PAYG or budget options available. If you want a 8GB limit (enough to watch 4 episodes of Strictly or less than 25 minutes of video streaming per day) you have to fork out £56/month. When you realise that this is actually £672 a year and you haven’t even accounted for the cost of the 4G phone yet, it puts it into perspective a little. Do you really want to pay almost £700 every year just for fast internet on your phone? While the deals aren’t that much more than the standard 3G deals with T-Mobile and Orange, you can do a lot better elsewhere. For example, if you go for a PAYG deal, you can get unlimited data, texts and same-network calls for £12/month – that’s a yearly saving of well over 50% or £384.

So there you have it. While ostensibly this doesn’t seem too much more than existing price plans, the inflexibility and the terribly meagre allowances make it way too overpriced and almost completely pointless. What’s the point in paying for superfast 4G if you constantly have to be watching yourself to not spent too much or go over your limit? And then there’s the issue of being locked into a two year contract that we haven’t even gone into. So overall, not too great a surprise but still very poor value for money in our opinion. There was a preiod when more and more refreshing unlimited data tariffs were coming out but it seems times are changing again. We’re still disappointed that mobile networks seem to think themselves justified in overcharging for data. The only thing that will stop them is consumers not falling for it and letting them get away with it.

What do you think? Are the prices reasonable? Is there any point having a 500MB allowance on a 4G contract? And will you be jumping at the chance to get superfast internet on your phone?

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The stunning Samsung Galaxy S3 has been the most successful Android smartphone this year, but at a high price it’s not always best to use the device without decent protection. Today we look at the top 5 protective cases for the Galaxy S3.

KolayClear S-Line Gel Silicone Case

Only £0.95

For under £1, the Clear S-line case will come with not only a silicone case, but also a screen protector and a sock for your S3. It’s not going to protect your case much from a heavy drop, but it fits easily onto your handset and provides grip that is quite unapparent with the device on its own.

The case and screen protector together allow you to place your Galaxy S3 into your pocket without worry, as the handset will remain scratch-free. The sock provides a little extra protection, and for just ninety five pence, the three-piece combo is the perfect product for S3 owners that have little money in their pockets.

Durability
Design
Cost
Feel
Protection

Zenus Masstige Leather Case

Only £24.95

The Zenus Masstige E-Note case is made from real leather and firmly clips your Galaxy S3 onto a plastic backing inside the wallet-like interior without losing the vintage feel of the leather case. On the inside there are four pockets on the left which can store credit cards and cash. The pockets comfortably hold your cash and cards, and the leather provides enough padding to lessen the worry of scraping the plastic on your handsets screen.

The case adds a bit more grip to the slippery surface of the S3, and although it’s constructed with many strips of leather, the device still feels slim and easy to hold when in the case.

Durability
Design
Cost
Feel
Protection

Terrapin Premium PU Leather Flip Case

Was £19.99 Now £7.99

If you’re looking for a little more style to add to your Galaxy S3, a range of cases made by Terrapin allow you to keep your handset protected without losing any style or functionality of the device.

Terrapin offer two versions of their product, the first being a £7.99 version which clips your S3 into a plastic backing attached to the fabric case. It fits snugly in the case and has four pockets on the left side which can store your cards and cash. The fabric case feels quite bulky and can be a little troublesome to fit into smaller pockets, but you can feel confident that if dropped on any hard surfaces, the thick padding is likely to prevent damage. With a huge discount, this is a great buy to snap up.

The second offering by Terrapin is a smaller flip caseis priced at £3.99 and doesn’t include the wallet features. Many of the colours and designs are for a female audience, but there are some unisex designs as well, and some cases are made from different materials, allowing you to purchase something that matches your preference.

Durability
Design
Cost
Feel
Protection

Otterbox Commuter

Was £29.99 Now £18.13

The Otterbox Commuter is an all-round case suitable for protecting your device, keeping it clean in your pocket, and adding grip, all whilst keeping the weight and width to a minimum, making it a preferred choice when out and about. The case comes with two separate components, both needed to keep the device as sturdy as possible, while adding an extra layer of durability to the product itself.

It’s a little hard to get on, but after the initial struggle, the Commuter feels at home on the Galaxy S3. It stays firmly attached to your handset, and feels strong enough to absorb the impact of most common accidents you may come across. And with the case currently reduced, now’s a great time to buy.

Durability
Design
Cost
Feel
Protection

Case-Mate Pop

Only £24.99

Case-Mate lives up to its good reputation with its S3 Pop; the quality is of a high standard, and the product feels very sturdy and durable in the hand. It’s easy to put the S3 in and out of the case, but once attached, it stays in place and won’t fall out.

The case has two grip pads on either side making it comfortable and secure in your hand, whilst keeping a slim form factor to the device. The case is of a similar complexity to the Galaxy S3 itself, making it feel like a part of the handset instead of an attachable peripheral.

An interesting addition to the case is a pop-out stand on the back that can hold your phone up on a flat surface. The stand positions the phone at a viewable angle, and keeps it in place without any wobbling. The stand feels a little flimsy under the weight of your fingers when using the touchscreen, but it manages to cope with day-to-day use.

Overall, this is a premium case for a premium product. If you value your S3, you should get a case that will protect it no matter what and look good at the same time. This is our pick for the best case available for this phone – click the more info button above to learn more about why we like it so much.

Durability
Design
Cost
Feel
Protection

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