Get free mobile calls for life!

As Orange launches the first £5 mobile phone tariff, we look at other deals which let you natter away free of charge...

When it comes to mobile phone deals, providers are always jostling for position. But mobile operator Orange threw down the gauntlet earlier this month, with the launch of the first £5 monthly tariff.

What's more, the deal includes not one, but two free phones during the lifetime of the contract, and an allowance of 50 anytime minutes and 50 texts per month.

This dream package does have one major drawback, however - in order to bag this deal you'll have to sign a massive 36 month contract. That's a three year commitment.

You can also sign up for Orange's £10 a month plan, which gets you 100 minutes and 300 texts. But this also has a 36 month tie-in period.

So, despite all these super cheap tariffs, these days, getting a good deal and a decent phone on a 12 month contract is becoming harder to come by. That said, if you know where to look, you could get unlimited phone calls for nothing.

The Skype's the limit

3 Mobile recently announced it was expanding its Skype service, and now allows you to make unlimited calls, without having to top-up a penny.

For anyone who hasn't been introduced to the world of Skype, this nifty service enables you to call fellow Skype-ers around the world free of charge, by making calls over the internet.

In the past, making Skype calls usually meant you had to be attached to your computer. But the introduction of the Skypephone means you can now do all this on the move.

You can install Skype software on any handset and network which supports it. But 3 has taken this enticing prospect one step further by enabling users to use Skype without having to commit to a minimum top-up or monthly payment.

This is great for anyone who has a Skypephone, and in theory, you and your loved ones could all invest in a Skype-enabled phone and get free calls for life.

But remember, the free calls only apply to Skype to Skype calls, and if you want to call a landline or mobile which doesn't have the software, you'll have to pay the relevant charges - or use credit from your standard top-ups.

The cheapest handset sold by 3 costs £70, but if you don't fancy forking out for a brand new phone, check if your existing one is Skype compatible. If it is, 3 will send a link to your phone so you can get up and running.

Back to basics

If all this technology malarkey is a bit too much, there are still some good deals available which don't involve making calls over the internet.

Virgin Mobile's pay monthly deal gives you 100 minutes and 100 texts for £8.50 a month, though you'll have to tie yourself in for 18 months.

When it comes to cost, this is not as good as the Orange £5 deal. But at half the contract length and with a better range of phones to choose from, unless you're a keen texter, I'd still pick Virgin over Orange.

Compare contract phones under £10 a month.

New for old

If having a new mobile phone isn't top of the agenda, both Vodafone and O2 offer £10 a month SIM-only plans, which include 100 minutes and 500 texts, or 150 minutes and 300 texts respectively.

Although you won't get a new phone, you won't have to commit to a lengthy agreement either, as contracts only tie you in for 30 days.

For more infrequent users, Asda Mobile (powered by Vodafone) offers the cheapest flat rate tariff, with calls at just 8p per minute, and texts at 4p.

This one-size-fits-all approach is better than many 'tiered tariffs' (where you pay a higher call rate for the first few minutes of use per day), as most pay-as-you-go users only use their phones occasionally.

Alternatively, rival supermarket Tesco doubles...or even triples any top-ups you make. If you top up £10, you'll get another £10 free. Top-up £15, and you'll get £45 to play with. And a £20 top-up gets you £60 of credit.

What's more, you can enjoy half price texts to members of your friends and family, with calls at 10p per minute and texts at 5p to any five of your favourite numbers.

Continued competition in the mobile phone world means there are always plenty of deals to choose from. But as prices continue to come down, contract lengths are only heading one way, and that's up. So be sure to take this into account before diving into a deal, as you could end up being tied to a very long contract.

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