Help & FAQs


1        Can I change my contract before it expires?

You can, but you’ll probably have to pay to do so. Most contracts include a clause telling you what you will owe the company if you end the contract early. Usually this is the same as you would pay each month if you weren’t ending it, for example, if you pay £25 per month and you’re ending it 4 months early, you’d have to pay them £100. 

You may be able to offset this by recycling your phone though. Click here to see how much you could get for your phone.

2        How can I work out how many minutes and texts and how much data I need?

Have a look at your monthly bills. If you rarely use all your minutes, texts and data you might able to change to a contract with lower limits. If you usually go over you might be better off paying a bit more for a contract with higher limits rather than being charged extra for going over. You can then use JellyBabyMobile to search for the deals that best match your use. 



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3        Can I switch from my SIM only deal?

These are often 1 month at a time rolling contracts, in which case you only need to give 30 days notice that you want to end the contract. Others however are for 12 months or more, in which case this is effectively the same as a normal contract (see question 1).

4        Can I switch from my PAYG deal?

There are no fixed periods or tie-ins with Pay-As-You-Go-Deals, so you can change to another PAYG deal, a SIM only deal or a pay monthly contract whenever you want to. 



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5        Can I switch to a SIM only deal?

If you’re happy with your current phone but want a cheaper monthly payment or to increase your minutes, texts or data limit, a SIM deal might be for you.

Another advantage of SIM only deals is that often they’re for 1 month at a time, rolling contracts, so you’re not tied in next time you want to change.

Use JellyBabyMobile to find a SIM deal you like, then order your new SIM card. You will then need to get a PAC code from your existing network and give it to your new network (see questions 7 & 10). 




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6        Can I recycle my old phone?

If you’re on PAYG you’ve already paid for your phone, so you can recycle it whenever you want to.

If you’re on a contract, the phone becomes yours once the initial contract period has ended, so if your contract is for 24 months, don’t try to recycle it until after 24 months (or make sure you're getting enough money for recycling your phone to pay off your contract)!

There are loads of websites that will pay for your old phone, for example money4mymobile. Some phones are worth hundreds of pounds, so it’s well worth a look.

7        Can I keep my existing number?

Yes you can. What you need to do is get a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) from your current network. Legally they have to provide this to you if you request it. This is valid for 30 days, so you need to give this to your new provider (whether you’re taking up a new contract or a SIM only deal) within this time. They will then give you a date and time when calls to your number will go to your new phone / SIM.

In the meantime you’ll get a temporary number to use until your old number is switched, or you can just keep using your old number on your old phone / SIM until the changeover. However, Ofcom rules state that your current network must give you the code either immediately or by text within 2 hours, and your new network must use the code to transfer your number within 1 working day, so the process shouldn’t take too long. 

Or, if you can't be bothered to do this, just text everyone in your contacts to tell them your new number! 

NB: If you're on a cashback deal, you may need to tell the retailer that you've changed your number. Have a look on their website for how to do this, or ask them. 




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8        How does cash-back work?

There are 2 types of cash-back that you may be able to benefit from – redemption and automatic. Both are offered by phone-retailers (as opposed to buying from the networks themselves) and are therefore separate from your actual contract with the network.

Redemption cash-back – The key here is to remember to keep claiming your cash-back. How it works is when you take out the contract you’re told when you need to make your claims. Generally, for a 24 month contract, this will be after 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months. Typically you need to send a copy of your bill for that month to the retailer (not the network) and they send you a cheque back. Put it in your diary so you don’t forget!

Automatic cash-back – As the name suggests, it happens automatically and you don’t have to do anything - you get a cheque sent to you every month as long as you keep the contract going. It’s less hassle than redemption cash-back, but tends to give you less back.

Both types of offers can be found and compared using a comparison website. JellyBabyMobile makes it clear when a deal includes cash-back, and tells you the monthly cost with and without the cash-back discount.

You can also search for automatic cash-back only if you’d rather not have to claim a redemption cash-back.

Read the small print though, to make sure you know what you’re agreeing to do.

9        Do I need to get my phone unlocked?

Possibly, if you want to take up a SIM only deal. Some networks lock their phones when you buy one from them to discourage you from switching to another network. There’s nothing wrong with unlocking them however.

All you need to do is have a look online to find a website that will give you the unlocking code for your particular phone. Put your new SIM into your phone and enter the code.

Codes for most phones can be found for free, but occasionally you may have to pay for it. Again, there are websites that will sell you the code you need, or you may have a shop in your high street that will do it for you.

10        What’s a PAC code?

It’s short for Porting Authorisation Code, and you’ll need one if you want to switch network but keep your existing number. See question 7 for more info on how to do this.

11        Can I just get a better deal with my current network?

Possibly. Have a look on JellyBabyMobile first to see what deals are out there for your phone, then ring them to see what they can do for you.



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12       What's 4G?

At the moment, if you use your phone to look at the internet or send emails you'll be using 3G technology. 4G technology is basically quicker than 3G, meaning that you can download, surf or send more quickly.

It's available in some countries already, but isn't widely available in the UK yet. You'll need a 4G enabled phone in order to take advantage of it as well.

13       When is the UK getting 4G?

Orange and T-Mobile (under the name of EE) customers in some parts of the country have been able to get 4G from the end of October 2012, but other networks won't be able to offer it until later in 2013.

14       How can I copy my contacts onto my new phone?

There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can either put your new SIM card into your old phone, copy your contacts onto the SIM, then put the SIM into your new phone. Or you can copy your contacts onto your old SIM, put that SIM into your new phone, copy the contacts onto the phone, then replace it with your new SIM. Have a look at your owner's manual for further instructions on how to do this. (NB: This may only work if your old and new phones are on the same network or if one of the phones has been unlocked).

14       Who can help me with my new phone once I've got it?

Some of the retailers featured on this website offer free tech support for one month, which can come in handy. Look for deals from Dial a Phone and Mobiles.co.uk if you're interested in this.