Mobile users waste free minutes
Brits with mobile phones waste over 100 inclusive minutes every month, according to uSwitch.Although two-thirds of contract-holders receive an average of 257 peak and 257 off-peak minutes included in their monthly charges, only two of the six main service providers offer a rollover system.The average monthly contract also includes 299 peak texts and 244 off-peak texts, yet 73 of these are unused by the end of the month.This means that people on mobile contracts are wasting about £50 each on unused minutes and texts every year, according to uSwitch. Even though people on monthly contracts don't use all of their allotted free time, users tend to spend just over £6 more per month on non-inclusive minutes and text, which means they may be on inappropriate deals. Chris Frost, mobile phone expert for uSwitch.com, said: "This research brings into sharp focus the true cost of locking into what is often an 18-month contract period without understanding whether the tariff is right for your personal needs. Over the course of a contract consumers can be forking out almost £80 more than they need to. "Our research findings show that mobile contract customers are inadvertently losing out financially in two ways. Not only are we failing to take full advantage of our 'free' minutes and texts; on top of contract costs we are going on to pay a further £56 million collectively for non-inclusive texts and talk time."
Share this..
Related stories
Bank of England calls for more power
The UK regulatory framework for the financial sector looks like finding itself in the middle of a serious power struggle after the Bank of England announced that it would request more powers from the government to intervene directly in markets. This has the potential to put the Bank at odds with the FSA which for many years now has been the preferred regulator of the financial services market.
Mervyn King backs radical changes in UK banking sector
Mervyn King, the Gov of the Bank of England, has today come out in support of Pres Obama's drastic move to control and restrict the power and growth in the worldwide banking sector. He believes that the UK needs a "safer and more robust banking system" and believes Pres Obama's move will prompt a wider debate about the pros and cons of the worldwide financial sector. If we take a step back to w...
Read MoreKraft Foods in debt sell-off
Kraft Foods, recently confirmed as the proud owner of Cadbury, will this week be selling off debt to investors in tranches of no less than $1 billion. In effect the company is looking to refinance the debt it took on in connection with the Cadbury deal with the bonds expected to have a life of 3.25 years, six years, 10 years and 30 years. Investors in Kraft Foods recently saw the company's cred...
Read MoreCouncil tax to rise 4.3 per cent
The average amount of council tax to be paid on dwellings in England will rise by 4.3 per cent in 2007-08, the government has revealed.Today's official figures, a requirement of last week's Budget, show that two adults living in a band D property will have to pay £1,321 in council tax, compared to £1,268 last year.In London the average bill will be £1,258, lower than that of both other metropol...
Read MoreHas unemployment peaked?
Over the last few months there has been much concern over the UK unemployment figures although of late there would appear to be an easing in the rise in unemployment. Figures due fairly shortly are set to confirm that unemployment in the UK has reached 2.5 million although the relatively slow rate of increase has surprised many analysts. So what is happening? While the headline figure of 2.5 mi...
Read More