Phone Week Your weekly fix of mobile, tech & telecom news

Phone Week

Your weekly fix of mobile, tech & telecom news

Latest Articles

Thirty Years of Number Portability: The Consumer Freedom That Was Quietly Stolen Back
Networks

Thirty Years of Number Portability: The Consumer Freedom That Was Quietly Stolen Back

Mobile number portability promised British consumers the freedom to switch networks without losing their phone number — a genuinely radical idea when it launched three decades ago. But in 2025, a combination of deliberate friction, opaque processes, and regulatory gaps means that promise has been significantly hollowed out, and the people paying the highest price are often those who can least afford it.
Grade B, A-Grade Bargain: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Buying Refurbished Smartphones in 2025
Reviews

Grade B, A-Grade Bargain: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Buying Refurbished Smartphones in 2025

The refurbished phone market in the UK has exploded well beyond second-hand iPhones, with a dizzying range of grading systems, retailers, and warranty promises now competing for your attention. We've cut through the confusion to explain what those condition grades actually mean, which UK sellers are worth trusting, and how to make sure your consumer rights have your back if things go wrong.
Dead Zones on the Daily Grind: The Commuters Paying Premium 5G Prices for a Signal That Vanishes the Moment They Leave Home
Networks

Dead Zones on the Daily Grind: The Commuters Paying Premium 5G Prices for a Signal That Vanishes the Moment They Leave Home

Millions of UK commuters are shelling out for 5G tariffs every month, yet the moment they board a train or step onto a bus, that blazing-fast connection disappears entirely. We dug into Ofcom data, spoke to frustrated commuters, and crunched the numbers on just how much this phantom service is actually costing British workers each year.
Amazon Prime Day 2024: Dates, Early Deals and the Best Phone & Tech Offers to Watch
Reviews

Amazon Prime Day 2024: Dates, Early Deals and the Best Phone & Tech Offers to Watch

Amazon Prime Day 2024 is almost here, and the early deals are already stacking up. Here's everything UK shoppers need to know about dates, what to expect, and which phone and tech bargains are worth your attention.
Wheels of Wonder: The 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Concept Cars of the Last Decade — And What They Mean for Your Connected Drive
Reviews

Wheels of Wonder: The 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Concept Cars of the Last Decade — And What They Mean for Your Connected Drive

Concept cars have always been the stuff of dreams, but over the last ten years they've become something far more relevant to tech fans — rolling showcases for the connected, 5G-powered future of driving. We round up the ten most stunning concepts of the past decade and ask what they really mean for UK motorists and their mobile lives.
Lenovo Tab M9 vs iPad Mini: The Budget Tablet That Punches Well Above Its Price Tag
Reviews

Lenovo Tab M9 vs iPad Mini: The Budget Tablet That Punches Well Above Its Price Tag

Lenovo's Tab M9 is making serious waves in the UK tablet market, offering a compact Android experience at a price that makes the iPad Mini look frankly embarrassing. But does cutting so many corners actually matter when the savings are this dramatic? We dig into whether this budget slab deserves a spot on your desk.
Search Smarter: 10 Google Tricks Every UK Phone User Should Know
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Search Smarter: 10 Google Tricks Every UK Phone User Should Know

Most of us tap a few words into Google and hope for the best — but there's a whole toolkit of search tricks hiding in plain sight. From filtering results by date to finding exact phrases, these ten tips will save you time and frustration whether you're on your phone or laptop.
Little Phones, Big Markups: Are Children's Mobile Contracts Actually Worth the Premium?
Reviews

Little Phones, Big Markups: Are Children's Mobile Contracts Actually Worth the Premium?

Networks have spotted a lucrative new market in anxious parents and are rolling out 'kids' phone plans at prices that would make your eyes water. But strip away the colourful branding and the parental control features, and you might find you're paying a significant premium for things that are either free or available far more cheaply elsewhere. We've done the maths so you don't have to.
Home Is Where the Signal Isn't: The Indoor Coverage Scandal Costing British Households Millions
Networks

Home Is Where the Signal Isn't: The Indoor Coverage Scandal Costing British Households Millions

You're paying up to £50 a month for mobile coverage that disappears the moment you step through your front door. Ofcom's own data reveals a yawning chasm between the glossy coverage maps networks publish and the reality of trying to make a phone call from your kitchen. We dig into why Britain's homes are signal black holes — and what you can actually do about it.
Your Number, Their Weapon: How SIM-Swap Fraud Is Devastating UK Victims
Networks

Your Number, Their Weapon: How SIM-Swap Fraud Is Devastating UK Victims

A five-minute phone call to your mobile network is all it takes for a fraudster to hijack your phone number, bypass your bank's security, and drain your accounts. SIM-swap fraud is surging across the UK, and the frightening truth is that the networks meant to protect you are often the weakest link in the chain. Here's everything you need to know before it happens to you.
Back-to-School Phone Deals: Why That 'Brilliant' Student Offer Might Cost Your Family £400 More Than You Think
Reviews

Back-to-School Phone Deals: Why That 'Brilliant' Student Offer Might Cost Your Family £400 More Than You Think

Every August, UK retailers and mobile networks roll out a wave of back-to-school smartphone promotions aimed squarely at parents. The deals look compelling on the surface — but run the numbers over 24 months and a very different picture emerges. We crunch the real costs so you can make a genuinely informed choice.
No Signal at Home: The Coverage Illusion Millions of UK Households Are Paying For
Networks

No Signal at Home: The Coverage Illusion Millions of UK Households Are Paying For

Your network's coverage map shows a confident splash of colour right over your postcode — so why can't you make a phone call from your own sofa? We dig into the murky world of indoor signal, Ofcom's toothless obligations, and the workarounds your network quietly hopes you'll never find.
The Small Print Sting: What Your Mobile Contract Really Says When Things Go Wrong
Networks

The Small Print Sting: What Your Mobile Contract Really Says When Things Go Wrong

Most of us tick 'I agree' without a second glance, but buried inside your standard UK mobile contract are clauses that can cost you hundreds, trap you in deals you never knowingly agreed to extend, and leave you with surprisingly little legal recourse. We've done the reading so you don't have to.
First Phone Frenzy: How Networks Are Cashing In on Worried UK Parents
Reviews

First Phone Frenzy: How Networks Are Cashing In on Worried UK Parents

Getting your child their first smartphone has become a rite of passage in Britain — and the mobile industry knows it. From upselling anxious parents on premium handsets to locking families into two-year contracts for a 10-year-old's first device, the tactics used to squeeze money out of the back-to-school crowd are worth knowing about. Here's what a sensible first phone actually costs, and why you almost certainly don't need what the shop is pushing.
Together But Poorer: The Family Mobile Bundle Myth That's Costing UK Households Dear
Networks

Together But Poorer: The Family Mobile Bundle Myth That's Costing UK Households Dear

Family phone plans sound like a no-brainer — one account, shared data, and a discount for sticking together. But scratch beneath the surface of what UK networks are actually selling and the promised savings have a habit of evaporating into exit fees, mismatched upgrade dates, and data-sharing rules that benefit the network far more than the family. We run the numbers, expose the traps, and work out whether going it alone might actually be the smarter play in 2025.
Four Walls, No Signal: The Indoor Coverage Scandal Costing UK Households Millions
Networks

Four Walls, No Signal: The Indoor Coverage Scandal Costing UK Households Millions

Millions of Britons are paying full whack for mobile contracts that deliver little more than a flickering bar of signal the moment they step through their front door. From Victorian terraces to modern double-glazed new builds, the UK's housing stock is quietly killing your mobile connection — and your network almost certainly won't tell you. We investigate what you're actually entitled to, and how to fight back.
Green Wash Cycle: What Really Happens to Your Phone After You Hand It Back to Your Network
Networks

Green Wash Cycle: What Really Happens to Your Phone After You Hand It Back to Your Network

Britain's mobile networks love talking up their green credentials, and phone takeback schemes sit front and centre of those sustainability pledges. But what actually happens to your old handset once it disappears behind the counter? The answer is murkier — and potentially more dangerous — than the recycling brochures suggest.
Home Truths: The Indoor Signal Scandal Leaving Millions of Brits Without the Coverage They're Paying For
Networks

Home Truths: The Indoor Signal Scandal Leaving Millions of Brits Without the Coverage They're Paying For

Your network's coverage map might show a healthy blob of colour over your postcode, but step inside your own front door and that signal can vanish entirely. We investigate why indoor reception is the dirty secret UK networks and Ofcom would rather not discuss — and what it's actually costing you.
Ditch the Dash: How eSIM Travel Plans Are Making the Airport SIM Card a Thing of the Past
Reviews

Ditch the Dash: How eSIM Travel Plans Are Making the Airport SIM Card a Thing of the Past

For years, British travellers faced a grim choice: pay extortionate roaming charges, scramble for a local SIM at the airport, or spend the holiday hunting for free Wi-Fi. Now a new breed of eSIM travel providers is quietly dismantling all three options — and the savings can be extraordinary.
Holiday Horror Stories: The £3,000 Phone Bills That Ruined British Summer Breaks
Networks

Holiday Horror Stories: The £3,000 Phone Bills That Ruined British Summer Breaks

British holidaymakers are returning from dream vacations to nightmare phone bills, with some facing charges that exceed their mortgage payments. Our investigation reveals which destinations are the most dangerous for your wallet and how to protect yourself.