Your weekly fix of mobile, tech & telecom news

Phone Week

Your weekly fix of mobile, tech & telecom news

Latest Articles

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Speed Demons to Snails: When Your Network's Rush Hour Leaves You in the Digital Slow Lane
Networks

Speed Demons to Snails: When Your Network's Rush Hour Leaves You in the Digital Slow Lane

Our exclusive testing reveals how Britain's major mobile networks quietly slash your connection speeds during busy periods, leaving commuters and evening users with fraction of the performance they're paying for. The results might surprise you.
Warehouse Archaeology: The Dusty Truth About Your 'Brand New' Smartphone
Reviews

Warehouse Archaeology: The Dusty Truth About Your 'Brand New' Smartphone

That shiny new phone you just signed a two-year contract for might have been gathering dust in a warehouse since 2023. Our investigation reveals how retailers routinely sell aged stock as current models, leaving buyers shortchanged on security updates and support lifecycles.
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.
Trapped in the App: How Network Software Keeps You Locked Into Expensive Contracts
Networks

Trapped in the App: How Network Software Keeps You Locked Into Expensive Contracts

UK mobile network apps use sophisticated psychological tricks to prevent customers from downgrading or cancelling services. Our investigation reveals the hidden dark patterns designed to frustrate users into staying on expensive plans.
Rent-a-Phone Britain: The Subscription Trap Replacing Traditional Mobile Ownership
Reviews

Rent-a-Phone Britain: The Subscription Trap Replacing Traditional Mobile Ownership

A new generation of UK smartphone rental services promises flexibility and sustainability, but investigation reveals these schemes often cost more than traditional ownership. We examine whether phone subscription models represent genuine innovation or clever marketing for worse value.
Britain's Emergency Call Crisis: When Your Network Fails at Life-or-Death Moments
Networks

Britain's Emergency Call Crisis: When Your Network Fails at Life-or-Death Moments

Millions of UK mobile customers discover their network's emergency coverage promises are worthless when they actually need to call 999. Despite regulatory requirements and roaming agreements, critical calls are failing across Britain's coverage blackspots.
Know Your Rights: The Phone Repair Powers UK Networks Don't Want You to Discover
Reviews

Know Your Rights: The Phone Repair Powers UK Networks Don't Want You to Discover

Cracked screens and water damage don't automatically void your consumer rights. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 offers protections that manufacturers routinely ignore – here's how to fight back.
The Great Trade-In Swindle: How Britain's Networks Turn £99 Promises Into £9 Payouts
Networks

The Great Trade-In Swindle: How Britain's Networks Turn £99 Promises Into £9 Payouts

UK mobile networks are advertising eye-catching trade-in values to entice upgrades, then slashing offers at the last minute. We expose the tactics being used to devalue your old phone and reveal where you can get genuine returns.