Phones & Portable Devices / Smartphones

The next big thing

Size matters when it comes to smartphones. Back in the late 1980s and 1990s, mobile phones were the size of a building brick and nearly as heavy. They got progressively smaller and lighter over the years to become discreet objects of less than a centimetre thick. In recent times, however, the trend has been reversed and smartphones have begun to grow again, with some quite large devices now on the market. Even Apple, which long held out against the move to bigger screens, has now launched a “phablet” – a cross between a phone and a tablet – with the iPhone 6 Plus. The expanding screen size has much to do with the changing usage of these devices as making a simple phone call may be far down the list of priorities for smartphone users. Surfing the web, viewing videos, and typing emails are all easier and more comfortable with larger screens. In our current batch of tests, the screen sizes, measured diagonally, range from a petite 3 inches to a whopping 6 inches on the Nokia Lumia 1520. But is bigger better for everyone? If you like to carry your phone around in your bag or your briefcase, the new large size should not prove a problem but for those who favour stuffing their phone into their pockets for easy access, the bigger dimensions can make this tricky. The fashion world is responding to the growth of smartphones both in terms of popularity and size, with some clothing designers now fitting more generously-sized pockets so that they can accommodate the bigger dimensions of these devices. Even if this solves the portability issue to some extent, larger phones can be tricky to use with one hand. If you are looking for a smaller phone, such models as the Apple iPhone 5s and 5c and the Samsung S4 mini are still available and we remain very happy to recommend them.

Choosing a plan

Choosing a phone is one thing, choosing a mobile network and price plan that will minimise your running costs is another. Making this decision is particularly daunting given the wide array of options and price points available. When it comes to selecting the right mobile network and price plan, the first thing you need to do is to carry out an audit of how you use your phone. You need to look at how many minutes you use per month on phone calls, the number of text messages you send, and the amount of data you use on your smartphone. Armed with this information, you can begin comparing the various plans and here the website callscost.ie, hosted by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), can help. Callscost.ie lets you input your average monthly usage and its Mobile Calculator will provide a list of the plans that might offer you the best value. Unfortunately, callcosts.ie does not currently take into account how much data you use when suggesting suitable tariff plans. ComReg notes that it is important to consider all features of a plan before selecting one, and the results screen on the Mobile Calculator provides a list of non-price plan features that may be of interest, such as payment and billing options. Other factors that you may need to consider before making a final decision include the level of coverage the operator can offer, the quality of the operator’s customer service and the contractual commitments that are involved.

Switching providers

Performing an audit on your phone usage can also be a useful exercise even when you are not in the market for a new phone to make sure that you have the best possible tariff plan for your needs. You should check if you are using up your current monthly allocation of minutes, texts and data on your current plan, and if you are not, you could consider switching to a cheaper plan. However, if you are exceeding your current allocation, you may find it would be better value to opt for a more expensive plan that offers more minutes etc. in order to avoid paying a premium for all texts, calls and data outside your existing bundle’s allocation.

If you do wish to change from one mobile network operator to another, you should be able to do so without any fuss and you can keep your full mobile number through Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The main thing to be aware of when switching from one service provider to another is whether any minimum contract term applies to your existing contract. If you are still in contract, you will be charged cancellation fees by your existing provider in the event that you leave before that period has ended. Consumers should be aware that upgrading or changing to a new package with their existing provider can result in an extension of the minimum contract term. However, if this is the case consumers must have been made aware of the extension of the contract term at the time of upgrading and should have been sent an email or asked to sign a new contract stating this, according to askcomreg.ie – which provides broadband, phone and postal information for the Irish consumer from ComReg.

It is also advisable to check your existing terms and conditions to see if you are required to give 30 days’ notice before leaving your current service provider. If no minimum term or notice periods apply, then all you have to do to switch is to contact the new provider and let it know you wish to sign up to its service.

What to do with your old phone

If you are in the market for a new phone, you might like to consider your options for what you will do with your current model. Technology today moves incredibly fast and new and improved models are constantly emerging, but there is still economic value in your old handset, with even damaged or broken devices being of use for their spare parts and components. Instead of leaving your old phone languishing at the back of a drawer or tossing it in the bin, you can use it to save some money, make some cash or do some good – all better options than having it end up in landfill. You can:

• Trade it in – many mobile phone providers will allow you to trade in your old handset when upgrading to a new one, reducing the purchase price of the potentially costly new model.
• Sell it – possibly the easiest way to do this is through companies such as environ.ie and fonebank.ie, which will provide you with an instant online quote for your model. If you are happy with the offer, you can post the phone to them and they will check it out before sending you payment. Mobilephonerecycling.ie is a comparison website where you can quickly and easily find out what prices the various companies are offering for each model.
• Donate it – a range of Irish charities run phone recycling appeals to raise money for their different causes. These charities have partnered with firms that refurbish and recycle mobile phones as a way of generating funds. You can also return an old phone for recycling to a phone retailer, some of which then make a donation to charity.

In general, the handsets are refurbished and sold on in developing countries around the world. When phones are reused in this way, the device gets a new lease of life while using up the minimum amount of energy and resources. If the phone is not in a condition to be refurbished, it is used for parts or broken down and recycled in an environmentally safe way.
Whatever way you decide to dispose of your mobile phone, it is important to erase any personal data stored on it, which you can do by resetting the phone’s factory settings.