Black Friday has passed but that doesn't mean you've missed the chance to score a big saving on a new SIM plan. Cyber Monday SIM only deals are now here, rolling the savings over for a few more days.
Cyber Monday deals on November 29 extend the deals we saw last week, allowing you to get a price that likely won't be seen until next year's saving event. Like previous years, this has shaped up to be the best time of the entire year to make a purchase on SIM only deals. With both the four main networks - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone - as well as a host of MVNOs throwing in their best pricing.
Below we've laid out everything you need to know about the Cyber Monday SIM only deals, including advice on what to look for when making a purchase.
Top five Cyber Monday Friday SIM plans
Cyber Monday Three SIM plans
Cyber Monday O2 SIM plans
Cyber Monday EE SIM plans
Cyber Monday Vodafone SIM plans
Cyber Monday MVNO deals
Is Black Friday the best time to get SIM only deals?
Almost certainly. The large majority of leading SIM only deals out there right now originally launched over Black Friday last year. We would expect each year to bring the latest leading price points across the major networks, and 2021 was no different.
Casting our minds all the way back to 2019, we were convinced prices were hitting the lowest they ever could and then we thought the same thing for 2020, then, 2021, so 2022 will likely be the same.
What should you look for in a SIM plan?
There are a few factors that make up a good SIM plan, so what exactly should you be looking for over the Black Friday period?
- Data, calls and texts:
Pretty obviously, the amount of data, calls and texts that are offered are crucial. This is the core part of any SIM and while the large majority of SIM plans now offer unlimited calls and texts, the data cap can heavily fluctuate.
Consider how much data you actually need and try and aim for the cheapest option to hit that. There is no real need to get a plan that offers way more data than you are currently using.
- Cost:
Yes...another obvious one but crucial. Is the plan you've found the cheapest for the amount of data or is it a lot more expensive than the competition, does cashback bring the cost down or is it offering half price bills for a period of time. Take the time to see how a deals cost compares to other options.
- Network:
There is a massive collection of networks out there now and some offer better benefits than others. Voxi for example offers free social media, EE has the best speeds and Vodafone and O2 have strong reward programmes, think about what matters to you.
- Contract length:
The vast majority of contracts will fall into one of these categories: 1-month rolling, 12 months, 18 months or 24. If you're going for anything other than a rolling contract, consider if its worth the length of time. Sometimes 24 month contracts can be the cheapest but tie you in to a big commitment.
Will I be able to get a 5G SIM on Black Friday?
5G has become a much more common feature to SIM only deals recently. The large majority of networks now offer it as an automatic feature with just a couple of networks still waiting to add 5G.
With the four main networks - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone, 5G is automatically included and at no extra cost on the majority of deals. The same goes for the biggest MVNOs.
Realistically, whether or not a network offers 5G is less of a worry and if 5G is a key area for you, the key thing to look for is how strong its network and coverage is instead.
Where should you look for SIM plans on Black Friday?
Realistically, all of the major networks and retailers will be going big through the Black Friday period. For the MVNOs, going direct will be the way to get the best price point.
The likes of Lebara, Voxi, Smarty, iD Mobile, giffgaff and other big MVNOs will all likely be offering their best pricing of the year. As for the four main networks, you'll need to cast your net a bit wider.
A lot of the time these networks can be found cheaper at 3rd party retailers. It will be worth having an idea of which network you want to be on before Black Friday so you can narrow down your search.
The networks and retailers we'd keep an eye out for on Black Friday are:
