UK students squeezed by mobile phone deals

UK students are being conned out of £20 million every month by unsuitable mobile phone packages, according to new research.

With approximately 1.8million undergraduate students currently studying in the UK, the findings from new mobile phone service provider Noodle show that despite being strapped for cash, as many as 58 per cent of undergraduates arrive at university already signed up to a mobile phone contract. And, to meet the increased cost of staying in touch with friends and family during term time, they are forced to pay an additional £19 per month (£228 per year) for exceeding their “free minute allowance” – or the equivalent of:

114 pints
165 Pot Noodles
552 condoms
57 kebabs
23 take-away pizzas
814 servings of beans on toast
8 full fancy-dress costumes
10 course text books
8 sports club or society memberships
1 year’s water, gas and internet bills

The research also shows that 44 per cent of students like to keep track of their mobile spending with a pay-as-you-go mobile deals (PAYG) – yet three quarters of PAYG students have no idea how much their phone calls are costing.

Sean Murray, CEO of Noodle Mobile, said: “With fresher week soon to kick off around the country, it’s important that students think carefully about how they stay in touch with their friends and family whilst at university. Mobile bills might be manageable before term time starts, however it’s likely that mobile usage will change, and many will face bigger bills as a result – unavoidable if they’re tied into an 18 month contract.

We would urge people to think realistically about phone usage. Whilst bundles and free minutes might seem appealing, many may well end up paying through the nose for additional talk time. With Noodle it’s different; we have stripped out expensive packages and so-called “free minutes” - customers pay for call time, and nothing else.”

For those students who don’t exceed their monthly allowance, phone companies are walking away with the equivalent of £4 per person, per month, in unused talk time – the equivalent of over £3 million per month nationwide.

Noodle’s new phone service offers customers the flexibility of a traditional PAYG phone, with the low cost traditionally associated with contract phones. From just £4.95 a month and 7 pence per minute, people can use their Noodle and earn up to 2 pence per minute cash-back for receiving calls.

For those already contracted to a mobile network, Noodle Oodles allows phone users currently contracted to other network providers to earn cash back on the calls made and received.

For more information about the Noodle service, visit noodle.co.uk.