Vodafone 5G Phone Deals

Why choose a Vodafone phone contract?

Vodafone is one of the four UK mobile phone networks and was the second network to roll out a 5G service in the country. It offers a wide range of 5G-ready phones, with a focus on the top-end brands including Apple and Samsung, as well as smartphones from Xiaomi, Honor and Oppo. A selection of more basic and cheaper handsets is also on offer, from makes such as Fairphone, Alcatel and Doro.  

How can I keep my number when switching?

If you want to keep your number when switching to Vodafone, you will need to request a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) from your current provider. This nine-digit number enables Vodafone to port your number over from your existing provider.

To request the code, simply text PAC to 65075 and you should immediately receive a text back that contains your PAC. This is then valid for 30 days, so only request it once you are sure you’re leaving and have chosen a new deal with Vodafone.

When ordering a new phone online, you can give Vodafone your PAC during the payment process. Once you have given Vodafone your PAC, it should only take a day or so (possibly longer over a weekend) for your old number to move over.

Vodafone added extras 

Vodafone offers customers what it refers to as Xtra benefits with certain SIM plans that you can take with or without a new handset. These Xtra benefits include: 5G at no extra cost, unlimited picture messaging, 83 inclusive roaming destinations, device care, 50% off Smartwatch Connectivity, and unlimited data booster. The Xtras you get will depend on the plan you choose.

Device Care is essentially a regular free health check for your phone. You can book an appointment with Vodafone’s Tech Team, which will check your battery performance, storage and software to make sure everything is in top condition.

Customers with the unlimited data booster can choose to boost their data plan to unlimited for 30 days up to six times if they are on a 24-month contract or three times if they are on a 12-month contract.

Customers wanting to connect their smart watch to Vodafone (as well as their phone) can do so for half price with certain Xtra plans.

As well as the added Xtras, Vodafone also offer its VeryMe Rewards, which offers Vodafone customers regular discounts on restaurants and drinks, as well as seasonal discounts on gifts, and cinema and theatre ticket offers.

Many of Vodafone’s plans let you choose an entertainment subscription on top of your allowances. You can choose between a subscription to Spotify Premium, Amazon Prime Video or YouTube Premium, and while these aren’t technically ‘free’ (as the plans that include them cost more), they are generally a lot cheaper than paying for one of these subscriptions separately would be.
Vodafone also allows you to make both Wi-Fi and 4G calls.

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Vodafone subscriptions

Vodafone offers any new pay monthly customers its EVO plans. These plans come with a phone contract (a device plan) and a separate data, minutes and texts plan (an airtime plan). You can then choose to pay off your device plan early if you want to and upgrade to a new handset, without having to wait out the full length of your original contract. Once you have paid off your phone plan, you can also pay off your airtime plan without incurring any penalties.

Vodafone offers customers the option to choose their repayment period when buying a new phone – this can be anything from 3 to 36 months. If you are just looking for a SIM-only deal, these are available on 30-day, 12-month or 24-month contracts.

Vodafone phone upgrades

Vodafone offers all its handsets on a choice of contract length from three to 36 months, but you can choose to pay off your device plan at any time, so if you want to clear it before the contract period, you can. Your airtime plan will be for 12 or 24 months, but you can just upgrade your handset and transfer your airtime plan to it, or cancel your airtime plan completely if you have paid off your device plan.

You can check whether you are eligible for an upgrade at any time by logging into your account via the My Vodafone app or via the Vodafone website.

Unlimited data

Vodafone offers several unlimited data plans, some of which come with various extras. All Vodafone unlimited plans come with 5G at no extra cost where available.

The simplest – and cheapest – plan, Unlimited Lite, comes with unlimited texts and minutes, and unlimited data, but with a maximum download speed of 2Mbps. If you like the idea of being always connected, but aren’t bothered about fast downloads, then this plan is ideal.

Unlimited Max comes with unlimited minutes, text and data with the fastest download speeds possible, but no extras.

Unlimited Max + Entertainment comes with unlimited data and the fastest available speeds, along with the choice of a free subscription to YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime Video or Spotify Premium for 24 months.

Unlimited Max +4Xtra Benefits also comes with unlimited data and the fastest possible download speeds, along with free Device Care, Unlimited picture messages, Inclusive Roaming in 83 worldwide destinations, and £3.50 per month off Smartwatch Connectivity, should you want to connect a smart watch to your phone’s account.

Vodafone Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP)

As with other mobile networks, Vodafone does impose an acceptable usage policy on its customers. It states that your Vodafone service is for personal use only and cannot be used for business at all. You should not abuse the unlimited texts and calls option by sending large volumes for marketing or spam purposes. You should also not attempt to resell Vodafone’s service or use the number for any moneymaking schemes. Any sharing or downloading of illegal or offensive content is also banned.

When it comes to roaming, if you use the service for more than 62 days in a four-month period and your roaming usage is in excess of that in the UK, Vodafone will investigate and may impose additional charges.

Full details of Vodafone’s AUP can be found on its website.

4G and 5G Coverage

As with the other three networks, Vodafone covers over 99% of the UK population with its 4G signal. Its 5G network covers over 150 towns and cities in the UK and is growing all the time. If you are in a rural area, you may still struggle to receive a 5G signal for some time however, as the emphasis is on urban areas for now.

Vodafone 5G speeds

According to the most recent speed tests carried out by Opensignal, Vodafone’s 5G speed currently averages 105.2Mbps, which is the third fastest of the four networks, with Three taking the lead with 228.4Mbps. However, Vodafone offers the best Voice App Experience for users of apps such as Whatsapp and Skype, according to Opensignal, and also wins the best Games Experience – jointly with EE.

Data roaming

Vodafone splits its roaming destinations into four zones. Zone A includes the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man and is included in all Vodafone plans. Zone B is the Europe Zone and includes 49 European destinations. Roaming in this zone is only included in the 4 Xtra SIM plans. For all other plans, customers will be charged £2 per day to use their data in Europe or can choose to buy one of two European roaming Passes: choose from £8 for eight days or £15 for 15 days.

Customers that choose an Unlimited Data 4 Xtra plan can also roam in Zone C countries at no extra cost. Roaming in Zone D is no included in any plan and costs £6 per day. A full list of the countries in each zone can be found in Vodafone’s website.

Vodafone implements a 25GB per month data limit on unlimited data plans when roaming. Customers not on an unlimited plan should get in touch with Vodafone directly before they travel to find out what their usage limit is.

Tethering

Vodafone permits tethering and you can use as much of your phone’s data allowance as you wish in order to get a second device online when you are away from a wifi signal. However, tethering does use a lot of data very quickly, which is not a problem if you have an unlimited plan, but you may find your gigabytes rapidly disappearing if you have a limited data allowance. In addition, tethering takes its toll on your phone’s battery so be prepared for it to run down sooner than usual.

If you want to use your data for tethering abroad, you can do so, but will still be restricted to the same usage allowance as your phone when abroad, which is whatever Vodafone stipulates for your limited plan, or 25GB for unlimited plans.

Vodafone customer service

Customers can contact Vodafone directly by dialling 191 from a Vodafone handset or by calling 0333 304 0191 from 8am to 8pm daily. Vodafone also operates its automated online service TOBi, which can help with hundreds of queries, and will direct you to a human agent if it cannot answer your question. Vodafone is also available to contact via social media, on Twitter @VodafoneUK or via direct message on Facebook @vodafoneUK.

In Ofcom’s annual report into standards of customer service in the telecoms industry, Vodafone scored 92 percent overall for customer satisfaction, over the sector average of 91 per cent. Roughly in line with the average, 52 percent of customers were satisfied with the way their complaints were dealt with, and only 14 out of 100,000 subscribers complained to Ofcom about their customer service from Vodafone.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Does Vodafone offer pay-as-you-go?

Yes, Vodafone offers a selection of prepaid bundles valid for a month. Any unused data will roll over into the next month.

Does Vodafone offer broadband discounts to mobile customers?

Yes, Vodafone offers you the chance to save £3 per month on your broadband plan if you take Vodafone mobile and broadband together.

Does Vodafone offer free wifi?

No – Vodafone does not offer any free wifi hotspots.

Does Vodafone have a Live Chat service?

All online queries are directed to Vodafone’s chat bot TOBi first. If TOBi cannot help you, you will be connected to an agent via Live Chat.

How do I join Vodafone?

Vodafone offers all the latest mobile handsets along with an accompanying array of SIM-only deals, including unlimited data options. To find a deal, simply browse through the options above, which you can filter by price, contract length, data allowance and manufacturer to find the deal you want. Then just click on the red See Deal button which will take you straight to your basket to complete your purchase.