Advisory note AN-11Monthly bills
Which of the figures presented to you is actually the price, how a statement is put together, and where money disappears without notice.
Note AN-11 · four sections · reviewed July 2026 · no prices published
Independent status. fernwick is an independent guidance and information service. We are not a mobile network. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, appointed by or connected to Three, EE, O2, Vodafone, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile or any other provider, and we hold no commercial arrangement with any of them. We do not sell, supply, arrange or broker SIM cards, contracts, handsets or services of any kind, and we take no commission. Everything published here is general information and must not be relied upon in place of the provider's own current terms.
Our position in one lineTwo printed figures decide what you really pay, and both appear before you sign — the price after the discount ends, and the price-rise line.
§1Which figure is the price
| Figure | What it is |
|---|
| The introductory price | Real while it lasts, with a stated duration, and useless for comparing providers |
| The standard price | What applies once the discount ends, for most of the term. This is the price. |
| The upfront payment | Inversely related to the monthly charge. Neither alone describes an agreement. |
| The term total | Upfront plus monthly times months — the only figure that compares honestly. |
If any of this is unclear
Telephone the advisory and we will talk it through. There is nothing to buy at any point.
020 3896 5248This line is for guidance and information only. We sell nothing, arrange nothing and act for no provider. If anything on this page is unclear, telephone and we will explain it. §2How a statement is put together
On a combined bundle, one figure covers handset and airtime together with no visible separation. On a split contract — O2 and Sky Mobile — device credit and airtime appear as two lines, and reading only the total is the most common error customers make.
- Add-ons bought for a single period show separately and do not change the underlying plan.
- Charges beyond the allowance appear where no spend cap was set — free, and rarely enabled.
- Household arrangements show combined discounts where several services sit with one provider.
§3Out-of-contract months
Nothing happens at the end of a minimum term unless you make it happen. The same monthly figure continues, and on a combined bundle it continues to include device money for a handset already paid for.
Common pitfallNo notification is required and no action is prompted. The end date is known only to the customer who wrote it down — which is why diarising it at signature is the single most valuable minute in this whole note.
§4The annual review
Note your current monthly figure, post-discount.
Get three competing quotes on the same allowance.
Either switch, or negotiate with those quotes in hand.
Confirm the free spend cap is still enabled while you are in the app.
Diary the same review one year ahead.
Speak to the advisory
Telephone the advisory and we will talk it through. There is nothing to buy at any point.
020 3896 5248This line is for guidance and information only. We sell nothing, arrange nothing and act for no provider. If anything on this page is unclear, telephone and we will explain it. Independent status. fernwick is an independent guidance and information service. We are not a mobile network. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, appointed by or connected to Three, EE, O2, Vodafone, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile or any other provider, and we hold no commercial arrangement with any of them. We do not sell, supply, arrange or broker SIM cards, contracts, handsets or services of any kind, and we take no commission. Everything published here is general information and must not be relied upon in place of the provider's own current terms.