You are probably aware that usually, when you go to buy a mobile phone, this will typically come with a SIM card from the phone operator you have chosen to buy the phone from. This is normally what assigns your phone to a particular network so that you can access their services, make calls and texts, and enjoy any benefits that the provider might offer.
However, a mobile phone with a SIM in it usually requires you to sign up to a contract or commit to certain services for a period of time. If you are happy to make that commitment then you can often save money on the price of the handset, or even get it for free by signing up to a contract with a phone provider. An alternative type of phone, though, is the SIM free mobile phone.
Freedom from Sim
This is exactly as the name suggests: it is a mobile phone that you buy without the SIM card. It has nothing to do with “jailbroken phones” which are illegally adapted smartphones, which allow users to install applications that have been created by developers unofficially, for free.
This means that they come without being attached to any particular phone network and do not commit you to a specific contract. As a result, you have to pay the full price for the handset, which you wouldn’t normally do if you got a mobile phone with a SIM card already included in it.
However, this also means that you can then shop around for the best SIM card deal you can find. Most of the big phone providers now do offers that are based on a SIM-only premise rather than including the phone as well. This means you can decide what you want from your phone contract and get different prices from the networks to compare before making your final choice. It also means you get exactly the phone you want, which isn’t always possible if you just go to one provider to look for a phone deal.
Another benefit for some people is that with a SIM free mobile, you are able to upgrade your handset whenever you want to rather than waiting for the end of your phone contract. Also, as your contract doesn’t have to build the price of the phone into the cost, it can help you to save money in the long run.
Overall, a SIM free mobile phone is an interesting alternative to traditional mobile phones and could be a useful option if you want maximum flexibility over which network you eventually choose to go with.
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