Mobile phone users could save £100s on their bills by sending free text(Image: PA)
People in the UK could be overpaying for their phone bills each month, and sending a free and simple text could begin the process of walking away and finding something cheaper – potentially saving hundreds of pounds.
Carrying out all the necessary checks will enable people to avoid hefty exit fees, reports MirrorOnline.
Experts at Which? claim that sending a free text can let customers know if they'll face any penalties for leaving their current phone contract behind for a cheaper option.
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Text the word 'INFO' for free via SMS (not WhatsApp) to 85075.
People will get a text back detailing whether you’re out of contract or whether any early termination fees would take effect if you leave your network.
Some networks may send a follow-up text requesting your date of birth to clarify your identity.
Adam Snook, a senior researcher and Which? writer, stated: "This service is provided by telecoms regulator Ofcom and can help customers easily understand their situation.
"It doesn't start a switching process or have any other impact on your mobile plan, so you are free to decide what to do next once you have this information."
People can cancel for free if they signed up for the phone contract and decide to back out within 14 days.
Another time when early termination fees are waived is when the provider raises prices unexpectedly.
Once you've determined whether you're out of contract, Adam says the next step to figuring out whether you can get a cheaper bill is to check your data usage.
Most contracts in 2026 offer plenty of call minutes and text messages, but the price difference varies for internet data.
On an iPhone, go to Settings and select Mobile Data.
This shows you the data you've used in the current period, which starts when you first started using the phone.
For Android users, go to Settings, select Connections, then Data Usage or Data.
In the Data menu, you can see how much data you've used since a certain date.
People can figure out from this whether they have been overpaying for data they never use.
Once you’ve confirmed your contract situation and how much data you need, you can start looking for a cheap new SIM deal.
Which? compared lots of current deals, and claimed people on "low data usage" – less than 10GB – could find offers for around £6 a month from companies like Sky and Asda. Moderate or high users were given options capped at £20.
To switch and keep the same mobile number, text PAC to 65075.
Your current mobile provider should send you a text within one minute, and the PAC lasts for 30 days.
The text will also include important information, such as any charges for early termination (which won’t apply if you’re out of contract).
Give the PAC to your new provider, who has to complete the switch within one working day.
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