3UK offers 6 month contracts to some new customers

The race to zero continues.

3 are, to my knowledge, the first network in the UK to launch 6-month contracts. Ricky, who runs our BlykWatch column, spotted this yesterday.

If you talk to 3 about a pay monthly contract, they’ll want to put you on an 18-month deal. But they MIGHT (will, probably) offer you a 6-month break clause, thus (from their site terms and conditions):

6 month minimum term contract offer available for a limited period to new approved customers registering on either Mix & match 300 or 500 with either the LG U300, Nokia 6151, Nokia 6288, Sony Ericsson Z610iR, Sony Ericsson K610iR or 3 Skypephone. Free calls and chat are for Skype-to-Skype calls and chat messages made in the UK or while roaming on a participating sister network. Fair use policy and terms apply.

Do check the contract terms and conditions — but apparently Ricky was told he could then upgrade (to a new handset?!) or cancel with no penalty after 6 months.

Smart.

It does make sense. I reckon a ton of SMS Text News readers would (like me) go out tomorrow and buy a 3UK contract to get a nice new Nokia N95 8GB on, say 25 quid a month, with an unlimited data add-on. The 6-month option is a nice assurance… but the reality is, if you’re happy, you’ll keep it for longer. 3 might as well have your money for that period of time.

I’ll see if I can find out more about this. Could be useful when I come to get my rumoured N82…

Case in point:

15 quid a month and a free Nokia N95 8GB AND 300 mins/texts a month? If you could get that on a 6 month deal (now, I know it’s only for Mix/Match/Sony and some Nokia handsets) you’d take it, right?

In fact even on an 18 month deal, that’s a minimum of 270 pounds spend and a hot rockin’ deal for an N95 8GB… although you’d need to stump up another fiver for unlimited data but even at 360 quid it’s still a better deal than buying the handset in your Nokia store of choice for at least 500 pounds.