An upgrade means taking a new phone contract with the network you already use. You keep your number, and the new deal replaces the old one. Most people can do it at the end of the term. Some plans let you swap sooner, if you meet the network’s conditions.
This guide covers how to check your position, what each big network allows, and how to get your old phone ready.
Check where you stand first
Open your network’s app or online account and look for the contract end date. Note whether you pay one monthly amount, or whether the phone is a separate device plan. Plans with a separate device plan are the easiest to change early.
You will also get a letter, text or email from your provider between 10 and 40 days before the term ends. It has to show the best deals it can offer you, and if your phone was bundled, at least one of them must be SIM only. Treat it as a starting point, not the best price available.
Early upgrade rules at each network
Rules change often, so confirm yours in your account.
| Network | How an early upgrade works | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| EE | Upgrade Anytime opens on day 15 of an eligible 24 month plan and runs until 30 days before the end. An early upgrade fee applies: £200 to £600 in the first six months, £100 to £300 from six to 12 months, and nothing after 12 months. You return your old phone within 14 days. In the last 30 days, you can upgrade for no fee and keep your phone. | Not available on Flex Pay, No Frills or Essentials plans. Flex Pay customers have Early Phone Swap, from August 2026. It lets you swap a year early for no extra cost, if you return the old phone and take a new 24 month deal. |
| O2 | On Refresh, the phone and the plan are separate. You can pay off the device plan at any time, or recycle the old phone and use the cash, then upgrade. Switch Up, included with Plus plans, lets you swap after 11 months. | Switch Up only covers the phone you bought on that plan. Your bill should fall once the phone is paid off. |
| Vodafone | The free upgrade window opens in the last two or three months. Retailer pages quote 60 to 75 days. EVO plans split the phone and the plan, so you can upgrade after three months by settling the remaining phone balance. | Earlier than the window means paying to leave. Confirm the date in My Vodafone. |
| Three | No fee in the last month or so. Before then, an early upgrade fee applies. You usually need to wait 90 days between upgrades. | On plans taken since 30 January 2023, the phone can be a separate loan. That loan can carry on or be settled. |
| iD Mobile | You cannot settle the remaining months to upgrade early. Upgrades open at your eligibility date, shown in the app. | Check the date in your account before you plan anything. |
Upgrade, or move to another network?
Upgrade offers are not always the best on the market. Which? has found that loyalty rarely pays in mobile, and users on network forums report the same gap between existing and new customer prices. Price the same phone both ways before you accept an offer.
If you move, the old contract must have ended, or you pay to leave. The phone also needs to be unlocked. Our guides explain leaving for another network, which network to move to and checking signal before you move.
Picking the right moment
New phones arrive on a regular cycle, and older models usually get cheaper once their successors are out.
| Phone family | 2026 launch | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S26 range | March | Older Galaxy S25 deals fall in price. |
| Galaxy Z Flip8 and Fold8 | 7 August | Foldable deals reset. |
| Pixel 11 range | 20 August | Pixel 10 prices drop. |
| iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max | 18 September | iPhone 17 deals fall. |
| Standard iPhone 18 | Reported for spring 2027 | Not confirmed by Apple. |
Waiting a few weeks after a launch is often the best way to save, unless you need the new model straight away.
Do you need to upgrade at all?
If your phone works well and still gets software updates, a new contract may not be worth it. Once the phone is paid off, moving to a SIM only plan after your term usually lowers your bill. Check that your provider has cut the price, because some do it automatically and others do not.
If you want a new phone anyway, compare paying for a phone upfront instead and what a phone contract involves.
Before you hand over the old phone
- Back up your photos, messages and app data.
- Sign out of your Apple or Google account. If you skip this, Activation Lock or Factory Reset Protection can stop the next owner using the phone, and trade in partners may not pay full value.
- Unpair any watch.
- Remove the SIM, or ask your network to move your eSIM to the new phone.
- Run a factory reset from the settings menu.
- Check the return deadline. EE, for example, wants the old phone back within 14 days under Upgrade Anytime.
If you are trading the phone in, see trading in your old handset. Sort out insuring a new handset before your first day of using it.
What to check on the new contract
An upgrade is a fresh agreement, so it needs a fresh look at the terms. Expect the credit check on a new contract, and read checking for a rise before you upgrade to see how yearly increases will work on the new plan.
Where to go next
The Upgrade tab on our comparison lists handset deals for existing customers. To pick the phone first, see the strongest phones to upgrade to.
FAQs
Do I keep my number when I upgrade?
Yes. You stay on the same network, so nothing changes with your number.
Can I upgrade through a retailer?
In the last months of your term, yes, a retailer can supply a new contract on the same network. A network’s own early upgrade offer, however, only works through the network, because a retailer’s deal is a separate new contract.
Will I pay for two contracts at once?
On a plan with one monthly payment, an early upgrade usually means settling the old plan, which carries a fee. On a split plan, the old phone loan can carry on or be paid off.