Back to a more realistic mobile data allowance

On 19th March - not quite six weeks ago - I wrote a post titled A fruitful conversation with BT, in which I related how, with no BT Broadband service at the time because of a flood problem where the green cabinet was, I'd had to resort to 4G Mobile Internet for all my Internet needs. I was using it so much that I was in grave danger of exceeding my monthly 12GB data allowance, for which I was paying £15 per month.

The BT chap I spoke to in Swansea gave me a cracking 'emergency' deal: upgrade to 100GB for just £20 per month, with the first two months of this at no extra charge, to last until my SIM-only contract ended naturally on 9th July. After then, I'd need to choose another data plan, from whatever was available at the time.

I accepted. It was very reassuring to have 100GB at my disposal at no immediate extra cost. For two weeks I was very free with Mobile Internet, though making scarcely a dent in this monster allowance.

Then BT repaired the damage, and restored the Broadband service. Since then that 100GB allowance has not been needed. In fact it's ridiculously too big for my modest needs. I'd discovered that 20-30GB would be perfectly adequate, even if I turned into a regular watcher of streamed TV (a most unlikely thing). And the end of the contract was looming. July was getting closer. I didn't want to face an automatic price hike based on 100GB. It was time to return to a much smaller allowance, and a sensible ongoing monthly payment.

I saw that BT were currently offering 20GB for £15, so I decided to phone them and ask for that instead. It would of course mean a fresh SIM-only contract with them lasting 12 months. But I was happy with BT Mobile. I was also making this change before the end of my current contract - actually nine weeks before - and I wondered whether there would be a penalty. But I reckoned BT would allow it without demur.

So I made that call, and got that deal. It's been confirmed in an email.

I was right in thinking that the new data plan wouldn't come into force at once. There's a delay. The old plan remains alive until the date of my next BT bill, which is 27th May 2020. So if I'd left doing this until after then, I'd have been stuck with an extra charge for having 100GB until 27th June. And if I'd done nothing until after 27th June, I'd be stuck with that extra charge for 100GB until 27th July.  BT might have got nearly two months of extra charge out of me. But not now.

The new SIM-only data deal expires on 27th May 2021. Nice to have that settled for over a year ahead. As it stands I will be paying £20 for one more month, then only £15. The £5 saved will soften the effect of an £8 rise in my electricity/gas bill, which comes into force at the same time. (As one bill goes up, I look for a way to reduce another)

I've benefited from the price war going on between the mobile phone service providers. It means keen deals. BT is never the cheapest, but (a) it uses EE's excellent network, and (b) I do get a £5 a month discount for having BT Broadband as well.

But how data prices have come down! Three months ago I was paying BT £15 per month for 12GB. Now the same money will buy 20GB. That's 66% more data. And you can be sure that BT still make a good profit.

These deals are improving month by month. I wonder what £15 will buy in 2021? Or putting it another way, will 20GB cost as little as a tenner? Or even less?