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EE's 'Swap' brings another option for chronic phone-changers

Steve Dent
Reporter
Updated ·4 min read
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If you're the type to regard your six month-old handset like a relic from the stone age (and believe us, we are), then you've now got another option with EE's Swap program. UK customers can now trade in their smartphones six months or later into their 18 or 24 month plans starting at £49. That appears to be EE's attempt to catch up to plans like O2's Refresh and JUMP from Phones 4u, but there's a huge catch, of course. You'll have to start a new 24 month contract from scratch, and the trade up price depends on which you end up choosing. Those opting for the cheapest £36 plan, for instance, will have to pay a much steeper £249. Still, for those of us who can barely stand going out with a mere Samsung Galaxy Note II when the Galaxy Note 3 is now in the zeitgeist, it's a small price to pay.

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E INTRODUCES 'SWAP' – THE EASY WAY TO UPGRADE MID-CONTRACT

·EE pay monthly customers now able to 'Swap ' to the latest 4G smartphones after just six months from as little as £49

·Launching on the 17th September, the new 'Swap' service is available to customers on 4GEE, Orange and T-Mobile plans

10th September 2013. EE, the UK's most advanced digital communications company, today announced the launch of 'Swap', an industry-leading way for customers to switch to the latest smartphones.

With the launch of 'Swap', customers with eligible devices can upgrade from any point from six months into their 18 or 24 month price plan.

Simply by returning their existing device, starting a new 24 month 4GEE plan and paying a one-off fee, customers will have access to the latest smartphones. 'Swap' is available to customers on 4GEE, Orange and T-Mobile plans bought directly from EE as well as through indirect partners. Swap provides an easy way for Orange or T-Mobile customers to upgrade to 4G.

Customers must already have an eligible device that's in good working order, with no significant dents, scratches, or cracks on the screen. Swap is available exclusively in EE stores, so customers can get the latest device the very same day they hand in their old one. The one-off fee a customer pays is directly related to the 24 month plan they choose, and they have the option to move to any smartphone in the 4GEE device portfolio.

Available 4GEE 'Swap' plans from 17th September:

EE's 'Swap' program lets UK customers change phones in six months

All plans also include a range of benefits, including EE Film (offering 2 for 1 cinema tickets), Clone Phone Lite, discounted fibre broadband and fast-track customer service. Customers on plans £41 and above receive an inclusive add-on, with a choice of Deezer Music (access to 25m tracks), EE games or EE Mobile TV.

*An additional charge will be made for larger storage capacity devices. For the full list of eligible devices for 'Swap', please see ee.co.uk/swap

Pippa Dunn, Chief Consumer Marketing Officer, EE said: "With smartphone innovation moving at a relentless pace, we realise that some customers want to move to the latest handset at the earliest possible opportunity. That's why we've introduced 'Swap' to sit alongside our existing upgrade offers – providing a new, simple and easily affordable option for pay monthly customers to move to the latest 4G smartphones."

Swap will complement EE's existing upgrade options. EE offers pay monthly handset customers in the last 45 days of their plan the option to upgrade for free, as well as Early Upgrade for all pay monthly customers who have been with EE for a minimum of six months. With Early Upgrade, customers will receive up to a 33% discount on their outstanding monthly commitment. Customers who choose this option can choose to either keep their device, or recycle it through EE's recycle and reward scheme.

4G from EE is available to businesses and consumers in a total of 105 towns and cities across the UK, covering 60% of the population - with double speed 4GEE offering average download speeds of between 24-30Mbps now available in 20 towns and cities across the UK.

Swap launches on 17th September. For further information, including details of supported devices and terms and conditions, please visit www.ee.co.uk/swap.