Want a New Mobile Phone Every Year? Vodafone UK Says Xchange It
Mobile operator Vodafone UK are launching a new service called ‘Xchange‘, which they say will let customers exchange their phone for a new one every year on a 24-month Phone Plan (or a year early on longer plan lengths), with no early upgrade fees and nothing left to pay on their old Phone Plan. Just remember to send your previous phone back in “good condition“.
At the time of writing, the web page for the new service currently still says it’s “coming soon” (it’s unclear precisely when it will go live) and that Xchange is currently only available on “the iPhone 16 series and pristine refurbished phones” (the iPhone 16 was only soft launched yesterday).
The pledge of there being “no early upgrade fees and nothing left to pay” on old Phone Plans when customers exchange does also come with a caveat – it’s only applicable when customers upgrade to a new Airtime and Phone Plan (i.e. keeping you tied to the operator), and of course comply with the Vodafone’s Xchange terms and conditions.
Advertisement
Rob Winterschladen, Consumer Director of Vodafone UK, said:
“We’re launching Vodafone Xchange allowing customers to get a new smartphone every year. There’s no early upgrade fees or costs to Xchange, customers simply return their existing phone, and they’ll be nothing left to pay on their old phone plan. It’s really that simple.
This, combined with the UK’s only Lifetime Service Promise, means we are offering customers market-leading choice when it comes to their mobile phone. Whether that is getting a new phone every year or keeping their existing phone for longer, Vodafone offers something for everyone. Another great example of why we are The Nation’s Network.”
The operator adds that they’re the “only network provider that gives customers the full value for their phone when they exchange“. If a customer’s phone value exceeds the balance remaining on their Phone Plan, Vodafone says they will credit them back the difference, helping them save on their new plan.
Vodafone Xchange
· Get a new phone every year – On 24-month Phone Plans – or a year early on longer plans.
· 0% APR Phone Plans – Xchange is included with selected new and refurbished phones, on 0% APR Phone Plans up to 36 months and, with the choice of flexible upfront costs.
· No additional costs – No early upgrade fees and nothing left to pay** on old Phone Plan when customers exchange.
· Full value for your phone – If a customer’s phone value exceeds their Phone Plan balance when they exchange, Vodafone will credit the difference – the only network provider to do this.
· Give an old phone a second life – Vodafone refurbish or resell 97% of phones they receive back, with the rest recycled.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
« SCCI’s Perspective on the Challenges of Broadband Upgrades for MDUs
What a waste. My phone is over 4 years old and I have no intention of replacing it until I have to.
My last phone lasted 8 years. Cost £120, came with two batteries, had a large screen etc.
The current one was “purchased” outright with points I’d earned at work.
What a waste is what I thought when I saw the headlines, scrolled down to comments and yours was the first one and said the same thing I thought.
With all the greenie stuff we are being told to do, recycling, using less energy, saving water and other earth resources, it makes me wonder why should I.
Then you get these companies saying they care about the climate and that sort of thing, but they don’t, all they care about is profit, lots of it. My Oppo A72 is over 3 years old, I will be keeping it for as long as it keeps going, my last phone was over 4.
I may as well not bother to recycle and shove all my rubbish into the normal bin.
So it’s just o2 switch up Vodafone style, every 12 months instead of every 3
Another shameful example of ‘Do what we say, no what we do’ when it comes to Green credentials.
“We are 100% committed to NetZero, blah, blah.. also, here’s an easy, environmentally irresopnsible way to get a brand new phone every year which will also help us make profit.”
You will own nothing and you will be happy
Just another way of locking you into one network in perpetuity. Much better off buying your own phone and getting the best sim only deal you can, especially if you’re not bothered about having the latest and greatest.
Buying the phone seems to only be good if you want an old one. It’s not “especially” it’s “only”. The launch deals on pixel 7 and now 9 made it impossible for me to do anything but get a contract. For the 7 I paid the handset new fee and basically got free watch and phone contract for 2 years. I almost bought an 8 planning to do SIM only but after I priced up the launch deal for the 9 ive actually made a profit, plus got another watch out of it.
@Matthew Harris, why do you want a new phone every year, what does it really offer over a older phone?
I had a look at the new Iphone, not that I was ever going to buy one, but I had a look anyway. It takes photos and videos, so do mine and I doubt there is much difference in quality and most people would not notice anyway, certainly on a small screen. You can browse on it, so can I on mine, it may be a little slower, but it does the job. It can make calls and video calls, so can my phone. Text, yes my phone can do that as well. Iphone screen is slightly larger than mine and may be better quality, but again, how many people would even notice?
The iphones and other phones that era newer than mine will be slightly faster, but at what point do you stop noticing? MY oppo has a slightly faster chip than my old Huawei, but it is not really noticeable. Apps may open up in a 0.02 of a second faster.
I was picking on the Iphone above because of the stupid prices that people pay for a phone, but it is the same for any high end phones.
Phones can last for years, mine is over 3 years old and still work fine, there is no need for a new phone every year or two for that matter.
You say you got another watch, did you need another watch?
Are you young? These offers seem to be for the younger ones, the ones who are supposed to care about the climate and waste, since they are the ones that will have to cope with the problems. If they don’t care, then why should us older ones care?
No, I don’t. I am buying new when I need one directly from manufacturer and sign sim only contracts.
People are misunderstanding this, the old phones will be refurbished and sold again since they require the return to be in good condition.
They are not after you, or the other person, they’te chasing the “new phone crowd” and seeing if it gets traction, give it a chance to get out the gates befoee being so negative.
Too many armchair CEO’s on this site sometimes
Too much waste, that is the problem, but it seems like you don’t care, so why should we care?
Nearly all phones if not all phones from Vodafone are on 3 year plans , so advertising this for 2 year plans send a bit misleading
Its not – you just read it wrong.
Take a phone over 2 years – xchange after 1
Take a phone over 3 years – xchange after 2
It’s a finance agreement on the handset and you pay back the value over 2 or 3 years – how much depends on what you pay up front and how long