The right call: how to choose a smartphone that’s better for you – and less harmful to the planet
Unboxing a new mobile phone always feels like a thrill. But how often does getting a new phone or mobile contract make you feel like you’re doing good?
As a certified B Corp, mobile network provider giffgaff comes with a host of perks that not only benefit you, but also wider society. Intrigued? Here are seven reasons why choosing giffgaff is the right call …
Sustainability is more than just words
Smartphone pollution is a real issue. In 2022, the WEEE Forum estimated there were 16bn mobile phones worldwide and 5.3bn were no longer in use. If you’re keen to limit your negative impact on the planet, then it makes sense to choose a network that feels the same way. More than half of giffgaff’s phone sales each year are of refurbished models. In fact, when you choose this option, you’re creating 89% less e-waste than if you bought a new smartphone. Opting for a refurbished phone isn’t a case of choosing second best – all phones come with a minimum 12-month warranty, have gone through thorough testing and have at least 80% battery health.
Got an old phone or sim cards sitting in a drawer? You can recycle them at giffgaff, too – and giffgaff’s new sim packaging comes from 100% FSC-accredited mix paper, a mixture of recycled pulp and sustainable forests.
A refurbished phone prolongs the device’s lifespan. Photograph: Peter Cade/Getty Images
Become part of a community
When you sign up to giffgaff, you automatically become a “member”. As a member, you can lend a hand in supporting fellow members, such as answering their questions in the online forum. In return, you earn “payback”, which you can receive as cash or credit on your account. Alternatively, you have the option of giving the money to charity, which giffgaff will match, pound for pound. In 2023, this translated into more than £85,000 of joint donations.
Being part of the community doesn’t mean the conversation is limited to data plans and network coverage questions, either – members chat about everything from healthy recipes to wallpapering tips. And if there isn’t a topic you’re interested in, you’re free to start the conversation.
Take control of your sim plan
Work and travel plans mean that, for many of us, one month can look very different from the next. And giffgaff gets this, which is why it lets you switch your plan free of charge whenever you want. So if it turns out you’re not the data cruncher you thought you were, you can effortlessly move to a cheaper plan – no questions asked. In fact, every month giffgaff will email you to tell you if you’re on the right plan based on your data usage. So if you need less or more data, giffgaff will let you know which plan is best for you. And if a monthly plan isn’t right for you, you can choose to buy pay-as-you-go credit instead.
Get a great deal
With no shops or call centres (giffgaff is online only), phones and sim plans are simple to understand and give you great value. Currently, you can sign up for unlimited UK data, calls and texts on an 18-month contract for just £25 per month*. And giffgaff has phones to fit any budget – for instance, at the time of writing, you could get the Samsung Galaxy A15 4G for just £169.
Know that you’re making a positive impact
More than 2,000 UK companies are officially B Corp – and giffgaff is one of them. This means they’re not only committed to doing right by their staff, customers and the planet – but legally obligated to do so.
The mobile phone network lives up to this commitment in a huge variety of ways – from providing its staff (AKA giffgaffers) with free breakfasts and virtual fitness classes to embracing e-sims; raising money for good causes through its payback scheme, to building a genuinely warm and helpful online community always ready to welcome new members. And the list is growing year on year, as giffgaff works on raising its B Corp score.
Avoid nasty surprises
Being told that the monthly direct debit that you thought was fixed is suddenly going up can feel like a kick in the teeth. Fortunately, that’s not something you’ll experience with giffgaff, as it is committed to no mid-contract price rises across its contracts in 2024**. So no matter what the inflation rate is, you know your budgeting is sound.
Mobile phone network giffgaff helped to tackle digital exclusion by providing 250 refurbished phones to Big Issue sellers
Help fight digital poverty
Most of us can’t imagine life without a smartphone, but there are thousands of people who are at a societal disadvantage because they don’t have access to one. At giffgaff, the impact of digital exclusion is recognised and that’s why, in November last year, it teamed up with the Big Issue to provide 250 refurbished mobile phones to magazine sellers, enabling them to take cashless payments in the street and connect with friends and vital services such as housing and the NHS.
Check out giffgaff’s flexible sim packages, huge range of refurbished phones, and all the ways it’s “up to good” at giffgaff.com
* Fair usage policy and terms apply
** No mid-contract price rises on 18-month contracts purchased before the end of 2024. Fair usage policy, terms and exclusions apply, see giffgaff.com/terms