Vodafone UK is trialling a scheme for new and upgrading customers, allowing them to “test drive” an all-you-can-eat data plan for three months, to inspire confidence in smartphones and in the contracts that they opt for.

The deal applies to any smartphone that the operator offers data plans for, regardless of whether it is a 12, 18 or 24-month contract.

“For the first three months of your price plan, we’ll waive our standard data charges if you exceed your UK data allowance,” explained the firm.

“We’ll monitor your data use, and in the third month we’ll send you a text summarising how you got on, whether you exceeded your data allowance during the trial and the monthly cost of adding a higher data allowance to your plan.”

The company added that the deal is aimed at encouraging users to explore their phone and inspire confidence in smarthphones with no restrictions or limits. It’s a classic bait and switch manoeuvre – let the users run free for three months then tell them they should sign up for the heavy user package.

If users find that they are using more data than what their plans allow, there are options open to them – they can pay £3 extra a month for 250Mb more allowance, £5 for 500Mb, and there are also 1GB and 2GB plans as well.

Users can also check their data usage at any time on their My Account portal, the My Vodafone app, available on iPhone and Android, or by calling 44555.

The three month Data Test Drive is for data use in the UK only and does not apply to SIM only, mobile broadband and price plans where data is not included.