3 tempts consumers with £0 per month contract

The UK’s plucky mobile disruptor, 3 UK, launched a £0 per month contract on Wednesday, hoping to lure prepay users from other networks with the promise of free Skype calls.

The Sim Zero tariff is available for one month’s minimum term with a 30 day cancellation period. Subscribers are not required to top up, although they will need to if they want to make calls and send texts. 3 UK charges £0.20 per minute for all standard calls, £0.10 per text and £0.30 per MB of data on this tariff.

But all Skype-to-Skype calls and instant messaging are free and unlimited on the contract, even if the user doesn’t top up.

Andy Nuttall, head of pay monthly at 3, said: “Where once the £35 a month contract was commonplace, prices are now falling. 3 launched the first £9 contract and other networks have followed suit. Some networks have gone as low as £5, but are handcuffing customers to a 3 year commitment. We want to challenge the market and change mobile forever, that’s why we are offering a UK first – a contract that costs nothing but gives you free calls forever with Skype.”