Brits collecting contracts to get latest handsets

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Britain is a nation of magpies when it comes to mobile phones, going as far as signing up for multiple contracts just to bag the latest shiny new gadget.

So claims research by comparison site moneysupermarket.com, which found that more than three million Brits shell out for multiple contracts and one in four of us have more than two handsets.

The main reason many sign up more than once is to get a subsidised handset rather than having to pay the additional costs of a SIM-free model. Many also want to get the best deal in terms of calls and texts, according to the research, which was conducted by Opinium Research and weighted to be nationally representative.

Just 13 per cent of people claim their mobile phone hoarding is for privacy reasons.

"Whether it is to boast the latest technology or even to hide incriminating texts away from a partner, people have no qualms about buying more than one handset or signing up to several contracts,” said James Parker, manager of mobiles at moneysupermarket.com, in a statement.

"A worrying aspect of the research is that despite the choice on the market millions of people feel they have to sign up to multiple deals to get the best value for money. There are thousands of deals available that suit all kind of user habits, whether a talker, a texter, a downloader or combinations of the three, so consumers should check what their monthly usage is and shop around for the best deal to match their requirements."

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