The most flexible mobile tariff, ever!

One mobile network is offering inclusive calls to international and 08 numbers, as well as unlimited mobile internet with its price plans...

T-Mobile turned up the heat in the mobile world this week, announcing the launch of a new mobile tariff aimed to give more choice and value to customers.

The provider is enhancing its popular 'Flext' price plan, and from 1st April, customers will be able to use their allowance for calls traditionally excluded from mobile plans, such as international calls and texts to 50 destinations, as well as local and national numbers such as 0845, 0870 and 0800.

Another flexible friend...

T-Mobile's Flext plan offers an innovative yet simple way of making your mobile allowance more flexible. Instead of a set number of minutes and texts, customers are given a 'credit allowance', which they can use on any number of minutes and texts of their choosing, as well as picture messages, and in some cases, voicemail.

In my opinion, T-Mobile's move is a welcome one. It means that calling an 0870 helpline when your boiler breaks down or texting your beloved granny in Australia a lot easier on your wallet.

The tariff also removes the hassle of having to fork out for money saving extras such as international phone cards, or having to juggle several different SIM cards, all of which can turn calling abroad into something of a circus act.

Perks...and pitfalls

Of course, it's not all rosy news, and in order to bag this tariff you'll have to fork out at least £40 a month, which certainly isn't cheap. This gives you an allowance of £225, plus unlimited internet access (included with all new Flext plans).

If you are already using Flext, you can upgrade to the new tariff on 1st April. Alternatively, you can wait and opt for a cheaper £35 tariff (only available to existing customers) when your current contract expires, giving you an allowance of £180.

Cheaper alternatives

Of course, if you're not a big spender, then forking out the £40 monthly fee may not prove good value for you.

For lower users still wanting value when calling abroad, the pay as you go Camel tariff from Orange offers cheaper calls to international numbers from your mobile, such as Australia from 6p per minute and Spain from 5p.

Alternatively, specialist operators such as Lycamobile and Lebara Mobile offer calls to Europe and the US from just 4p per minute using their pay as you go SIM cards.

When you consider each one minute international landline call takes 40p from your T-Mobile Flext allowance, these pay as you go offerings may offer better value if you're only looking to maike calls abroad. You can see T-Mobile's full list of Flext call charges here.

In addition, T-Mobile is not the first network to offer inclusive calls to 0800 numbers. BT Mobile announced it was making calls to 0800 and 0500 numbers free from 1st May. This is a welcome addition to BT's decision to make 0845 and 0870 numbers free for landline customers on one of its call packages.

Alternatively, if the prospect of changing plans and calculating the cost makes you dizzy, you could always resort to old lovemoney.com favourite saynoto0870.com, which lists geographical alternatives to those expensive 0845 and 0870 numbers.

The site is a true gem for cutting calls which can cost a fortune - and makes calls free if you have inclusive minutes with your price plan.

Of course, T-Mobile's latest offering won't be for everyone, and I'm guessing those used to paying next to nothing each month won't have made it to the end of this article.

But when it comes to price plans, if variety is the spice of life, and you're a high-end user looking for more from your mobile, this may prove a value alternative for you.

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