Early upgrades are a special deal to allow you to upgrade far earlier than normal.
They are meant for people who either must have the latest technology or who are stuck with a phone they have damaged / can't get repaired under warenty
IE those who cannot wait for or do not want to wait until their contract runs down
AS the cost of a handset (normally running into several hundred pounds) is spread over the lifetime of a contract, early upgraders have not yet finished paying for their previous device
The residuals of this cost are therfore included in the handset cost and tarrif offered as an early upgrade, resulting in offers that seem uncompetitave when directly compared with those offered to new customers / those at the end of a contract or those on other networks
If you want a good deal wait until closer to the end date of your contract from about 3 months out the offers become much more attractive
Hi bettyboop1982,
Thanks for posting. Just to clarify, the early upgrade process is intended as a cheaper alternative to purchasing a phone at full price or paying off the early termination fee of a contract. They're an ideal solution for those customers who have lost or damaged an uninsured handset or first footers who need to get hold a newer device sooner. Do remember that you're still paying off the agreement of your current device (original or replacement) when you have 190 days remaining. 
Your standard upgrade in the last 90 days of contract naturally has no extra fees and deals are more in line with the rest of the market. You'll also find that 24 monh plans will also become available at this point too as the early upgrades tool restricts to the higher cost but shorter 18 month plans. If you need a hand chatting about early upgrades and the possibility of wavering the early upgrade fees, feel free to contact us using this template. Don't forget to link back to this thread in your email too.
Cheers, Ben
