Petition · past parliament
Ban mobile operators from taking payments for phone purchases you've paid off.
Closed
33 signatures
What the petition asks
Monthly payments for a new mobile contract will often include the service charges and a cost to cover a new phone. Once your contract term expires, and if you do not contact the operator, you will automatically continue paying the same monthly cost despite having paid off the loan for the phone.
This practice is the same as buying a new car on finance and being expected to continue your payments once the loan is paid off.
The majority of consumers may be aware of the practice and renegotiate their contracts, however, many others do not realise that part of their monthly cost is effectively a loan for the phone.
Standard industry practice should be to automatically move consumers to SIM only when their contract expires or phone is paid off, whichever occurs first.
The majority of consumers may be aware of the practice and renegotiate their contracts, however, many others do not realise that part of their monthly cost is effectively a loan for the phone.
Standard industry practice should be to automatically move consumers to SIM only when their contract expires or phone is paid off, whichever occurs first.
Timeline
| 4 Oct 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 4 Apr 2018 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
33
Status
Closed
Opened
4 Oct 2017
Closed
4 Apr 2018
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.