Carphone Warehouse in 2026:
a Currys online brand with in-store support
Founded in 1989, Carphone Warehouse closed all 531 of its standalone UK stores in April 2020 and was folded into the Currys family during the October 2021 Dixons Carphone rebrand. In 2026 it survives as an online-first Pay Monthly mobile retailer at carphonewarehouse.com, trading as Currys Retail Limited, with Carphone Warehouse-trained mobile experts inside Currys stores nationwide.
Trustpilot
4.3/5
38,000+ UK reviews . Excellent
1989
Founded by Charles Dunstone in London
531
Standalone UK stores closed in April 2020
4.3
Trustpilot rating . 38,000+ UK reviews
Currys
Parent group (FTSE 250) since the 2021 rebrand
About the brand
From 1989 high-street giant to Currys online trading name
Carphone Warehouse was founded in 1989 by Charles Dunstone, in the days when most portable phones were still too bulky to carry and were therefore called car phones. The chain grew through the 1990s and 2000s to become the UK's largest independent mobile retailer, listed on the London Stock Exchange and operating more than 1,700 stores across Europe at its peak.
A 2014 merger with Dixons Retail created Dixons Carphone plc, the parent of Currys PC World, Carphone Warehouse and Team Knowhow. In March 2020 the group announced the closure of all 531 standalone Carphone Warehouse UK stores; the last shutters came down on 3 April 2020, ending the brand's 31-year run on the British high street.
In October 2021, Dixons Carphone rebranded as Currys plc and Carphone Warehouse was folded into the Currys family. The brand now operates exclusively as an online trading name of Currys Retail Limited, while Carphone Warehouse-trained mobile experts continue to staff the mobile desks inside Currys stores nationwide.
37 years of UK mobile retail
A brief history of Carphone Warehouse
From a single shop on Marylebone Road to a Currys online brand, in seven dates.
Founded
Charles Dunstone opens the first Carphone Warehouse on Marylebone Road, London, selling mobile phones to small businesses.
IPO
Carphone Warehouse Group lists on the London Stock Exchange. The chain expands across Europe through the decade.
Dixons Carphone merger
Merger with Dixons Retail creates Dixons Carphone plc, parent of Currys PC World and Carphone Warehouse.
High-street exit
On 3 April 2020 all 531 standalone Carphone Warehouse UK stores close, with around 2,900 staff affected. Sales move online and into Currys stores.
Currys rebrand
In October 2021 Dixons Carphone rebrands as Currys plc. Carphone Warehouse becomes a trading name of Currys Retail Limited.
Sister sites wound down
Long-running cashback aggregators e2save and mobiles.co.uk, also owned by the group, are quietly retired and customers are redirected to carphonewarehouse.com.
Online + in-store hybrid
Carphone Warehouse trades as an online-first Pay Monthly retailer, with Carphone Warehouse-trained mobile experts inside Currys stores and free Click & Collect across the UK.
What you can buy
Carphone Warehouse services in 2026
Online ordering with Click & Collect from any Currys store, no separate Carphone Warehouse shops left on the high street.
Pay Monthly contracts
EE . O2 . Vodafone . Three
Full handset-and-airtime contracts on all four UK host networks. Most flagship handsets available with £0 upfront and 24- or 36-month terms.
SIM-only plans
EE . O2 . Vodafone . Three
Rolling 1-month, 12-month and 24-month SIM-only deals from the four host networks plus iD Mobile, the Currys-owned MVNO that runs on the Three network.
SIM-free unlocked phones
No network lock
Most handsets sold by Carphone Warehouse, including SIM-free devices, ship network-unlocked so they accept any UK SIM out of the box.
Trade-in
Bank transfer . 3-5 days
Send your old handset using a 100% recyclable pre-paid pack. Working devices are valued instantly online; payment hits your nominated bank account within 3-5 business days.
Free next-day delivery
Order by 8pm
Free next-day delivery on orders placed before 8pm, or free Click & Collect from any Currys store the next day, including Sundays.
Mobile insurance & repairs
Currys after-sales
Phone insurance, accidental damage cover and repair services are now handled by the wider Currys after-sales team, using the same UK network of stores and engineers.
Where to find it
Online first, in-store inside Currys
Since April 2020 there are no standalone Carphone Warehouse stores left in the UK. The brand operates as an online-first retailer at carphonewarehouse.com, where you can browse Pay Monthly contracts, SIM-only plans and SIM-free devices, place an order and choose either home delivery or free next-day Click & Collect from any Currys store.
Face-to-face advice is still available: mobile experts trained by Carphone Warehouse staff the connectivity desks inside Currys stores across the UK. They can help you compare contracts, set up a new device, transfer data from your old handset and handle trade-ins on the spot.
Use the Currys store finder to locate your nearest store. The connectivity team covers everything that used to be sold by the original Carphone Warehouse shops, plus broadband and home-tech bundles.
At a glance
- Online ordering at carphonewarehouse.com, open 24/7.
- In-store advice from Carphone Warehouse-trained mobile experts inside Currys stores nationwide.
- Free next-day delivery on orders placed by 8pm, plus free Click & Collect.
- 14-day cooling-off period on every online order, in line with UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
Selectra expert tip. If you need hands-on help, place the order online and pick Click & Collect from your local Currys: the mobile expert there will activate the SIM, transfer your contacts and answer questions before you leave the store.
Customer service
What 38,000+ UK customers actually say
On uk.trustpilot.com Carphone Warehouse holds a 4.3 out of 5 "Excellent" rating from over 38,000 reviews. Five-star reviews almost always cite the speed of delivery, the willingness of in-store mobile experts to spend time setting up a new handset, and the smooth trade-in process.
The minority of negative reviews cluster around three issues: delays on tracking information for next-day deliveries during peak weeks, friction when an order needs to be cancelled or refunded, and occasional waits on the sales line at busy periods (typically iPhone launch week and Black Friday).
The Pay Monthly contract you sign is direct with the network (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three or iD), so the network handles airtime issues and billing. Carphone Warehouse acts as the retailer for the handset and the upgrade path.
Trustpilot verdict
4.3/5
Based on 38,000+ verified reviews on uk.trustpilot.com (May 2026). Classified as "Excellent" by Trustpilot, the highest tier on the platform.
76%
5-star reviews
8pm
Next-day cut-off
7/7
Click & Collect
Get in touch
How to contact Carphone Warehouse
Support is run by the Currys Retail Limited team. The fastest routes are the online help centre and the connectivity desk inside any Currys store.
Existing orders & account
Online help centre
Track an order, arrange a return, manage an upgrade or raise a complaint through the self-service portal, open 24/7.
Open help centreBuying a new contract
In-store or online
Browse Pay Monthly and SIM-only deals online, or get hands-on advice from a mobile expert at any Currys connectivity desk.
Contact pageRepairs & damage
Currys after-sales
In-warranty and out-of-warranty repairs, screen replacements and accidental-damage claims are handled by the wider Currys after-sales team.
Find a storeOnline help centre
The self-service help portal at selfhelp.carphonewarehouse.com covers order tracking, returns, upgrades and trade-in queries. The main contact page is at carphonewarehouse.com/contactus.
Head office & in-store help
Head office: Currys Retail Ltd, 1 Portal Way, London W3 6RS. For face-to-face help, visit any Currys store and ask for the connectivity desk: the team is trained by Carphone Warehouse.
Alternatives
Other UK mobile retailers worth comparing
Carphone Warehouse sits at the mainstream end of the market. For the lowest possible monthly price, online cashback aggregators usually undercut it; for the simplest customer service, the network shops do.
Mobile Phones Direct
Aggregator (AO World)
Online-only cashback aggregator owned by AO World. Typically £100-£400 cheaper than Carphone Warehouse over 24 months, provided you remember to claim cashback at months 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.
Read moreAffordable Mobiles
Aggregator (online)
Online aggregator covering all four host networks with a strong focus on trade-in discounts. Frequently bundles free gifts on flagship handset contracts.
EE Shop
Network direct
The EE retail channel direct. Same Pay Monthly prices as Carphone Warehouse without the cashback game, with stronger after-sale support and EE perks bundled in.
Read moreTesco Mobile
Supermarket (O2 host)
Clubcard prices on selected SIM-only plans and Family Perks to share allowances across up to four lines. Cheaper than Carphone Warehouse on light-usage SIM-only plans.
Read moreCarphone Warehouse FAQ
The Selectra expert answers your questions
Yes, but only as an online brand. All 531 standalone Carphone Warehouse UK stores closed on 3 April 2020, and the brand was folded into the Currys family during the October 2021 Dixons Carphone rebrand. Today Carphone Warehouse trades as an online-first Pay Monthly retailer at carphonewarehouse.com, a trading name of Currys Retail Limited, with Carphone Warehouse-trained mobile experts staffing the connectivity desks inside Currys stores nationwide.
There are no standalone Carphone Warehouse shops left in the UK. For in-person advice, visit any Currys store and ask for the connectivity desk: the team is trained by Carphone Warehouse and handles the same Pay Monthly contracts, SIM-only deals, trade-ins and upgrades. The Currys store finder lists every UK location.
Yes. Almost every handset sold by Carphone Warehouse, including SIM-free devices and phones bought on a contract, ships unlocked so it accepts any UK SIM out of the box. If you do receive a locked device, see our guide to switching mobile providers for the unlock-code process; the network is required to provide the code free of charge.
Yes. Trade-in is now run by the wider Currys group but still uses the Carphone Warehouse brand on the website. Get an instant valuation online, post the handset back in a 100% recyclable pre-paid pack, and the payment lands in your nominated bank account within 3-5 business days. Damaged and broken phones are accepted at a reduced value, which keeps usable handsets out of UK landfill.
Carphone Warehouse sells Pay Monthly contracts and SIM-only deals on the four UK host networks: EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. It also sells iD Mobile, the Currys-owned MVNO that runs on the Three network, often as the cheapest option on the site. Other MVNOs such as giffgaff or Lycamobile are not stocked.
Free next-day delivery on orders placed before 8pm, plus free Click & Collect from any Currys store the next day, including Sundays. Saturday and Sunday slots are available on most postcodes. The SIM is bundled with the handset and activates within 24 hours of receipt; the network handles the SIM activation, not Carphone Warehouse.
Both were aggressively cashback-led aggregators owned by the same Dixons Carphone group. They continued to trade online for several years after the standalone Carphone Warehouse stores closed, but were quietly retired by Currys, with customers redirected to carphonewarehouse.com. The closest current equivalent on the cashback-aggregator model is Mobile Phones Direct, now owned by AO World.
Yes. UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you 14 calendar days from delivery to cancel any online phone order without giving a reason. Use the online help centre to start a return, or ask the connectivity desk in any Currys store. Send the phone back in its original packaging with all accessories; refunds are typically issued within 14 days of receipt.
Find the right UK mobile retailer
Compare every UK mobile retailer in one place
Network shops, online cashback aggregators, supermarkets and high-street giants side by side. The right retailer can save you up to £400 on the same handset and tariff over 24 months.