Best HTC Desire HD deals

We don't need to tell you about the HTC Desire HD's huge screen, Android 2.2 operating system, 8-megapixel camera, and aluminium frame -- we know you want one. All you need to decide now is where to get it. The phone is available with deals on 3, T-Mobile and Vodafone, so we've compared over 100 of their deals to see which will bag you the most Desire for your dosh.

These are the deals offered direct from the networks, but you'll find more deals offered Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and online resellers. You can compare all the contracts for yourself at mobiledeals.cnet.co.uk. Without further ado, allow us to pick out the best of the deals.

Cheapest 24-month HTC Desire HD deal: £560

Which is the deal with the lowest amount of moolah shelled out over a two-year contract? It's T-Mobile's by a country mile, on a £10 monthly deal after paying £320 for the phone. That includes 100 minutes, 100 texts, unlimited Internet with a 3GB fair-use policy, and a free booster, such as cheap overseas calls. What a deal!

Cheapest 18-month HTC Desire HD deal: £590

Over 18 months, the cheapest total outlay is also offered by T-Mobile. A £15 monthly deal, after paying £320 for the phone, adds up to £590. In terms of included minutes, data and texts, this is exactly the same deal as the 24-month one above, but you're paying £5 per month more for the benefit of a shorter contract.

Average user's cheapest HTC Desire HD deal: £640

The boffins at phone-comparison website BillMonitor reckon that, based on their data, an average person makes about 250 minutes of calls, sends 180 texts and uses 10MB of data per month. We're talking about a data-gobbling HTC smart-phone user here, however, so we'll assume you consume 500MB a month.

T-Mobile, with these mobile deals, you are really spoiling us. A 24-month, £15 per month deal nets you 300 minutes, 300 texts, unlimited Internet with a 3GB fair-use policy, and that handy booster that can include free landline calls, for example. You'll pay £280 for the phone up front, for a total cost of £640 over two years.

Best free HTC Desire HD deal: £840

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as a free Desire HD. It'll cost you a premium over the length of your contract, but at least you can spread the cost. Vodafone and 3 both offer a free Desire HD on £35 per month, 24-month contracts. Vodafone gives you 900 minutes, unlimited texts and 750MB of Internet juice. 3 gives you 500 minutes, 5,000 texts and 1GB Internet. So, unless you really send more than 5,000 texts a month, we suggest going with 3's deal for the extra Internet.

Priciest HTC Desire HD deal: £1,320

If money means nothing to you and you're only interested in paying top whack, Vodafone is your high-priced huckleberry. £55 per month for 24 months gets you a whopping 3,000 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of data. At least it throws in a free phone. When anyone signs up to this tariff, every single Vodafone employee gets the rest of the day off.

Conclusion

Look to Vodafone if you absolutely must have a free phone, but the clear winner on pricing is T-Mobile, offering several of the best deals.

The Desire HD is also available SIM-free for £460, which you could always combine with a cheap SIM-only deal to get exactly the network and minutes that would suit you. This is often the cheapest choice and you're not locked into a contract. 

To see what all the fuss is about, click here for all our Desire HD coverage.

Update: This article was updated on 11 Novembe with the latest deals available.