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HTC One Max only on Vodafone in UK, is £600 SIM-free

HTC's massive new mobile will only be available on Vodafone for now, unless you want to pay lots of cash for an unlocked model.

Luke Westaway Senior editor
Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
Luke Westaway
2 min read

HTC's massive new mobile will only be available on Vodafone in the UK, at least for now.

The 5.9-inch One Max, which we've thoroughly reviewed, is currently exclusive to Vodafone, the red-hued operator has confirmed.

"The HTC One Max is a Vodafone exclusive from launch, and will be available on a 24 month Vodafone Red 4G-ready plan from £49 upfront and just £47 each month", the network writes on its blog, also confirming that the Max will go on sale this week.

That should shatter the hopes of O2, EE, Orange, T-Mobile or Three customers who'd hoped to wrap their mitts around HTC's new toy. I've asked Vodafone when its period of exclusivity comes to an end, and will update this story if and when I hear back.

Pricey SIM-free

If you don't feel like typing yourself into a lengthy contract to acquire the One Max, you could consider buying it unlocked. The first price to surface comes via Mobilefun.co.uk, and gets you the 32GB One Max for an eye-watering £600.

Other deals are bound to surface shortly, so keep your eyes peeled. Mobilefun.co.uk has told me it won't be selling the 16GB version of the One Max for now, so if you can track down the lower-capacity option you might be able to get the phone for much less cash.

HTC's latest mobile goes toe-to-toe with the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Note 3, and does a decent job, earning four stars in our review. It's not likely to outpace rival mobiles if it can only be bought from one or two places, however, so here's hoping it becomes available elsewhere shortly.

Are you planning on buying the HTC One Max? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.