This week’s Mobile contract tracker reveals that 18-month contracts are now so prevalent that only one 12-month contract has made it into this week’s top ten.

The sole 12-month contract is the Orange Canary 30 – ranked close to the bottom in ninth position.

Brian McBride, former MD at T-Mobile, is widely credited with being the ‘founder’ of the 18-month mobile contract. McBride told Mobile he was glad to see 18-month contracts muscle out the once-standard year-long deal.

‘This has at least reduced the economics of madness in the mobile industry. Sometimes it takes someone from outside the asylum to do it.’ McBride joined T-Mobile from PC manufacturer Dell and he is now CEO of Amazon UK.