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By now, most Singaporeans should be no strangers to SIM Only plans. These plans usually come at a more affordable price point with no contracts, and offer flexibility in customizing the plans to your mobile phone usage needs, particularly for those not looking to get a brand new phone.
That being said, if you are thinking of getting a SIM Only plan, it’s important to consider other factors apart from price and how much data you can get (which many are prone to focusing solely on). We take a look at Singtel’s SIM Only plans here and why it’s important to look beyond just the basics of price and data.
Here are 3 other things to consider when choosing a SIM Only mobile plan:
1. Network Performance
This is usually not something that many people consider important until… you need to download that urgent email to reply and you just can’t. That’s when you start praying to whatever heavenly being is available to you (and one that you don’t need to call/text because, you know… “No Network Available”). Network performance in terms of speed and coverage is important!
Here’s the thing – many don’t know this (and neither did we), but Singtel is the only telco in Singapore with LTE900 bands. For most of us who don’t deal well with technical terms, LTE900 is a lower frequency band that provides better in-building penetrations, which means better 4G coverage indoors and underground, which otherwise can often be a huge pain.
Apart from that, based on IMDA’s 4G Outdoor Mobile Service Coverage Measurement Results and IDA’s MyConnection SG 4G Data Download Test ($G Median Throughput), Singtel has remained Singapore’s fastest and widest network for 15 consecutive quarters, since Q4 2014. So why is this so important?
Without stating the obvious, this impacts phone usage greatly. Not just because you can actually use it, but it makes your smartphone “smarter”. Without having to deal with constant network interference, your phone runs smoother and is able to maximize the utility from your SIM Only plan more efficiently.
So whether you’re busy checking out where your friends are eating at on Instagram or catching up on the latest Netflix series, you can be assured of staying connected wherever you go.
2. Flexibility of Customizing Your Plan
A plan that suits your needs is as important as the price you are paying for the plan.
This is where Singtel’s SIM Only plans really stand out. They currently offer a variety of 12-month SIM Only plans with different data bundles to cater to different data appetites. Singtel’s 5GB and 10GB plans (for $20/mth and $36.05/mth respectively) should be sufficient data for most people to comfortably go about their daily lives. But it gets better, because Singtel is now running a promotion giving you FREE extra data!
If you’re among the first 2,000 to sign-up for a SIM Only 5GB plan from 19 Jan 2019 onwards, you get an additional FREE 15GB monthly. Similarly, if you sign up for a SIM Only 10GB plan, you also get FREE 15GB monthly as well!
If that’s still not enough data, you can choose their 30GB plan. With the FREE data promotion, that adds up to a total of 40GB for $46.75/mth!
And for those moments where you may still need your talktime or SMS, Singtel’s 12-month plans do include 150 mins talktime and 500 SMS. It is also possible to add on more data, talktime or SMS anytime. Truly, it’s all about customizing the SIM Only plan to suit your needs best.
So while having a lot of data might be great, being smart about utilizing the data you have is even better, which brings us to our last point…
3. Value Added Services (VAS)
Adding VAS into the mix changes a lot of things for SIM Only plans. Singtel’s SIM Only plans give you access to their wide array of VAS to suit your lifestyles.
Travel and Data roaming
We all know Singaporeans have the wanderlust bug. This makes staying connected while you’re overseas extremely important – especially if you’re looking for affordable, multi-destination roaming. That’s where Singtel’s ReadyRoam add-on is of great help. From just $12/GB, Singtel’s ReadyRoam 1GB plan covers you for 30 days across 56 countries, giving you the flexibility to roam multiple destinations with cross-border coverage within the month.
While other roaming plans in the market restrict usage to particular apps, there is no such issue with Singtel ReadyRoam which lets you use data just like you do in Singapore. So whether it’s posting #OOTDs on Instagram, navigating to popular hangouts on Google Maps, Facetiming your family, or just surfing the net, ReadyRoam has you covered.
ReadyRoam Network Lock ensures you stay on Singtel ReadyRoam plans’ countries and preferred network operators to protect you against unintended pay-per-use charges. And not to worry if you’ve used up your 1GB – you automatically enjoy the subsequent 1GB at the same price as the subscribed ReadyRoam plan.
Lifestyle and Daily Usage
Whether it’s listening to music or reading, there’s something good for everyone. You can add on Spotify Premium from Singtel Music at a discounted rate of $7.90/month (U.P. $9.90/month). This add-on allows you to listen to ad-free music on Spotify without using any data, which is godsend for music junkies as you can save up your data for other things and not be scared of busting your data cap.
If reading is more your thing, Singtel Newsstand’s Magzter Gold add-on gives you access to over 4,000 magazine titles like Her World, 8 Days, Forbes and more for just $7.90 a month.
At the end of the day, these add-ons only serve to enhance the plan that you are on, so that you get the most utility out of it.
So which SIM Only plan is the best, really?
As you’ve heard us at MoneySmart say countless times, there’s no such thing as the best credit card, only the card that can best suit your needs. In the same way, a SIM Only plan is only as good as how well it can serve your lifestyle needs.
Comparing the pure price point of a plan and what you get quantitatively in terms of talktime, data, etc. should not be the end point of your comparison. Other considerations such as quality of the network your plan is on, customisation so you pay only for what you need, and VAS at exclusive prices, will significantly impact your mobile experience and how you use your phone.
With a Singtel SIM Only plan, you get the best that Singtel has to offer from just $20/mth. Find out more about their plans here and get started with a plan that suits your mobile needs best.
If you are interested to find out more about Singtel products, you can fill up this simple form here.
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