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Apple iPad Mini and Fourth-Gen iPad Telco Price Plans Comparison

By Sidney Wong - 30 Nov 2012

Apple iPad (4th-Gen) Price Plans Compared

Apple iPad (4th-Gen) Telco Contract Prices and Cost Comparison

 

  M1 SingTel StarHub
Monthly Fee (w/GST)
  •  $40
  • $29.90 / $49.90
  • $42 
Data Credit (GB)
  • 8GB
  • Excess data charges at $5.35/GB
  • Data capped at $94.16/month 
  • 5GB / 10GB
  • Excess data charges at $5.35/GB
  • Data capped at $94/month

    *With effect from 1st Jan 2013:
     
  • Excess data charges at $10.70/GB
  • Data capped at $188/month
  • 11GB
  • Excess data charges at $6.42/GB 
  • Data capped at $64.20/month
Typical Download Speeds
  • 3G: 0.9 to 7.1Mbps
  • 4G: 6.9 to 17.4Mbps
  • 3.4Mbps to 12.0Mbps
  • 3G DC-HSPA+ : 1.4 to 9.9Mbps
  • 4G: 3.4 to 12Mbps
SIM Card Fee
  • $26.75
  • $37.45
  • $37.45
Registration Fee
  • $10.70
  • $10.70 
  • $10.70
Apple iPad (4th-Gen) Contract Price
iPad (16GB)
  • $399
  • $499 / $299
  • $399 
iPad (32GB)
  • $499 
  • $599 / $399
  • $499 
iPad (64GB)
  • $599 
  • $699 / $499
  • $599

 

Total Costs Incurred over a Two-year Contract

With a two-year contract tied to the data plan, we have compiled a table comparing the total amount you have to fork out (at minimum) over the two-year span. For this calculation, we took into account the monthly subscriptions for two years and the one-time charges (including registration fees) as listed above for the respective telcos. As such, this doesn't factor in the excess charges incurred for data usage above what's given by each telco's plan. 

  M1 SingTel StarHub
16GB
  • Total cost over two years:

    ($40 x 24) + $399 + $26.75 + $10.70

    = $1,396.45
  • Total cost over two years for the 5GB data plan:

    ($29.90 x 24) + $499 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,264.75

  • Total cost over two years for the 10GB data plan:

    ($49.90 x 24) + $299 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,544.75

  • Total cost over two years:

    ($42 x 24) + $399 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,455.15
     
32GB
  • Total cost over two years:

    ($40 x 24) + $499 + S$26.75 + $10.70

    = $1,496.45
  • Total cost over two years for the 5GB data plan:

    ($29.90 x 24) + $599 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,364.75

  • Total cost over two years for the 10GB data plan:

    ($49.90 x 24) + $399 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,644.75
  • Total cost over two years:

    ($42 x 24) + $499 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,555.15
64GB
  • Total cost over two years:

    ($40x 24) + $599 + $26.75 + $10.70

    = $1,596.45
  • Total cost over two years for the 5GB data plan:

    ($29.90 x 24) + $699 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,464.75

  • Total cost over two years for the 10GB data plan:

    ($49.90 x 24) + $499 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,744.75
  • Total cost over two years:

    ($42 x 24) + $599 + $37.45 + $10.70

    = $1,655.15

Based on the calculations above, SingTel's offerings seem the best among the three telcos. Do take note of its local data bundle of only 5GB. The other two telcos provide higher data bundles (8GB for M1, 11GB for StarHub). However, should you do the math to level up the data charges incurred for all three telcos (assuming you'll consume 11GB worth of data), Singtel still comes out to be the most cost effective option.

 

Multi-SIM Card Charges

Both SingTel and StarHub have also given their existing customers an option to sign up for a multi-SIM plan, and enjoy a slight discount on the new iPad. Based on our last check, SingTel will be trimming $10 off the iPad's retail price, while StarHub is trimming $20 off.

Considering that you have to fork out $48.75 for SingTel and $32.10 for StarHub, the discount merely offsets the one-time payment for the multi-SIM service.

Here's a table that shows you the different subscription, activation or SIM card charges from all three telcos: 

  M1 SingTel StarHub
Monthly
Subscription
  • $10.70  
  • $10.70
    (1 SIM + 1 MicroSIM card)
  • $21.40
    (2 SIM + 1 MicroSIM card)
  • $32.10
    (3 SIM + 1 MicroSIM card)
  • $10.70
     
Registration
  & Activation Fee
  • Free
  • $10.70
  • $10.70
SIM Card Fee
  • $26.75
  • $37.45 for 1st set of 2 SIM cards
    (1 SIM + 1 MultiSIM)
     
  • $10.70 per subsequent card
  • $21.40 

Note: A multi-SIM card shares the data bundle of your mobile phone plan. As such, you will not enjoy 4G LTE data speeds on your iPad (4th-gen) if you only have an existing 3G mobile plan. 

 

Contract-Free iPad + Multi-SIM Signup with Existing Mobile Plans

Next, we'll be looking at the cost of signing up for a multi-SIM card. This is based on the assumption that you are an existing customer with the particular telco, with a data plan tagged to your smartphone. Similarly, we will be including the one-time charges, which includes activation and registration fees of the multi-SIM.

To give you an idea of how much it'll cost compared to the new sign up that we've mentioned above, here's the breakdown of the total cost over a two-year period.

  M1 SingTel StarHub
16GB
 
  • Total cost over two years: 

    ($10.70 x 24) + $26.75 + $828

    = $1,111.55
  • Total costs over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $10.70 + $37.45 + $828

    = $1,132.95
  • Total costs over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $10.70 + $21.40 + $828

    = $1,116.90
     
32GB
 
  • Total cost over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $26.75 + $958

    = $1,241.55
  • Total costs over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $10.70 + $37.45 + $958

    = $1,262.95
  • Total costs over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $10.70 + $21.40 + $958

    = $1,246.90
64GB
 
  • Total costs over two years:

     (S$10.70 x 24) + $26.75 + $1,088

    = $1,371.55                
  • Total costs over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $10.70 + $37.45 + $1,088

    = $1,392.95
  • Total costs over two years:

    ($10.70 x 24) + $10.70 + $21.40 + $1,088

    = $1,376.90

When it comes to signing up a multi-SIM plan with the telco, all three telcos are pretty close to one another. As SingTel and StarHub charge slightly more for the one-time payment (registration / activation + SIM card), M1 obviously has the most affordable deals.

A general note for all consumers: the data speeds offered by a multi-SIM plan is dependent on the mobile plan you signed up for. If you haven't signed up for a 4G mobile plan, you will not enjoy 4G LTE speeds on your iPad.

On the other hand, if you have signed up for a new mobile plan or recontract recently, you are most likely to be using the new tiered mobile plans from all three telcos. Therefore, you have to keep a close watch over your data usage.

Here's an article where we recommend six apps for monitoring data usage on mobile devices. You also can check out our illustrated overview of tiered smartphone plans, where graphs are drawn up to give you an idea of which mobile plan from the respective telco will suit your needs.

 

Two-year Contract Versus Multi-SIM Signup

So what is the preferred option? Signing up for a new data plan to get a theoretical download speed of 75Mbps, or sticking with your current data plan and paying for a multi-SIM? To answer that question, here's the final comparison between the two methods of getting the iPad from your preferred telco.

  With 2-Year Contract With Multi-SIM
16GB
  • M1: $1,369.45
     
  • SingTel: $1,264.75 / $1,544.75
     
  • StarHub: $1,455.15
  •  M1: $1,111.55
     
  • SingTel: $1,132.95
     
  • StarHub: $1,116.90
32GB
  • M1: $1,496.45
     
  • SingTel: $1,364.75 / $1,644.75
     
  • StarHub: $1,555.15
  • M1: $1,241.55
     
  • SingTel: $1,262.95
     
  • StarHub: $1,246.90
64GB
  • M1: $1,596.45
     
  • SingTel: $1,464.75 / $1,744.75
     
  • StarHub: $1,655.15
  • M1: $1,371.55
     
  • SingTel: $1,392.95
     
  • StarHub: $1,376.90

As you can see, getting a contract-free fourth-gen iPad with a multi-SIM plan gives you significant savings over a two-year period although you most probably have to bear with lower surfing speeds if you're not already on a 4G plan.

Change of Normal SIM to Micro-SIM Card

Existing customers who just want to change their normal SIM card to a micro-SIM card for use with the fourth-gen iPad have to pay the following charges:

  • M1 - $26.75
  • SingTel - $37.45
  • StarHub - $21.40

 

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