Feature Articles

Illustrated Overview of Tiered Smartphone Plans (Q3, 2012) - Updated!

By Sidney Wong - 5 Oct 2012

High-Tier Plans Comparison

High-tier Plans Comparison

 

Data Plan M1 SingTel StarHub
Name ExtremeSurf+ Flexi Plus SmartSurf Premium
Monthly Subscription $98 $99.90 $98
Local Outgoing Mins 700 500 700
Local SMS 1,000 1,000 1000
Local Data Bundle 5GB 4GB 6GB
Excess Data Charges $5.35/GB, capped at $94.16 $5.35/GB, capped at $94
*4G subscribers pay $10.70/GB
from 1st Jan 2013
$6.42/GB, capped at $62.40

 

Analysis for 3G Plan

Taking a common standard of 4GB data consumption per month, both M1 and StarHub offer a better deal than SingTel. The result remains the same if you consider data consumption across the board.

Hence, if you have to choose between M1 and StarHub, the latter is cheaper for data consumption between 5GB and 11GB. StarHub will also be a better deal if you consume 17GB or more data per month. Only existing M1 customers who consume not more than 6GB data will get the same deal as StarHub customers who do not exceed their given data bundle.

High-Tier 3G Data Consumption Cost
Usage (GB) M1 SingTel StarHub
1 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
2 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
3 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
4 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
5 $98.00 $105.25 $98.00
6 $103.35 $110.60 $98.00
7 $108.70 $115.95 $104.42
8 $114.05 $121.30 $110.84
9 $119.40 $126.65 $117.26
10 $124.75 $132.00 $123.68
11 $130.10 $137.35 $130.10
12 $135.45 $142.70 $136.52
13 $140.80 $148.05 $142.94
14 $146.15 $153.40 $149.36
15 $151.50 $158.75 $155.78
16 $156.85 $164.10 $160.40
17 $162.20 $169.45 $160.40
18 $167.55 $174.80 $160.40
19 $172.90 $180.15 $160.40
20 $178.25 $185.50 $160.40
21 $183.60 $190.85 $160.40
22 $188.95 $193.90 $160.40
23 $192.16 $193.90 $160.40
24 $192.16 $193.90 $160.40

 

Analysis for 4G Plan

If you generally use not more than 5GB data per month, M1 and StarHub are on equal footing. However, if you tend to use more than 5GB per month, StarHub offers a better deal. Also, if you tend to make a lot of calls, take note that M1 and StarHub offer much more free outgoing talk time and that may sway you away from Singtel depending on your needs.

New subscribers signing on to any of the telcos and estimate 6GB of data usage per month will find StarHub's SmartSurf Premium to be attractive as it is relatively cheaper compared to M1 ($103.35) and SingTel ($121.30). Again, only existing M1 customers (due to the extra 1GB data offered) can get a similar deal (6GB local data bundle) as their StarHub counterparts.

If your data usage varies from 12GB to 16GB and have been considering a new plan, M1 is recommended as you will be paying lesser than if you were to sign up with the other two telcos. The balance will only tilt in favor of StarHub for consuming more than 17GB  as usage of 17GB data or more will be capped at $160.40.

High-Tier 4G Data Consumption Cost
Usage (GB) M1 SingTel StarHub
1 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
2 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
3 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
4 $98.00 $99.90 $98.00
5 $98.00 $110.60 $98.00
6 $103.35 $121.30 $98.00
7 $108.70 $132.00 $104.42
8 $114.05 $142.70 $110.84
9 $119.40 $153.40 $117.26
10 $124.75 $164.10 $123.68
11 $130.10 $174.80 $130.10
12 $135.45 $185.50 $136.52
13 $140.80 $193.90 $142.94
14 $146.15 $193.90 $149.36
15 $151.50 $193.90 $155.78
16 $156.85 $193.90 $160.40
17 $162.20 $193.90 $160.40
18 $167.55 $193.90 $160.40
19 $172.90 $193.90 $160.40
20 $178.25 $193.90 $160.40
21 $183.60 $193.90 $160.40
22 $188.95 $193.90 $160.40
23 $192.16 $193.90 $160.40
24 $192.16 $193.90 $160.40

 

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