Singapore iPhone Plan --- Low Usage Plan Comparison

I just signed up with M1 for the iPhone4 plan for two years...

What I get was just a small box with the iPhone, SIM card, Charger, Headphone and Manuals...in a small box... 

I've taken the iPhone Value plan for 16GB phone with 100 minutes per month voice call time. For my present usage, I believe is sufficient. Although I am paying slightly more (SGD270 more) compared to I take up the iPhone Lite plan (300 minutes per month), I can pay back within about one and half year. My cost per minute also is much higher (SGD0.56/min vs. SGD0.22/min), but I really do not have such a high usage per month. So theoretically I still can save about SGD210 after two years...haha...

I've been using the iPhone4 for a month, not bad...a lots of apps...but most of the good ones need to purchase if you want to enjoy the full version (most of it have a LITE version for testing)...I can use it to listen to Radio while I am walking or read News when I am waiting for bus, read Email, surf Web, track my Expenses, Alarm, Scheduling, Chat, Social Networking, watch Youtube, etc......really not bad...and the 12GB of data bundle is much more than enough...

Malaysia vs. Singapore iPhone4 Plans

I am looking for a smart phone to replace my old phone as it sometimes mute by itself. It may cause serious misses or I shall be late for work if it not functioning as an alarm clock.

After looking around most of my friends and colleagues are using iPhone, naturally that shall be my choice for evaluation. I tried to make a quick comparison between the iPhone plan offered in Malaysia and in Singapore.

I’ve converted the currency to Ringgit Malaysia as an apple to apple comparison. I just the comparison on the near 300 minutes per month plans. The cost of the iPhone 4 set for both 16GB and 32GB are much cheaper in Singapore as compared in Malaysia. But the monthly subscription fee is more expensive in Singapore. After doing a total comparison for a 24 months contract, it is almost in parity (with Singapore’s iPhone plan, M1 and Singtel are slightly lower).



After comparing the cost per min from all the telcos, it shows the Malaysia plan (Maxis) is slightly lower. For Malaysian, please note that Digi charged extra RM0.15/min if you made calls beyond 200 minutes per month. So, if comparing the extra 133 minutes with Maxis plan, it is still cheaper with about RM20 on top of the RM58 per month (digital billing).

The only pros for Maxis are that it offers another 12 months plan for people who like to change up to date hand phones. And overall has a better coverage and longer experience in 3G business.

Definitely, I will sign up a plan with Singapore telcos…haha…...just make the comparison for reference. In Singapore, basically, we do not have to worry about the data overspend or we send too many SMS as the data bundle and SMS per month is as many as 12GB and 500 SMS. Malaysia’s telcos are no where near…

From the above it is obvious that I shall sign up with M1…...although previously I made the prepaid service comparison where Starhub was superior…

If we are doing a dollar-to-dollar comparison (meaning, just compare the currency unit with currency unit), Singapore iPhone 4 plans are much cheaper…

Singapore Postpaid Phone Plan

I still remembered when iPhone first launched by Maxis in Malaysia in 2009, it was relatively new or rare for Malaysian to have one. Maxis iPhone plan was very high back then and the initial cost of paying for the iPhone was also very high (about RM2,+++). It was a luxury to own one, with the monthly subscription fee of around RM100. Only one of my colleagues who are up to date of high technology gear had a iPhone 3Gs in the whole office.

After coming to Singapore, I feel that I am really out of date because everyone on the street is equipped with smart phone. Even the old lady who is a hawker has a more advanced phone than me…...haha…I think is because a lot of people in Singapore travelling via public transport everyday. Every time while waiting for your ride, within the ride or on the move, you can use your smart phone to read newspaper, SMS, listen to music, watch video clips, play games, etc…

Anyway, as I am still new working in Singapore, there is not much phone calls to make, I started with just a prepaid plan and using back my Malaysia phone. One thing bad about Singapore prepaid phone is that we need to pay for incoming calls.

So after a while, although you are paying relatively cheaper (compared to Malaysia) outgoing calls and SMS fees but your total bill per month for phone is still high. The breakeven point of signing up with a postpaid plan is the sum of your current monthly phone usage fee and the discount you get for new phone (divided by 24 months) by signing up the new post paid plan.  Another valid point to consider is your old phone is about to spoil…hehe….