Mobile Network Plans — To Have Or Not To Have?
iPhone 4 -- Chained to Globe! (Image by Everything In Budget)
You either love it or you’ll hate it. Mobile network plans, that is. For some of us, we love being on a mobile network plan because of the free phone unit every two years. Others, however, may find that a mobile network plan is restrictive, and the fact that the phones are locked to the operator that provided it also poses another handicap.
However, there are some compelling reasons for getting a phone on plan. Take the iPhone for example. While it is very affordable in the US, the iPhone is very expensive here in the Philippines. One unit may set you back at least Php 29,000 for the 16GB model, or Php 33,000 for the 32GB model. On the other hand, you may be able to take a unit home for only Php 5,000: by signing up for a 24-month contract with a Globe Platinum plan.
The caveat with that plan is that you will be locked to that for 24 months. So at the end of the 24 months that you pay Php 5,000 a month for your mobile service plan and your iPhone, you will end up paying Php 120,000 pesos in all. That doesn’t really sound like a good deal now, does it?
If you consume only Php 400 a month in calls and texts, you will have spent Php 9,600 for 24 months. Then if you want to subscribe to a mobile Internet plan, at Php 999 a month for unlimited service, you’ll have spent only Php 23,976 for the whole of 24 months. At the end of it, the total dent on your pocket will only be Php 66,576 for an iPhone (with Php 33,000 cash-out), an unlimited data plan, and your regular use of calls and texts. Half the price of what you’d pay for a 5000-peso premium plan!
There is much to love and much to hate for mobile phone plans. If you go for the value-packed plans of Sun Cellular: Unlimited Calls and Texts, as well as 250 free texts to other networks and get a good-enough WiFi capable phone available under the plan, you will have found something that’s really worth your money. Other than that, it’s really best to go prepaid.
Photo Credits: Everything In Budget
