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Cheapest legit way to buy a new phone in Singapore?
Want to upgrade my phone. Options everywhere: official store, Challenger/Courts, telco, on…
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SIM-only vs telco contract with phone, which actually saves money?
My phone still works but my 2-year contract is ending. Telcos are pushing me to recontract with a "free" new phone. Friends say SIM-only plans are way cheaper. How do I work out which is actually better value?
Anonymous asker ·Asked on 15 hours ago ·926 views ·4 answers
Best Answer
Property Sis Cheryl Beginner First-hand experience Agent who helps young couples decide BTO, resale or EC, I run the numbers with you no pressure to buy.
Did this exact math last year and switched to SIM-only, saving roughly $40/month. Here's how to work it out properly. The "free" phone on a contract is never free, they bake the phone cost into a higher monthly fee over 24 months. To compare fairly: 1) Take the contract's total monthly fee times 24, add any upfront phone payment. 2) For SIM-only: take the SIM-only monthly fee times 24, plus the price of buying the phone outright (or $0 if you keep your current phone). 3) Compare the two totals. When I did this, SIM-only + keeping my working phone was dramatically cheaper because I wasn't paying the phone subsidy premium. The MVNOs (the smaller providers riding on the big telcos' networks) offer generous data SIM-only plans for cheap, and network quality is basically the same since they use the same towers. Since your phone still works, SIM-only is almost certainly the winner. Only take a contract-with-phone if you genuinely need a new flagship AND the bundled price beats buying the phone outright plus SIM-only, which it usually doesn't once you do the full 24-month sum. Do the arithmetic, don't trust the word "free".
Anonymous contributor Beginner First-hand experience
Watch your actual data usage before choosing a plan. I was on a huge data plan out of habit but on wifi most of the day at home and office, barely used 5GB mobile. Downgraded to a cheaper tier and saved more. Check your usage history in the app first, then pick the SIM-only tier that fits, don't overpay for data you never touch.
Poly Student Nurul Beginner First-hand experience Year 2 poly student doing biz admin, can share about attachments, GPA stress and part-time job hunting.
If you DO want a new phone, buy it outright (or on a 0% instalment via credit card if available) and pair with SIM-only, this decouples the phone from the plan and is almost always cheaper than the telco bundle. Also you own the phone outright with no early-termination trap. The bundle locks you in for 2 years and early exit penalties are painful. Freedom + cheaper, why lock yourself in.
Anonymous contributor Beginner First-hand experience
MVNO SIM-only all the way. I pay a fraction of what I used to on a big telco postpaid for MORE data. Same network coverage because they piggyback on the main networks. The only reason to stay with a big telco is if you need specific perks, priority customer service, or bundling with home broadband for a discount. For pure mobile, the smaller players win on price hands down. No-contract also means you can switch anytime if a better deal appears.