Step-By-Step Guide To Switching From Regular Postpaid Telco Plan To SIM-Only

Are you currently on a postpaid telco plan that’s about to expire?

Well, great news for you because you’ve just found a new way to save. That’s right. Switching from a regular postpaid telco plan to a SIM-only plan can yield great savings and this step-by-step guide will walk you through how to go about it.

But before you do that, here are 3 questions to ask yourself first. 

Question 1: Why switch from regular postpaid telco plan to SIM-only?

The biggest reason for switching to a SIM-only plan is because it can help you save more. A lot more. Here’s a summary of the SIM-only plans in the market right now.

This is a SIM-only plan comparison

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Question 2: Is it worth giving up phone subsidies on your regular postpaid telco plan?

The most attractive offer on the regular postpaid telco plan is the phone subsidies provided. You get your next iPhone or Android smartphone at a discounted price.

But here’s the thing. The phone subsidies are meant to get you hooked to the regular postpaid plan, so that you get locked-in with the telco for 2 years. While you get to enjoy a new phone at a lower price, this comes at the cost of a 2-year commitment. 

Not just that, the phone subsidies are also a gimmick to get you stuck on a higher plan that gives you more than what you really need. You will be urged to upgrade to a costlier plan that includes perks such as more data and more outgoing calls. Before you know it, you are already locked-in for the next 2 years.

So, before you put your signature on that contract, make sure to compare with the SIM-only plan and see if it’s worth giving up your phone subsidies.

Question 3: What if I use a regular postpaid telco plan to pay for my phone through instalments?

Another reason you might opt for a regular postpaid telco plan is because you want to reduce the upfront cost. You can then pay for your new iPhone through the ‘instalment’ options with the higher tier postpaid plan. Well, you don’t have to do that anymore.

That’s because nowadays telcos are offering monthly instalments on their phones for SIM-only plans. Thus, opting for a regular postpaid telco plan doesn’t seem to make sense unless you are paying the same price for it and a SIM-only plan.

A guide to switching from postpaid telco plan to SIM-only

If you are convinced about switching to a SIM-only plan, here’s a step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Check for eligibility

Before you switch over to a SIM-only plan, make sure that your existing regular postpaid plan contract has expired. Otherwise you will be forced to pay an early termination fee to your telco. Usually, this termination fee is your monthly postpaid plan cost multiplied by the number of months remaining in your contract.

Step 2: Compare SIM-only plans to find the best deal

The next step is to find the best SIM-only plan deal in the market. You can refer to the table above to do a quick comparison or use SingSaver’s telco plan comparison tool to help you do the job.

Here’s an example of how I go about the comparison.

For me, the most important factor is data usage. So, I will seek SIM-only plans with the highest data per dollar paid ratio. In my case, M1 gave me the best deal with 30GB for $25 a month. On top of that, I also get unlimited streaming of music from Spotify for free, which is a bonus for me.

Step 3: Get promo codes (because why not?)

Because of the intense competition among telcos for SIM-only plans, many of them are offering promo codes to attract new users. They are giving out lots of promo codes for benefits such as:

a.     Discounted phone bills for the first few months
b.     Extra data for the first few months
c.     Free sign-up fee
d.     A combination of the above benefits

So, make sure you take advantage of the promo codes wherever you can.

Step 4: Sign up for a SIM-only + port over your number

The final step is to sign up for the SIM-only plan via the telco’s website.

While signing up, you can also indicate whether you want to port over your number. All you need to do is to indicate that you want to port over an existing number and the telco will do the hard work for you. There’s absolutely nothing you have to do on your end.

Step 5: Switch over to your new SIM-only

Now, all you need to do is to wait for your SIM card to be delivered to you for the switch. In the meantime, you can still use your existing telco’s SIM card till your new one gets delivered. Once you receive the new SIM card, you will get an SMS or email to make the switch to the new SIM card. 

Tada! You are now off your regular postpaid telco plan and officially a SIM-only plan user. Looking to get your own SIM-only plan? Head to the link below to check out the best SIM-only plans.

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