Alamak

SingTel iFlexi iPhone Plans for 2009

Thanks for the feedback on our 2008 article, SingTel iFlexi Plans for iPhone 3G.

SingTel has tweaked their plans for the iPhone 3GS launch in 2009. Here are the changes in the iFlexi Plans compared to 2008’s offering:

• MMS = SMS

  • iFlexi plans get a 500 (or 1500 for iFlexi Premium) quota that can be used for SMS or MMS

  • Other (non-iFlexi) SingTel plans do not bundle MMS

• SingTel has lowered the prices of the 16GB iPhone 3GS to $288 for iFlexi Value

  • Last year’s equivalent (iPhone 3G 8GB) was priced at $348

  • The high-end 32GB model (equivalent to last year’s iPhone 3G 16GB) is still $438

  • It was also $348 for the iOne plan in 2008, but SingTel has kept this pricing for 2009, probably to entice more people to sign up for iFlexi

• There is a low-tier iFlexi Lite plan at $39 a month

  • iPhones cost more for this plan

• Last year’s iPhone 3G 8GB is now retailing at a lower price

  • The iPhone 3G (not 3GS) 16GB is discontinued

• Bundled data is still at the same low levels (500MB to 3GB depending on the iFlexi plan) compared to the Broadband-on-Mobile (BBOM) VAS plans (30-50GB)

  • The 500MB to 3GB bundled data will revert to much lower levels after the promotional period

  • SingTel’s fine-print states: “Bundled data allowance is for a limited period only”

• SingTel is giving a $100 discount for BBOM sign-ups, something which they quietly removed in 2008 just before the launch

• The plans now go up to HSDPA speeds of 7.2Mbps

  • HSDPA is available only in a few central areas in Singapore

  • This is negligible because in other areas, the speed of the “unrivaled network” rarely exceeds 1Mbps

SingTel is making a concerted effort to push people to the iFlexi plans because they:

• Provide minimal bundled data

  • SingTel earns way more when you exceed the quota

• Provide just a little bit more outgoing talk time…

  • …while charging you much more per month

• Cover the amount that SingTel has to pay Apple for each iPhone sold

  • Therefore iPhone prices are higher for non-iFlexi plans

As recommended in our 2008 article, do consider the following when deciding:

1. Calculate the total price based on a 24-month contract

   • See the tables in last year’s article for a guide

2. Don’t be a typical shopper: Be willing to pay more upfront to save in the long-term

3. Remember to factor in the caller ID of $5 per month (excluding GST) in your costing

   • All Singapore telcos have a bad habit of conveniently forgetting to include the essential caller ID service in their mobile plans, as compared to other countries

4. Data is important for the iPhone

   • Basic iPhone functionality like push notifications and maps require it

   • You must not exceed the quota of your plan because the overuse charges are hefty as explained in last year’s article

5. Consider what you really need

   • If you use iPhone features that need lots of mobile data:

     • Trust us, you will :-)

     • A moderate iPhone user can easily exceed 500MB per month

       • 1GB is just nice for most users

     • You will need much more if you plan to tether iPhone to your notebook

     • Consider a BBOM plan for way more bundled data (up to 50GB)

       • You get peace-of-mind too

   • If you talk more and surf less:

     • The iFlexi plans may provide more talk time while providing just enough data

6. Sign up for the right plan

   • Remember that you are signing a 24-month contract

   • Estimate your needs so that you do not need to go to a higher plan while still on contract, especially since you have already paid a higher price for the iPhone

The high penalty charges when breaking an iPhone contract is much higher than other brands of phones. SingTel has a monopoly on this sought-after product and can tightly regulate the price.

We hope that M1 and StarHub can keep up their efforts to get the iPhone. Competition is good for consumers!