The SIM-only, mobile plan war is now in full swing. Gone are the days when fixed-mobile plan contracts by Singtel, StarHub, and M1 locked you in for a period of 12- to 24-months with no way out except by paying a hefty early termination penalty.
How did they attract you to sign up with them? The main tactic was to dangle the latest smartphone at an attractive upfront ‘discount’– provided you re-contract with them, locking you in again for another 12-24 months. Obviously, it wasn’t really a discount – the cost of the smartphone was really just spread out over monthly installments.
The three latest mobile virtual network operators (MNVOs) to join the battle are MyRepublic (through StarHub’s mobile network), GoMo (SingTel’s mobile network) and Changi Mobile (M1`s network). This means consumers are now spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the most affordable and cost-efficient mobile plans for their needs.
