Data is fast becoming an essential commodity such that a percentage of some people’s income is dedicated to mobile subscriptions. Although data is not the only reason for mobile subscription, it is one of the major reasons why people ensure that their subscription is up to date.
Due to the importance of this expenditure and how much it impacts the daily lives of users, it is expedient to find the most financially viable option(s). Although on the surface all mobile subscriptions might appear to be the same, they are not. You have to test a few to find out which works best for you.
This article offers you a comprehensive guide on how to navigate the mobile subscription landscape and get the best deals available.
Understanding Mobile Subscription
When content is transmitted to a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, through a wireless cellular connection, it is known as mobile data. The plans for these transmissions provide different amounts of transferable data every month at different prices.
When a user accesses webpages sends and receives email or uses any mobile app, their device receives and transmits data from the internet. If there is no local Wi-Fi Connection, the mobile device will connect to the internet through a subscription plan with a cellular network provider.
Mobile data is usually measured separately from voice calls. That is why every consumer often looks at it in terms of the usage and cost outside of their voice calls. You can visit https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ for more information.
Mobile Subscription therefore is a payment made by a consumer to a company that provides cellular network services. This company then ensures that the subscriber as the consumer is known has access to the internet for the period that the payment covers. This payment can be post-paid or prepaid.
Prepaid plans are those that afford the consumer the convenience of pay-as-you-go, which means there is no long-term commitment. Post-paid on the other hand is a committed plan that has billing cycles that are predictable and a consistent service bundle that you pay for after usage.
Tips for Choosing the Best Mobile Subscription for You
Choosing a data plan as mobile subscriptions are popularly referred to, can be confusing all thanks to the proliferation of options. However, no matter the wide range of options available, not all are a good fit for everyone’s budget and needs. Therefore, we have curated some tips that will help you make an informed decision. They are as follows: –
Evaluate Your Needs
The first thing to do before checking out different plans is to evaluate your needs. Look at how many text and voice messages that you send out and how much data you use every month. If your usage is heavy, you should be thinking of an unlimited plan but if you do not use much data, you should go for a metered plan.
Look at the extras that come with the limited plan and see whether you can work with it. For example, some network service providers offer music streaming at no cost midnight browsing, or some weekend freebies. If you love streaming music, going for a provider that offers free music streaming is a plus for you. If you are a YouTuber, going for a provider that offers free YouTube access at night might be your best option.
Conduct Comparative Analysis
This is the process of comparing the prices and services offered by different providers to find the cheapest offer for you. Bear in mind that several factors will constitute ‘cheap’ for someone else that will not apply to you and vice versa. Find out what each plan entails such as the volume of voice and text messages and data that it provides.
Look out for extra charges for distinctive features such as roaming or data sharing. Ensure that you use the same parameters in making your comparison. Find out promos or campaigns that make a subscription more attractive than the other.
Find Out the Quality of Service and Coverage
It is particularly important to look out for the quality of service of the network and the coverage. Some mobile networks have great coverage in some areas and extremely poor coverage in others. Do not just assume that the coverage is good because of one area. Check out the quality of their service and coverage in all the places that you spend much time in.
When you visit the websites of reputable network service providers, they usually show their coverage. If you are not sure based on the information on the website, you can contact their customer service. As we said, reputable operators will let you know whether your area is within the service coverage. Ensure that you choose an operator with strong coverage in your area.
Additionally, the quality of the service affects the speed of the network. Internet speed is especially important for people who upload and download data or stream music and videos on their mobile. Make sure your prospective provider offers the latest technologies such as 4G or 5G.
Consider the Flexibility of the Plan
Operators have diverse types of plans; some come with a commitment period while others are flexible. We have subscriptions that have to be for a year or two while others are monthly. In the same vein, we have plans that the contract is binding and attracts cancellation penalties. This means that you cannot cancel the plan before the expiration of the subscription and if you must, you have to pay a fee.
You need to consider this factor before locking in any plan. The disadvantage of signing off on a fixed period is that you cannot easily switch operators. However, with a flexible plan, you can cancel the plan at any time without penalty. This gives you greater freedom to switch if a plan is not working out well for you.
Consider Customer Service
The customer service of a company determines how well your transaction with them will go. When you have issues with your service provider, you will have to contact their customer service. If you sign up with an operator without capable and efficient customer service and support, you will not enjoy seamless transactions or excellent service.
Although a respectable number of mobile network operators now offer self-service for their subscribers, there may still be occasions that warrant that you contact customer care. This therefore means that excellent and responsive customer care service is a key factor to consider.
Consider the Type of Subscription to Sign up for
There are two broad categories of plans that almost all operators offer, and they are individual subscriptions and collective subscriptions. The individual plan is just as its name implies; a plan for an individual while the collective is a plan for multiple phones.
If you have family members or children that you often share call times and data with and they are heavy users, it is best that you consider going for a collective plan. On the other hand, if you need to have full control of your call minutes and data, then it is best to consider individual plans.
Factors to Consider When Testing or Comparing Mobile Subscriptions
Before signing up completely with any particular operator, you may want to compare many network providers.
There are some basic factors that you should consider when making this comparison or testing options. You can also ask some questions to help you along in your comparative analysis. Find below some of the questions to ask and factors to consider: –
- The quantity of data that is available per subscription.
- The ability to roll over data to the next month in the case of a monthly plan.
- Can you buy additional data if your data is exhausted before the expiration date of the active plan and if yes at what cost?
- What is the internet speed that you should expect based on your subscription?
- Collaboration with foreign NSPs (Network Service Providers). This will come in handy if you travel a lot outside Norway. You can visit this website for more information on the criteria for choosing an NSP. So, find out if they have a collaboration that can allow you pay the same price when you are within EEA and EU.
- Do they have different subscription plans for different age groups, businesses, students, and other groups? If there are any special groupings it may help to find out whether you can get a special promotional plan for your particular group.
- Plans for children. Some operators have rolled out cheaper plans for children. So, if you have children whom you subscribe to, you may want to consider these children-specific plans.
Conclusion
When you calculate how much you pay for data plans and voice calls, you find out that a significant fraction of your income goes into mobile subscriptions. However, this is an expenditure that one cannot forego; it is a necessary expense for people in every walk of life, especially in this day and age where almost everything is digitized.
That being said, it is also necessary that you find the best plan that will fit your budget while catering adequately to your needs. In this article, we have discussed several tips that will help you make an informed decision. Do not forget to take time to research and compare different plans. Also, look out for additional offers or promos from different operators that make their plans worth your while.
Finally, never be in a hurry to sign up for any mobile data plan. Bear all the tips we have discussed in mind so that you can get the best deal possible.
