Best unlimited data mobile plans in Singapore: 2020 edition
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PUBLISHED ONAugust 22, 2020 8:00 AMBySim Kang Heong
We’re all spoilt for choice when it comes to content we can consume on our mobile phones.
There is a wealth of news, longform articles, streaming music, online videos, virtual courses, apps and games available at the swipe of your finger, as well as communicating with others via video calls, voice calls over data, and multimedia chats.
All these great use cases all require data, and not everyone has the luxury of waiting until they are at home or in the office to tap on a fast and reliable Wifi connection.
To satisfy Singaporeans’ need for data, the various telecommunication companies (telcos) in Singapore have begun to offer increasingly cheaper data plans, culminating in unlimited data plans.
These plans promise to put an end to situations when we have to watch our data usage closely, for fear of bursting the limit that month, or be charged hefty fees.
Today, we’ll examine and compare unlimited data plans from across the telcos and see which is the cheapest, as well as which gives you the most unthrottled data for your money.
Regular prices and plan features are used, since promotional bonuses and discounts are either time-limited or only available to certain customers.
Introducing the best unlimited data plan contenders
Circles.Life Base Plan + Unlimited Data (100GB with 4G Rollover) : To enjoy unlimited data with Circles.Life, need to subscribe to their $18/month Base Plan plus a $20/month unlimited data add-on.
Data speed is throttled after 100 GB, but any unused 4G data allowance can be rolled over to subsequent months, up to a maximum of 300 GB. There is no contract, and you’ll enjoy free caller ID, a modest 100 minutes talktime, 25 free SMS.
Singtel Combo 3 + DATA X INFINITY : Singtel was the first telco in Singapore to offer unlimited data plans. The unlimited data add-on, known as DATA X INFINITY, costs $29.90, and can be added to Combo 3 ($72.90) and above plans, which come with a 2-year contract and phone handset subsidy.
StarHub $25 SIM Only Plan + 50 GB with Worry-Free Data : StarHub allows you to add on unlimited data (known as 50 GB with Worry-free Data) at $20 a month to their 1-year contract SIM-only plans, the cheapest of which costs $25 a month. Data speeds are throttled after 85 GB (base of 35 GB + 50 GB).
Zero1 30GB To Unlimited Data : The 30GB to Unlimited Data plan from Zero1 gives you unlimited data at $24.90, with surfing speeds being throttled after 30GB. You’ll also enjoy free caller ID, 450 outgoing minutes, free incoming calls and 450 free SMS.
There is also a Zero1 6GB to Unlimited Data plan for $13.90/month, with free caller ID and incoming calls, 200 outgoing SMS, and 200 outgoing minutes.
MyRepublic Pro Plan : For $29/month, MyRepublic offers 50GB of 4G data a month, followed by unlimited data at managed speeds. You also enjoy 400 outgoing talktime and 400 outgoing SMS.
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On the cheaper end, MyRepublic has a Lite Plan that gives you 6GB of 4G data a month, followed by slower unlimited data for just $10/month.
You also get 300 outgoing minutes and 300 outgoing SMS. All plans come With free caller ID, incoming calls and SMS.
VIVIFI Plus 10GB : VIVIFI Plus 10GB gives you unlimited data (first 10GB at 4G speeds) as well as free caller ID, free incoming calls and SMS, 350 minutes of outgoing calls and 100 outgoing SMS for $17.98/month.
There is also a VIVIFI Plus 6GB at $12.98/month, with the same perks, but at 6GB unthrottled 4G speeds a month.
M1’s SIM-Only Plan: Ever since the M1 mySIM3 98 was retired, M1 no longer has plans that offer an unlimited data option. There is an unlimited weekend data add-on for new sign-ups at $6/month, but it obviously doesn’t qualify as an unlimited data plan.
TPG’s SIM Only Plan: TPG used to allow limited numbers of customers to join their network for free over 12-months and enjoy unlimited data (throttled after 2GB every day). However, they have since launched their SIM Only Plan for $10/month for 50GB, but no unlimited data option is available.
Best unlimited data plans in Singapore compared
With that in mind, here are the cheapest plans from each telco in Singapore that give you unlimited data.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Base Data | Unlimited Data Add-On Cost | Monthly Cost For Unlimited Data | Fair Use Caveat | Notes |
| Circles.Life Base Plan | $18 | 20 GB | $20 | $38 | Data speeds will be throttled after 100 GB | Plan comes with: – 100 mins talktime – 25 SMS – Free caller ID – No contract |
| Singtel Combo 3 | $72.90 | 3 GB | $29.90 | $102.80 | Data speeds will be throttled after 53 GB | Plan comes with: – Unlimited talktime* – Unlimited SMS* – Both the plan and add-on comes with contract – Eligible for phone subsidy |
| StarHub $25 SIM Only Plan | $25 | 35 GB | $20 | $45 | Data speeds will be throttled after 85 GB | Plan comes with: – 100 minutes talktime – Free caller ID |
| Zero1 30GB To Unlimited Data | $24.90 | Unlimited | – | $24.90 | Data speeds will be throttled after 30 GB | Plan comes with: – 450 outgoing mins – Free incoming calls – 200 SMS – Free caller ID |
| Zero1 6GB To Unlimited Data | $13.90 | Unlimited | – | $13.90 | Data speeds will be throttled after 6 GB | Plan comes with: – 200 outgoing mins – Free incoming calls – 200 SMS – Free caller ID |
| MyRepublic Pro Plan | $29.00 | Unlimited | – | $29.00 | Data speeds will be throttled after 50 GB | Plan comes with: – 400 outgoing mins – Free incoming calls – 400 SMS – Free caller ID |
| MyRepublic Lite Plan | $10.00 | Unlimited | – | $10.00 | Data speeds will be throttled after 6 GB | Plan comes with: – 300 outgoing mins – Free incoming calls – 300 SMS – Free caller ID |
| VIVIFI Plus 10GB | $17.98 | Unlimited | – | $17.98 | Data speeds will be throttled after 10 GB | Plan comes with: – 350 outgoing mins – Free incoming calls – 100 SMS – Free caller ID |
| VIVIFI Plus 6GB | $12.98 | Unlimited | – | $12.98 | Data speeds will be throttled after 6 GB | Plan comes with: – 350 outgoing mins – Free incoming calls – 100 SMS – Free caller ID |
* Subject to fair use policy and limits of the respective telcos.
As you can see, if you don’t care about speeds and want the cheapest plan with unlimited data, the MyRepublic Lite Plan is the clear winner at just $10/month for a respectable 10 GB of 4G data.
However, power users might feel limited with what they can do after that modest 10 GB of 4G speeds is used up for the month.
Video streaming would only be possible at low resolution, phone calls over data may be sketchy, and real-time gaming may be a source of frustration.
If speeds matter to you, here’s how the telcos’ plans stack up from a Cost per GB at 4G speeds:
As you can see, when you take 4G data into account, Zero1’s 6GB To Unlimited Data suddenly becomes the most ‘expensive’. In this scenario, Circles.Life’s Circles.Life Base Plan plus Unlimited Data add-on gives you the most 4G data for your buck at $0.38/GB.
This would be suitable for power users who also like the peace of mind that unlimited data plans provide.
In our comparison, we’ve only looked at the plans from a purely mobile data perspective. Each of the plans offer a mix of talktime, free income calls, caller ID, and other value-added services.
Singtel’s Combo 3 is also the only plan here with a handset subsidy, since their SIM-Only plans don’t offer an unlimited data option.
When choosing a plan, you should take these into consideration and find a plan that fits your unique needs today and in the near future.
This article was first published in Dollars and Sense.