Mobile Prepaid and Postpaid Plans: Features and Differences
3 THINGS TO KNOW:
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Subscription: frees the user from phone recharges
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Prepaid: frees the user from contract duration constraints
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Which one to choose: compare rates and find the most cost-effective option based on your phone usage
When it comes to mobile phone offers, in order to choose the most suitable tariff plan for your needs and not get lost among dozens of different proposals, it is important to have a comprehensive overview of how the main offers from telecommunication companies work. Here is a guide that explains the characteristics, differences, advantages, and disadvantages of the two basic plans provided by mobile operators: prepaid and subscription plans.
Mobile Subscription: What is it and how does it work?
An increasingly popular solution chosen by customers is the subscription plan, a "package" that starts from more standard profiles with predefined amounts of traffic and extends to all-inclusive offers, also known as "Flat," with unlimited voice traffic, preferred numbers, internet GB, included SMS, and any additional options.
The main advantage of subscription plans is undoubtedly freeing the user from phone credit recharges: you can use your mobile phone without the fear of running out of available traffic (the monthly fee is directly debited from your bank account) and you have constant control over your expenses. Not to mention the increasingly widespread possibility of associating the purchase of a new phone with the subscription plan, paying for it in installments along with the subscription itself.
Buying a smartphone on a subscription plan is not a decision to be taken lightly since the overall payment can reach amounts around 1000 Swiss francs for high-end devices, even if paid in installments. On the other hand, with a subscription plan that includes a smartphone payable in installments, it becomes possible for everyone to purchase phones that individually would require a spending of hundreds of euros in a single payment.
Prepaid plan: What is it and how does it work?
For more habitual customers, however, the "traditional" prepaid plans still represent the best solution. From emergency recharges to online ones, running out of credit no longer seems to be a problem, not to mention the messages that your operator sends before the expiration date to notify you of credit depletion.
The great advantage of prepaid plans is not being tied to a contract (whose "minimum" duration usually varies from 24 to 30 months), which in case of early termination would entail additional expenses, more or less significant depending on the operator and the remaining months until the expiration.
Another prerogative of prepaid offers is the ability to change the tariff plan according to your needs at any time. It is a solution that gives customers maximum freedom to choose and change, always keeping expenses under control.
Choosing the most suitable mobile plan
The choice between mobile deals, subscription and prepaid, should be based not only on "convenience" but also on the usage you make of your mobile phone. If you make many calls, send many messages, or require extensive internet use, the subscription plan is certainly the best solution, allowing you to save without worrying about constantly recharging your credit or monitoring your data usage. On the other hand, if the phone is used more moderately, the prepaid plan seems to be the best solution as it allows you to choose how much and when to recharge your phone each time.
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