Cheap Mobile Phone

[MattV]

I need a cheap mobile phone. I will be in and out of Singapore in the next few months and I wouldn't want a contract.

How does the mobile phone service work, is it a sim card pay by call proceedure, or do you need a contract?

Anyone have any idea how much it would cost to buy a cheap phone, and get the cheapest service available so that I would be able to use the phone for the next few months.

thx

[Flyjet1]

How much is your budget? For as little as $100, you should be able to get a export phone without waranty. Since you will be in and out, local plans will not be useful, hence a prepaid card will be good enough. You should be able to get one less than $50.

With your information, a cheapest service plan will end up like $30 per month, is it worth over 3 months paying more than $90? Certain calls can be made at the airport before you check out which is free.

Hope this is helpful.

[taxico]

cheapest service (since the last time i checked) would be starhub prepaid - they have a 50c/day unlimited incoming (you text to enable/disable this function).

they also charge calls by the second instead of blocks of X-seconds.

cheap cell phones can be found all over the island - you could ask the nearest stranger or concierge where the nearest "HAND PHONE SHOP" is.

good luck and be sure to haggle. stick to your budget too!

[durain]

if you got an unlocked mobile fone, you can use that in singapore. just get yourself a prepaid sim card only. only need to top it up when you are running low. prepaid are valid for 6 months without a top-up.

all the mobile SP are pretty much the same on their rates for prepaid. the SP are...

www.singtel.com.sg
www.starhub.com
www.m1.com.sg

a sim card only cost about S$10 and you get some free credit in it too. you will need your passport to purchase a sim card only.

[Thaiclan]

Biggest drawback with prepaid here in Singapore is the balance is only valid for 30days. When I was using top-up and really just wanted to use the phone very rarely I used a Thai SIM card and prepaid card with the balance lasting for 12 months from purchase. That was cheaper for me than continually losing my balance after 30 days.

[taxico]

no way 30 days balance validity... it's like 6 months IIRC.

(unless they've changed it... but i was never told!)

[Thaiclan]

I used the Singtel Top-up Hi Card and the balance lasts for 30 days, unless you re-top up and it gets rolled over. If not it disappears! lol

[taxico]

my starhub prepaid balance is still valid after topping it up during a visit to singapore over a month ago.

this might be evil singtel at work.

[durain]

I used the Singtel Top-up Hi Card and the balance lasts for 30 days, unless you re-top up and it gets rolled over. If not it disappears! lol

singtel hi!card prepaid last for 6 months from last top-up. you need to get the normal top-up card, not the hot$128 or BONUS$30.

here's a t&c from singtel..

"hi!Card must be topped up every 180 days. Otherwise, your hi!Card will be de-activated and the value in your hi!Card will be forfeited."