TPG sim-only mobile plans are one of the best deals you can get, at least on paper
TPG's sim only plan is one of the most value for money plans in Singapore. For just $10 per month you get:
- 50GB data
- 300 local call minutes
- 30 local SMS
- FREE caller ID, incoming calls and incoming SMS
- Free 1 GB roaming to selected countries
- Excess data charged at $1 per GB
This is really a good deal, and one that is likely due to them being the "new kid on the block" and trying to get buy-in from Singapore mobile consumers. TPG Telecom won the fourth telco license in Singapore to compete with the Big 3: Singtel, M1 and Starhub. What this means is that they are building up their own mobile networks and will not be riding on existing Big 3 networks like other Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) like Circles.Life, Zero Mobile, Zero1, MyRepublic, etc.
However, do note TPG's poorer network coverage
Today, TPG's network coverage is currently not as good as the Big 3s' coverage and their voice calls seem to be based on VoIP using their 4G network coverage. In other words, if you don't get 4G coverage, you may not be able to make calls or SMS. These are downsides to getting TPG mobile plans today, but I would say that the lower costs does commensurate with the lower mobile coverage. Over time, I would expect TPG efforts to build up their network to pay off and they should be able to charge slightly more for the better service and coverage. As of now, the coverage is relatively poor as is shown in the following image which show areas where there is no/weak TPG coverage in grey and these are highlighted by the black circles:
Compare this with the network coverage of SingTel as shown below, and we see a big difference. You probably need to be out in the sea or in Malaysia before you start to lose coverage. The coverage for SingTel, M1 and Starhub are similar. I am not sure if the low price point of TPG mobile plans are worth the poorer coverage since I am the kind of person who gets quite frustrated when things do not run as smoothly as they should.
Unfortunately, TPG's growth as a major telco is somewhat thwarted since it lost its bid for one of Singapore’s two nationwide 5G licences (won by Singtel, and a joint-venture between M1 and Starhub). The good news is that TPG will still be allowed to operate smaller 5G networks that provide spot coverage using the remaining frequency spectrum in the millimeter wave band it is allocated.
Maybe in the future, but not today.
It is hard to say how things will pan out given that tech is, and has always been, a fast moving area. And I would not dismiss TPG's ambition to compete in Singapore and be successful at it. In some ways, I am hoping that they do become successful and establish themselves as one of the major telcos in Singapore. Singapore consumers will only benefit from this increased competition. But for now, I would remain cautious about moving away from the Big 3.
